• Associate Professor, George Warren Brown School of Social Work

McMillen

• B.A. in Psychology at Trinity University
• Ph.D. in Social Work at University of Maryland at Baltimore

News Stories & Tip Sheets:

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Teens in foster care Foster youth desire college, study shows, but face roadblocks to learning Oct. 2, 2003 -- Mary Butkus/WUSTL Photo Foster care teens have a desire to attend college, study shows. Download A solid education is considered the foundation for a productive future, but for teens in foster care, education beyond high school is rarely a reality. In fact, a Westat study found that only 44 percent of 18-year-olds leaving the independent living program of the foster care system completed high school. But despite common thought, this dismal percentage is not due to a lack of educational aspirations among teens in foster care. According to a recent study at the George Warren Brown (GWB) School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, a surprisingly high percentage — 70 percent — of teens in the foster care system have a desire to attend college.

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His articles on the positive by-products of acute and chronic stress, PTSD, and older youths in foster care have been selected for several journals, including the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Social Work Research, and the Journal of Traumatic Stress.

Recent Publications

* McMillen, J.C., Howard, M.O., Nower, L. & Chung, S. Positive By-Products of the Struggle with Chemical Dependency. (2001). Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 20, 69-79.

* McMillen, J.C.; North, C.S.; & Smith, E.M. (2000). What Parts of PTSD are Normal: Intrusion, Avoidance, or Hyperarousal? Data From the Northridge, California Earthquake, Journal of Traumatic Stress 13, 57-75.

* McMillen, J.C. (1999). Better For It: How People Benefit From Adversity, Social Work, 44, 455-468.

* McMillen, J.C. & Tucker, J. (1999). The Status of Older Adolescents at Exit From Out-of-home Care, Child Welfare 78, 339-360.

* McMillen, J.C. & Fisher, R. (1998). The Perceived Benefit Scales: Measuring Perceived Positive Life Changes After Negative Events, Social Work Research 22, 173-187.

* McMillen, J.C.; Smith, E.M.; & Fisher, R. (1997). Perceived Benefit and Mental Health After Three Types of Disaster, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 65, 733-739.

Affiliations, Associations, Consultation

* International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies

* Council on Social Work Education