The essence of the work of Dr. Greg Thompson, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Lamar University, is strengthening primary ecological relationships—that is, relationships between spouses, between employers and employees, and between citizens and public servants in government. The presentations he makes, the writings he composes, the research he conducts, and the projects he helps lead in collaboration with others, are all dedicated to this central purpose.
This website is provided to acquaint you with specifics of his work, and moreover, to serve as a first point-of-contact for dialogue with others who hold similar interests.
Most recently, Dr. Thompson concluded what may be the first-of-its-kind, asset-based study looking at the developmental factors (both as an individual and as a couple) that contribute to low-income Caucasian parents’ assessment that theirs is a strong marriage. Ten participating couples provided more than 30 hours of recorded interviews from which Dr. Thompson’s analysis yielded a Process Map of Marital Assessment. The Process Map demonstrates how four sets of developmental factors, called “synergists,” result in the four personal qualities found without exception among the 20 spouses involved in the study.
Prior to his research, Dr. Thompson gained regard regionally and nationally for his work on two successful federal grant proposals that attracted more than $1,000,000 for the advancement of a community healthy marriage initiative in Central Kentucky, as well as participation in a state-level public policy coalition that sought to generate and advocate legislation intended to support couples who desire to achieve a quality marriage.
As he transitions to his new position with Lamar University, he will continue to pursue this interest in processes that strengthen marriage through a new project tentatively being called Bound Together that incorporates wilderness experience programming as a mechanism for couples’ growth.
Other interests are also
highlighted on this site by exploring the Educating, Consulting,
Researching, and Community Organizing headings above.
