Daphne Henry, Ph.D.

Daphne A. Henry received her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she also completed a B.A. in history. Her research investigates how socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity intersect to shape children’s academic development. Specifically, she examines the origin and trajectory of achievement disparities between SES-matched Black and White children as well as the factors that foment within-SES racial skills gaps. Ultimately, her research aims to delineate how differences in early formative experiences promote disparities in school readiness and long-term educational outcomes. Daphne’s work is interdisciplinary and incorporates theoretical insights and empirical evidence from developmental psychology, sociology, education, and economics to understand the underlying processes that produce racial and socioeconomic disparities in family life and child development. Her research has been supported by fellowships from the National Science Foundation, the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation, and the American Psychological Foundation. In her leisure time, Daphne enjoys reading, binge-watching Netflix, and spending time with family and friends.