Patti Fritz (Psychology)

Patti Fritz

Dr. Fritz is a faculty member in the Child Clinical track since 2005. She is the director of the Healthy Relationships Research Group and co-director of the Health Research Centre for the Study of Violence Against Women. She grew up on a dairy farm in rural Michigan, graduated with a BA in Psychology (Hons) from the University of Michigan, and earned her MA (2003) and Ph.D. (2005) degrees in Clinical Psychology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.  She completed her clinical internship at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, IN.

Dr. Fritz's research interests include the etiology, developmental course, correlates, and measurement of various forms of family violence, including intimate partner violence (IPV). She is also interested in adolescent development, intimate relationships, and couples therapy. Some of her recent research has focused on how and when dating violence first begins in emerging adults’ relationships and partner aggression that occurs through electronic means (e.g., via cell phones, social networking websites, etc.). Dr. Fritz teaches undergraduate and graduate courses related to child and adolescent development, behavioural psychology, research methods, and child clinical assessment.

Describing herself, Dr. Fritz says "I find mentoring undergraduate and graduate students to be one of the most rewarding aspects of my job."

More in her own words: "In my “free” time, I have a 6-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old son who keep me very busy.  I also enjoy jogging, gardening, playing board games and cards with my family, traveling, and playing the piano."

 

Selected Works:

Fitzgerald, Amy; Barrett, Betty; Stevenson, Rochelle; Fritz, Patti. (2021). Domestic violence and animal abuse In John Devaney; Caroline Bradbury-Jones; Stephanie Holt; Rebecca Macy; and Caroline Øverlien, (Eds.) Routledge Handbook of Domestic Violence and Abuse, Routledge.