About

Dr. Dana L. Haynie is an ASC Distinguished Professor of Sociology at The Ohio State University. Her research applies criminological and social network theories and methods to investigate processes related to crime, delinquency, and social inequality. Over her career, she has transformed the field of criminology through pioneering applications of social network analysis to diverse domains, including adolescent risk behavior, incarceration, online drug trafficking, and far-right extremism. Her innovative work has shaped scholarly understanding and public policy in areas such as youth violence prevention, prison reform, and the disruption of illegal online markets. Her scholarship spans a wide range of empirical contexts and methodological approaches. Her early work examined how peer relationships and network dynamics influence adolescent delinquency, substance use, and risky sexual behavior, with attention to racial and gender differences. More recent projects analyze prison-based social networks to understand how ties affect institutional conduct and post-release outcomes. Additionally, her research utilizes longitudinal network data to study the structure and evolution of illegal drug markets on the darkweb. Her latest research explores the infiltration of alt-right and hate groups into mainstream American institutions, focusing on how extremist rhetoric and ideologies spread through networks. Dr. Haynie's work has been supported by major agencies such as NSF, NIH, and NIJ, and published in leading journals. She is also a prominent figure in the discipline, serving as Co-Editor of Criminology, and has held several leadership roles, including Director of Ohio State’s Criminal Justice Research Center and Chair of the ASA Section on Crime, Law, and Deviance. Her career reflects a commitment to methodological rigor, intellectual innovation, and scholarship that informs both theory and policy.

Research topics

• Psychology
• Medicine
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Criminology
• Developmental psychology
• Social psychology
• Law
• Economics
• Demography
• Psychotherapist
• Internal medicine
• Pediatrics
• Finance
• Gender studies
• Psychiatry
• Clinical psychology
• Environmental health
• Demographic economics
• Gerontology

Selected publications

• Adverse Childhood Experiences, Neurocognitive Functions, and Long-Term Mortality Risk

  JAMA Network Open · 2025-09-10 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Importance: Higher intellectual abilities have been associated with lower mortality risk in several longitudinal cohort studies. However, these studies did not fully account for early life contextual factors or test whether the beneficial associations between higher neurocognitive functioning and mortality extend to children exposed to early adversity. Objective: To explore how the associations of child neurocognition with mortality changed according to the patterns of adversity children experienced. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP) is a US pregnancy cohort study conducted at 12 US academic medical centers among children born between 1959 and 1966. Pregnant women at participating centers were invited to enroll in the study, and their offspring were followed up for assessments of neurocognition and mortality risk. The CPP offspring cohort was linked to the National Death Index to ascertain their later vital status. Analyses were conducted in August 2024 and June 2025. Exposure: Nine neurocognitive test scores captured children's visual-motor, sensory-motor, auditory-vocal, intelligence quotient (IQ), and academic skills. Main Outcome and Measure: All-cause mortality between 1979 and 2016. Results: Among the 49 853 CPP offspring, about half were male (25 226 offspring [50.6%]). A total of 23 331 (46.8%) mothers were Black, 3739 (7.5%) were other races, and 22 783 (45.7%) were White Eight of the 9 neurocognitive scores were associated with the risk of mortality, with each SD higher score in neurocognition associated with 9% (auditory-vocal association function hazard ratio [HR], 0.91; 95% CI, 0.88-0.95) to 15% (full-scale IQ HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.81-0.88) lower mortality risk. Full scale and performance IQ and arithmetic skills were associated with an 11% (IQ HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.82-0.96) to 23% (arithmetic skills HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.72-0.83) lower mortality risk for children exposed to low adversity, crowded housing and poverty, and/or family instability, but not for those exposed to severe patterns of adversities. Conclusions and Relevance: This large US cohort study found that most childhood neurocognitive functions were associated with lower risk of premature mortality through middle adulthood, although the associations of some neurocognitive functions were diminished in the context of exposure to complex patterns of adversity. Thus, developing strong neurocognitive skills may foster long-term health resilience.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Riding With Alcohol-Impaired Drivers in Fatal Crashes: Modeling Historical Trends and Future Projections Using a System Dynamics Approach

  Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs · 2025-02-06 · 1 citations

  article

  OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors contributing to the decline in the number of passengers riding with alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes since 1982 and to examine the impact of simulated interventions on this group through 2050. METHOD: Historical data were obtained from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. We applied linear regression to analyze changes in the average numbers of passengers per alcohol-impaired young driver involved in fatal crashes between 1982 and 2020 by age and sex. We also extended our existing system dynamics simulation model developed to examine driving-while-impaired (DWI) behaviors of U.S. male and female drivers ages 15 to 24 and explored riding-with-an-impaired-driver (RWI) behaviors and corresponding interventions. We conducted sensitivity analyses to examine the likely trajectories of alcohol-impaired drivers' passengers in fatal crashes across multiple scenarios through 2050. RESULTS: Our findings show that the decline in passengers of alcohol-impaired drivers in fatal crashes primarily stems from a decrease in the number of impaired drivers rather than a change in the average number of passengers per impaired driver. The simulation model replicated historical trends from 1982 to 2020, and the sensitivity analyses show that the policies reducing DWI trips also decrease RWI trips. CONCLUSIONS: Wide adoption of a comprehensive strategy combining increased enforcement, an alcohol truth campaign, the provision of alternative transportation, and the enactment of a new DWI restrictive law could significantly reduce the number of passengers in fatal crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers while minimizing possible unintended consequences.

  PublisherDOI

• The burden of overweight/obesity and weight-related behaviors attributable to food addiction in emerging adults

  Appetite · 2024-05-06 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Individual and social-environmental factors among young drivers informing decisions to ride with an impaired driver and drive impaired: A sequential mixed methods assessment

  Traffic Injury Prevention · 2024-11-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: To contextually examine facilitators of young driver decisions to ride with an impaired driver (RWI) or drive while impaired (DWI). METHODS: = 105, 26.30 ± 0.43 y/o) from four identified RWI/DWI trajectory classes (Stage-2): 31 Abstainers (consistently low probability), 33 Escalators (low-to-high probability), 14 Decliners (high-to-low probability), and 27 Persisters (consistently high probability). In Stage-2, the qualitative interview guide was informed by Stage-1 findings and Ecodevelopmental Theory. Using directed content analysis, we applied inductive and deductive theory-grounded codes to interview transcripts. With data immersion, reflexivity, and team dialogue, we derived themes from the code, "Facilitators of RWI and/or DWI". Demographics and validated measures of resiliency, health-related quality of life, Timeline Follow Back for alcohol and marijuana, and recent engagement in RWI/DWI were collected during the interviews. RESULTS: Based on the interview transcripts, five themes emerged around RWI/DWI facilitators during and after high school: (1) beliefs about alcohol/drug effects; (2) trust of others; (3) trust of self; (4) parental disapproval; and (5) transportation factors. Participants who RWI confidently placed their trust in their assessment of the driver's impairment and their own in the context of close relationships. Those who DWI described desire to maintain simple/easy vehicle access while avoiding tickets/towing. The joint display of the quantitative and qualitative data is presented. CONCLUSIONS: Notable misperceptions exist about how alcohol/drugs impact driving in the RWI/DWI context, particularly regarding the subtle signs of impairment. Youth commonly relied on their own assessment of impairment before driving themselves or riding with a potentially impaired driver, sometimes to avoid parental disapproval. Some engage in RWI/DWI to avoid discord with parents. DWI may relate to needing easy/immediate vehicle access. Pragmatic remedy considerations could include educating youth and young drivers about impairment, enhancing safe public transportation, and expanding ride-share programing.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Adverse childhood experiences and risk of suicide and substance-related mortality through middle adulthood

  Journal of Affective Disorders · 2024-10-30 · 8 citations

  articleOpen access

  Few studies have prospectively examined whether adverse childhood experiences contribute to suicide or substance-related mortality. Moreover, children are often exposed to multiple adversities making it critical to identify which clusters of adversities are most harmful for these outcomes. Accordingly, we investigated risk for suicide and substance-related mortality based on the number and clusters of adversities children were exposed to. Identifying information from 49,853 offspring born between 1959 and 1966 to participants in the Collaborative Perinatal Project was linked to the National Death Index to determine vital status by the end of 2016. We examined associations of the total number of adversities and five clusters of adversity ( Low Adversity, Parental Harshness & Neglect, Family Instability, Poverty & Crowded Housing, Poverty & Parental Separation ) with suicide and substance-related mortality. Of the 45,207 participants in the analysis sample, 267 died by suicide and 338 by substance use. Participants who experienced Family Instability had a higher risk of dying by suicide (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.79) and substance use (HR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.19). Participants who experienced Poverty & Parental Separation were at higher risk of dying by substance use (HR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.40, 2.45). Adversities with documented harm including physical and sexual abuse were not assessed in the study. Childhood adversity is associated with multiple types of self-injury mortality, suggesting shared etiology of risk for suicide and substance-related mortality. Research on interventions that target shared pathways linking childhood vulnerability to multiple causes of death may help reduce the long-term impact of adversities. • The study includes 45,207 offspring of participants enrolled in the CPP and followed through middle adulthood. • This is the first study to examine clusters and cumulative adversity and risk of death by suicide and substance use. • Childhood adversity is associated with both suicide and substance-related mortality. • Findings support overlap in the etiology of risk for suicide and substance-related mortality. • It is important to prevent childhood adversities and to improve interventions designed to reduce their long-term harms.

  PublisherDOI

• Patterns of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Neurocognitive Development

  JAMA Pediatrics · 2024-05-28 · 25 citations

  article

  Importance: Early life adversity is associated with higher risk of many adult health problems, including mental illness, substance abuse, suicide attempt, and chronic diseases. Many previous studies investigated adversities one at a time or investigated the health toll associated with the cumulative number of adversities. Objective: To examine the co-occurrence of adversities among children and how specific patterns of adversities are associated with neurocognitive development. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP), which enrolled a national sample of women during pregnancy and followed their offspring to ages 7 to 8 years, between 1959 and 1974. The CPP was a community-based study conducted in 12 US medical centers. The CPP sample was ascertained through prenatal clinics and is diverse with respect to race and socioeconomic status. Data analysis was performed from August 2023 to March 2024. Exposures: A latent class analysis was conducted of 12 adverse childhood experiences that occurred between birth and 7 years to identify common patterns of childhood adversities. Main Outcomes and Measures: Five neurocognitive tests were used to measure children's visual-motor, sensory-motor, auditory-vocal, intelligence quotient, and academic skills. Results: The analysis sample included 49 853 offspring (25 226 boys [50.6%]); 24 436 children (49.0%) had low probability of experiencing any adversity, whereas the remaining half were classified into 5 groups reflecting distinct patterns of childhood adversities: parental harshness and neglect, 1625 children (3.3%); parental separation and poverty, 8731 children (17.5%); family instability, 3655 children (7.3%); family loss, instability, and poverty, 1505 children (3.0%); and crowded housing and poverty, 9901 children (19.9%). Children in 4 of these groups had lower neurocognitive scores than children with a low probability of experiencing adversity, with standardized mean differences ranging from -0.07 (95% CI, -0.11 to -0.03) to -0.86 (95% CI, -1.06 to -0.65). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that adverse childhood experiences are associated with deficits in children's neurocognitive functions. It is important to understand the complexity in children's exposure to adversity and the resulting developmental consequences, as well as the underlying mechanisms, to help support children exposed to adversity and foster healthier and resilient trajectories of development.

  PublisherDOI

• Further Considerations on Adverse Childhood Experiences and Neurocognitive Development—Reply

  JAMA Pediatrics · 2024-09-09 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Modeling of drinking and driving behaviors among adolescents and young adults in the United States: Complexities and Intervention outcomes

  Social Science & Medicine · 2024-07-05

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Do adolescent trajectories of riding with an impaired driver and driving impaired predict similar behaviors in early adulthood?

  Accident Analysis & Prevention · 2023-09-18

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Longitudinal perspectives of riding with a cannabis-impaired driver

  Accident Analysis & Prevention · 2023-09-18 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Exposure to Violence in Adolescence, Precocious Transitions, and Young Adult Outcomes

  NSF · $88k · 2007–2009

• The construction and evaluation of trust in a cryptomarket

  NSF · $451k · 2020–2024

• Online Criminal Drug Networks

  NSF · $311k · 2017–2020

Frequent coauthors

• Bruce G. Simons‐Morton

  178 shared

• Kaigang Li

  Colorado State University

  82 shared

• Stephen E. Gilman

  Johns Hopkins University

  81 shared

• Tonja R. Nansel

  Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

  67 shared

• Ronald J. Iannotti

  CDM Group (United States)

  65 shared

• Leah M. Lipsky

  Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

  61 shared

• Jeremy W. Luk

  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

  56 shared

• Tina L. Cheng

  Stanford University

  51 shared

Education

• MPH, Maternal and Child Health

  Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

  1996

• PhD, Psychology

  Catholic University of America

  1993

Awards & honors

• ASC Fellow
• Albert J. Reiss Jr. Distinguished Scholar Award
• Membership in the President and Provost’s Leadership Institu…
• Participation in the HERS National Institute for Women in Hi…
• Election to the Sociological Research Association