UMass Boston

Religion and spirituality as intersectional dimensions of identity within children, families, and communities; Cultural funds of knowledge, family engagement, and teacher preparation; Equity-based perspectives on early childhood development in diverse contexts

PhD, Applied Child Development, Tufts University

EdM, Administration, Planning, and Social Policy, Harvard University

BA, Sociology, University of Chicago

• Abo-Zena, M. M., Jones, K., & Mattis, J., (2022). Dismantling the academic house: Decolonizing “rigor” in psychology scholarship. Journal of Social Issues. 78, 298-319.
• Senent, I. G., Kelley, K. & Abo-Zena, M. M. (2021). Sustaining curiosity: Reggio-Emilia inspired learning. Early Childhood Development and Care. 191 (7-8), 1247-1258.
• Abo-Zena, M. M. & King, P. (2021). Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary: Case studies of spiritual exemplars. Journal of Humanistic Psychology.
• Abo-Zena, M. & Saif, W. (2021). “Please God, don’t let it be Muslims”: Perspectives on guiding conversations with Muslim children in a climate with prevalent Islamophobia. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work.
• Abo-Zena, M. M., Loyd, A. B., Cunningham, M. (2019). Introduction to mentored scholarship: Mirrors, windows, and doors to understanding and supporting research in human development. Research in Human Development. 16(3-4) 175-184.
• Abo-Zena, M. & Midgette, A. (2019). Developmental implications of children’s early religious and spiritual experiences in context: A sociocultural perspective. Religions. (10), 631.
• Nimmo, J., Abo-Zena, M. M. & LeeKeenan, D. (2019). Finding a place in early childhood programs for the religious and spiritual lives of young children and their families: Taking an anti-bias approach. Young Children. 74(5), 37-45.
• Abo-Zena, M. M. (2019). Being young, Muslim, and female: Youth perspectives on the intersection of religious and gender identities. Journal of Research on Adolescence. 29(2), 308-320.
• Abo-Zena, M. M. (2018). Supporting young, immigrant-origin children: Narrating and nurturing counter-narratives of vitality and vulnerability. The Teacher Educator. 53(3), 263-276.
• Abo-Zena, M. M. (2017). Exploring the interconnected trauma of personal, social, and structural stressors: Making “sense” of senseless violence. The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied. 1(151), 5-20
• Suárez-Orozco, C., Abo-Zena, M. M., & Marks, A. (Eds). (2015). Transitions: The development of immigrant children. New York, NY: New York University Press.
• Abo-Zena, M. M. & Mardell, B. (2015). When the children asked to study God, what did the parents say?: Building family engagement around sensitive topics. Religion & Education, 42(3), 289-307.
• Abo-Zena, M. M. & Barry, C. (2013). Religion and immigrant-origin youth: Both a resource and a challenge. Research in Human Development 10(4), 353-371.
• Abo-Zena, M. M. & New, R. S. (2012). Children are ready to learn, but are we? The role of adult relations in school readiness. Zero to Three, 33(1), 28-36.
• Mardell, B. & Abo-Zena, M. M. (2010). “The fun thing about studying different beliefs is that they are different.” Kindergartners explore spirituality. Young Children, 65(4), 12-17.

Mona Abo-Zena is an assistant professor of Early Childhood Education and Development in the College of Education and Human Development. On individual, social, and structural levels, Professor Abo-Zena integrates research, theory, and practice to support the positive development of children and families with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and those who seek to support them. Her scholarship balances an asset-based perspective on diverse children, families, and communities while acknowledging contextual challenges. Her research focuses on the role of religion and religious and spiritual development (broadly defined) as a way of knowing and being and as a particular cultural fund of knowledge that affects learning and development. She locates religion within an intersectional framework that includes other dimensions of identity and social position, with a particular focus on minoritized communities. In addition, her scholarship investigates how home-to-school connections affect student engagement and ways to support pre- and in-service teachers' critical praxis and use of culturally responsive educational practices. Her work is informed by over 20 years of teaching, administrative, and board experiences in P-16 educational contexts.