Identity is a foundational element in a person's development and can influence all aspects of a person's life. Although research on adolescent identity development is a growing field, there are opportunities for additional research on this stage of development, with specific focus needed on the role of asynchronous development. This study utilized…

While there is growing research supporting the benefits of purpose development to adolescents and the communities of which they are a part, research about specific practices to support purpose development, specifically in high schools, remains scarce. Grounded in theories about teacher knowledge, the research team relied on a dimensional…

We examined the relationship between high school and collegiate organizational involvement and their differential and collective effects on the development of leader self-efficacy, motivation to lead and leadership skill. Our goal was to better understand how the student leader development process unfolds at different points in time over young…

"Youth, Education, and the Role of Society" examines the "learning landscape" currently available to American adolescents, arguing that we need to expand, enrich, and diversify the learning opportunities available to young people today. Central to the book is Robert Halpern's view that we depend too exclusively on schools to…

This study examined the perceptions of adulthood among 31 high-school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We had two research aims: (a) to report students' postsecondary expectations in terms of school, work, friendships, and living arrangement and (b) to describe how our sample defined adulthood. To better compare our sample's criteria…

These three papers test existing educational and identity development theory regarding the phenomenon of transformative pedagogy and its effectiveness, in order to determine the predictive ability of a class on morals and ethics with transformative goals during eleventh or twelfth grade Social Justice towards transformed individuals later in life.…

How can an understanding of adolescent development inform strategies and practices for supporting first-generation college goers? In "Ready, Willing, and Able," Mandy Savitz-Romer and Suzanne Bouffard focus on the developmental tasks and competencies that young people need to develop in order to plan for and succeed in higher education. These…

Ninth grade is a pivotal year for students. Numerous studies find that academic performance in 9th grade often sets the student's trajectory throughout the high school years, as well as the probability of graduation. The Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) model is a comprehensive approach that addresses developmental, academic, and school…

The American School Counselor Association developed national standards for students to provide a framework for a holistic approach to student academic, career, and personal/social development. While the ASCA Student Standards are comprehensive, little attention is given to stress. Adolescents are experiencing greater stress associated with…

The purpose of this program evaluation was to examine the influences of the Link Crew Transitional program upon transition to ninth grade and the promotion of the developmental assets of bonding to school, safety, caring school climate, and positive peer influences. The research design for this evaluation was qualitative. Focus groups were…

Young adults deserve our best as parents, educators and community members. The Michael L. Printz award winning books, instituted by the Young Adult Library Association, form a recent grouping of current literature. Novels worthy of the Printz Award explore physical, emotional, and social themes important in the lives of young adults. This library…

The need for safe, secure schools is without question an essential prerequisite for learning and development. There are, however, unintended developmental costs to the way current discipline practices and safe school policies are enacted. There is compelling evidence that the well-intentioned efforts on the part of school officials to maintain a…