The three common themes are emerging from recent research on positive approaches to adult transitions for youth with disabilities. The first theme acknowledges that a person's condition is only one factor that influences the developmental process of transitioning into adulthood; the second theme addresses the complexity of the numerous…

Research now suggests that the human brain is still maturing during adolescence. The developing brain may help explain why adolescents sometimes make decisions that are risky and can lead to safety or health concerns, including unique vulnerabilities to drug abuse. This article explores how this new science may be put to use in our prevention and…

In order to provide the best support possible to grieving youth it is important to understand how bereavement impacts adolescent development and how adolescent development impacts bereavement. In this article, prominent youth bereavement author, David Balk, explores these two key components focusing on cognitive, behavioral, and affective…

Adolescents spend more time in school than in any other context and substantial research suggests that feeling connected to one's school during adolescence promotes concurrent and long-term positive youth development. Yet, by high school as many as 40-60% of all youth are disengaged from school, placing them at risk for maladaptive development…

Adolescents frequently engage in risky behaviors that endanger both themselves and others. Critical to the development of effective interventions is an understanding of the processes adolescents go through when deciding to take risks. This article explores two information processing systems; a slow, deliberative, analytic system and a quick,…

While youth typically turn to social media for gossip, photo sharing, and friendship building, can it also be used to inspire them toward greater goals? The creators of GenerationPulse.com explore how two theories salient to adolescent social development (positive youth development and relational health) were used to shape a social media website…

This article explores the opportunity to create spaces within the family, school, and community that specifically promote the well-being of transgender adolescents and young adults. When social contexts are supportive, transgender youth report significantly less risk. Supportive home and school environments have been linked to better outcomes…

How do social services professionals identify and design supportive environments that promote the positive development of LGBT youth? Although there are extraordinary examples of individuals and programs that exist for the purpose of supporting LGBT youth and fostering their development, the work of documenting and empirically analyzing what works…

More youth live in poverty and poor youth comprise a larger share of the youth population than was the case a decade ago. This article first provides a descriptive analysis of children in poverty; examining the incidence of poverty among children by selected demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics with a particular focus on…

Families play a critical role in child and adolescent development and well-being, and connections to family are a protective factor against major health risk behaviors. However, few research studies have looked at the family context for LGBT youth, and in fact, when LGBT youth do seek services they are not routinely asked about their families and…

Positive connections to other human beings are the foundation of healthy development. However, the contemporary youth development field is expanding beyond the notion of connectedness with known adults. "Connectedness" can also encompass ideas related to belonging, attachment, and reciprocal positive regard for the institutions, policies, and…

Adolescents experience victimization differently than either younger children or adults. This article explores how victimization impacts adolescents using a developmental framework, discusses barriers to help-seeking that youth may experience, and provides practical suggestions for supporting those youth who have been victimized. (Contains 2…

Advances in prevention science in the past 25 years provide important direction for neighborhood and community efforts to improve the lives of youth. Prevention scientists have applied a public health approach to youth problems such as drug use and delinquency, and have shown that these problems can be prevented. The identification of risk and…

This article summarizes what is known about stress, stress reactions, and coping among adolescents. Throughout, it focuses on typical developmental patterns by highlighting the emerging experiences of adolescents and how they differ from children and adults. It also briefly discusses differences between individuals, boys and girls, and…

Although parents play a vital role in fostering healthy sexuality-related attitudes and behaviors among adolescents, many parents struggle with how to address sexuality-related topics with their adolescent child. This article provides practitioners with evidence-based frameworks and guidelines on how to work with parents in order to improve their…