Background: This study examines the effect of a Theory of Mind (ToM) intervention on ToM abilities and social-emotional functioning in adolescents with developmental language disorder (DLD) or who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH). It emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and measurement for personal growth. The research design incorporates…

The ongoing mental health crisis of children and adolescents was only worsened by the confluence of issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic (Hiebert & Kortes-Miller, 2021) with continued growing rates of anxiety and depression as well as elevations in suicidal ideation and thoughts of self-harm among today's youth (Reinert et al., 2021).…

In post-conflict and transitional settings, adolescents are important civic and political actors as potential peacebuilders. Policy and programming often focus on promoting prosocial outcomes for these younger generations, but there has been growing attention to their perspectives and psychological development. Drawing on theory in developmental…

Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEPs) help connect youth to opportunities for career exploration, skill development, and mentorship. Despite heightened investment in SYEPs, research regarding positive impacts is limited. Most of the common SYEP evaluation strategies are rooted in deficit thinking and focus on outcomes such as reducing violent…

Young people's confidence in their creative abilities, as well as their beliefs about whether these abilities are fixed or malleable, play potentially important roles in educators' efforts to foster creativity. This study explores a multidimensional model of young people's creative self-beliefs that comprises creative self-efficacy,…

In recent years, nurture groups (NGs) have maintained a positive growth whereas targeted youth work in schools has diminished. Transition into secondary education is a crucial time for a young person, and this research examines the crossovers between youth work and nurture groups, exploring how these interventions support transition for young…

This study investigated one-semester outdoor education program impact on adolescents' perceived self-authorship--the ability to form our identity independently from the expectations of external individuals and the capacity to invent our beliefs, identity, and relationships (Baxter Magolda, 1998; Kegan, 1982)--as measured by the Self-Authorship…

A National Evaluation of Title IV-E Foster Care Independent Living Programs for Youth was conducted to evaluate the influence of the Independent Living Initiatives, Public Law 99-272, on States' development of programs, policies, and services; and the impact of services on outcomes for older youth discharged from foster care. The first phase of…

A study examined the learning and character development effects of the outdoor wilderness experience. The research consisted of a retrospective study in which surveys were completed by 429 participants in outdoor programs sponsored by the Student Conservation Association, the National Outdoor Leadership School, and Outward Bound; and a…

Outdoor behavioral healthcare (OBH) is an emerging mental health intervention/treatment to help adolescents overcome emotional, psychological, and addiction problems. Currently, over 100 OBH programs in the United States use elements of wilderness therapy to address adolescents' problem behaviors and foster responsibility and personal growth.…

In order to develop an understanding of mentoring relationships and the impact these relationships might have on the development of high-risk adolescent females, this qualitative study explored the relationships between six "Little Sisters" and their Big Sisters mentors. The purposefully-selected sample included women and girls who were actively…

Intended for parents, school personnel, and leisure staff, this booklet outlines ways a community can overcome obstacles that keep youth with disabilities from enjoying their leisure. First the nature of leisure is considered and a self-evaluation questionnaire is presented. Consideration of leisure in the lives of teenagers with disabilities…

A survey of 136 junior high and middle school teachers focused primarily on teachers' knowledge about and opinions relative to curriculum and teaching strategies appropriate for the early adolescent or transescent. The teachers came from four states (Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania), taught in schools in four socio-economic settings, and…