During adolescence, access to safe environments is critical for healthy development. This study analyzed adolescents' perceptions of safety in personal and public spaces in the semi-rural community of Santa Ana, Colombia on the Island of Barú (95.8% of inhabitants live in poverty). We used thematic analysis to explore adolescents' experiences and…

Learning behavioural responses and adapting them based on feedback is crucial from a young age, continuing to develop into young adulthood. This study examines the development trajectory and contributing factors from childhood to adulthood using a reversal learning paradigm. We tested 202 participants aged 10 to 22 in an online study, where they…

Developmental theories and previous research suggest that individuals do not develop separately from their environments. Yet, limited information is known about how ecological influences specifically shape early adolescents' development. To address this, the current study examined environmental influences on early adolescents' future orientation…

Introduction: Career transitions are considered to be the most challenging tasks in adolescence. Personal resources are important factors in coping with the difficulties encountered during transitions and help individuals to adjust more smoothly to these transitions. Using a person-centered approach, this study aims to identify typologies of…

Guided by self-determination theory and the bioecological model, this latent class analysis explores the patterns and predictors of supportive relationships in a national sample of early adolescents (N = 6,469). A six-class solution emerged: youth with (1) emotional, informational, and academic support from various adults and peers across home,…

Individuals aged 12 to 18 are establishing housing connections that could significantly impact their future housing choices when they are particularly susceptible to external influences. Recognizing the impact of early life experiences can enhance educational initiatives to assist adolescents in making more informed housing decisions. The research…

Rural adolescents are at risk for firearm-related injury and death. In response, professional organizations have called for communication between adolescents, parents, and providers about firearms. A shared understanding of firearms between providers and families can facilitate effectiveness of health interventions. However, few studies engage…

Teenage pregnancy is a phenomenon that causes concern due to its consequences. In this context, sex education has been considered as a good means of prevention. However, while teenage pregnancy prevails, sex education perspectives from the voices of teenage fathers and mothers remain under-explored. This qualitative study aimed at exploring sex…

This research aimed to clarify whether middle adolescents' risk-taking is driven by reduced ambiguity aversion. In Study 1, we explored the development of ambiguity aversion using an adaptation of the classic Ellsberg paradox with early adolescents (10-11 years old), middle adolescents (14-16 years old), and young adults (20-25 years old). Study 2…

A growth mixture modeling (GMM) analysis of neutralization scores in 1,830 youth across six waves of data revealed evidence of a three-class model in which moral neutralization either increased (low accelerating), decreased (high decelerating), or remained the same (moderate stable) over time. Controlling for age, sex, race, group assignment, and…

Emotion is essential for learning, but brain evidence shows how not all emotional engagement is equivalent. New research by Mary Helen Immordino-Yang and the research team at the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning, and Education finds that adolescents' dispositions toward emotionally engaged "transcendent…

Introduction: This mixed-method longitudinal study examined American adolescents' meaning making of salient COVID-19 pandemic events. Method: Within phone interviews, adolescents (N = 124, M[subscript age] = 15.76 years; 46% Latine) narrated their most emotionally impactful pandemic experience at two time points ~30 days apart between July 2020…

This vital two-volume handbook summarizes current and emerging research and clinical evidence to provide a working knowledge of the contributions of pediatric psychology, developmental-behavioral pediatrics, and developmental science, and promote the integration of these disciplines to improve child and adolescent health and well-being. In a…

Adolescence is a vital stage of human development, characterized by significant physical, emotional, and cognitive changes. During this period, adolescents face numerous challenges, including academic stress, mental health issues, social pressures, and identity formation. Teachers play a significant role in shaping students' academic and personal…

Background: Given the importance of school connectedness for healthy adolescent development, this scoping review aimed to identify and describe intervention strategies used to increase school connectedness among adolescents. Methods: Guided by the Arksey and O'Malley framework, we conducted a scoping review of school-based intervention studies…