Out-of-School Time (OST) programs play a crucial role in child and youth development, serving as a bridge between school, home, and the community. They offer structured environments where young people can engage in meaningful activities, build relationships, and develop essential life skills. OST programs foster personal growth, academic support,…

With increasing rates of globalization, understanding the cultural factors that promote positive adaptation in migrant children and adolescents is vital. In prior research, acculturation and enculturation frameworks often rely on unidimensional or bidimensional conceptions of culture to study the effects of migration on child and adolescent…

This commentary discusses the implication of child and adolescent development research for public policy in Latin America. As illustrated by the articles in this special issue, even though the research of child and adolescent development in Latin America is making significant progress, still more research is needed. Developmental research in the…

Nordic welfare states have been very successful at reducing poverty and inequality among their citizens. However, the presence of a strong social safety net in these countries has not solved the problem of "socioeconomic exclusion", manifesting in such outcomes as chronic unemployment and welfare dependency. In an effort to understand…

Recent developments in employment practices have increased the prevalence of non-standard work schedules--non-daytime shifts in which most hours do not fall between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., when shifts rotate, or when schedules vary weekly or otherwise. For example, computer software now enables retail, restaurant, service, and other firms to predict…

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…

This article maintains that effective communications strategy derives from a complex understanding of frame coherence. In particular, this understanding calls for a closer examination of the ways in which the "pictures in people's heads" are activated by exposure to a key arena of frame contestation: the issue domain. Drawing from FrameWorks'…

Laurence Steinberg, recipient of the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Research in Public Policy, is cited for his extraordinary impact on policy in juvenile justice and child labor and on research into the role of parent and peer relationships in the development of children and adolescents. His groundbreaking research is marked by a…

For policymakers, adolescence presents an invaluable opportunity to ensure that all young people can access the high-quality services and supports they need to improve their odds of becoming successful, healthy, productive adults. At an historic moment when the provisions and breadth of health care reform are under vigorous debate, it is important…

Filling a significant gap in the literature, this book examines the impact of culture on the social behaviors, emotions, and relationships of children around the world. It also explores cultural differences in what is seen as adaptive or maladaptive development. Eminent scholars discuss major theoretical perspectives on culture and development and…

In this article, we argue that policymakers in America should reference a coherent, comprehensive, and child-centered framework for children. That is, based on an extensive review of the empirical literature on the first two decades of life, we conclude that policies should address the needs of young people throughout the first two decades of…

What is needed to strengthen youth policy in the states? In this Research and Policy Report, co-authored by the Forum for Youth Investment and the National Conference of State Legislatures, learn concrete ways that states are addressing key challenges to creating better aligned and more effective youth policy. (Contains 26 notes and 2 figures.)

While states have put in place scores of youth polices, no state can claim to have a single, coherent youth policy that serves as a lens for assessing and planning individual policies. However, across the country, states are working to develop more coordinated approaches to youth policy. This paper highlights the work that states are doing to…

Even as the events of September 11, 2001 recede into the past, the need for applied developmental science to lend its expertise to assist with one's understanding of and coping with civilian responses to terrorism has never been greater. What has the field learned from studies of the effects of events of September 11th on children, youths, and…

This document details Canada's mission to safeguard and improve the health and well-being of all Canadian children and youth and presents eight national goals through which Canada plans to fulfill that mission. The document is presented in three parts. Part 1 describes the development of national goals, including their origin in the underlying…