Blog
Navigating Uncertainty in the Future of Work for Young People
April 22, 2026The transition to adulthood has always involved uncertainty, as adolescents continue to form and refine their goals for who they want to become, how they want to contribute, and which pathways they’ll take to get there. New and advancing technologies are amplifying this uncertainty, shifting the economic landscape in rapid and unpredictable ways, and leaving young people unsure about how to prepare for their future. So, how do we help youth build the skills they need for meaningful careers and lives in this rapidly changing world?
Fireside Chat: Building a Stronger Bridge to Adulthood—Using Brain Science to Help Gen Z Thrive
April 20, 2026In this fireside chat, our co-executive director, Adriana Galván, talks with the President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Lisa Lawson, about the ‘bridge’ that young people walk across in their transition to adulthood and how we can strengthen that bridge by providing support, scaffolding, and guidance.
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Love and Support from Caring Adults During Adolescence
February 27, 2026In this blog post, we explore the importance of loving and supportive relationships with adults during adolescence, and discuss the significance and characteristics of natural mentors and developmental relationships.
Press Releases
February 25, 2025: Announcing the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent’s 2024 Annual Report
January 17, 2023: New Guides Help Organizations Build Effective Youth Engagement Programs
August 16, 2021: New Report Examines Intersection of Anti-Black Racism on Youth Development
November 30, 2020: Center for the Developing Adolescent Announces New Advisory Board Members
October 1, 2020: Center for the Developing Adolescent Announces New Leadership
Stay in the Know
Highlights from 2025: Supporting Adolescents by Strengthening Our Commitments and Focusing on Impact
December 17, 2025Over the past year, the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent has been busy advancing our goal to support adolescents by amplifying developmental science. We refreshed and refined our mission, strengthened our community, launched a new multi-year initiative to support economic development, supported developmental science-informed policies and programs, and amplified the remarkable opportunities of adolescence. In this blog post, we share highlights, resources, and developments from 2025.
The Importance of Understanding and Investing in Adolescent Food Security
November 21, 2025Investing in programs and policies that provide adolescents with reliable access to quality food has been proven to support positive outcomes. In this blog post, we explain how food insecurity impacts young people and highlight recent changes to benefits and data collection that could impact consistent access to nutrition.
Inside the Adolescent Brain: The Impact of Friendships & Diversity
September 8, 2025Participants of the 2025 Summer Research Boot Camp explored the reasons why adolescent friendships are powerful for identity development. In this blog post, students explain how diverse friendships can foster inclusive mindsets and offer ways we can promote diverse friendships in school settings.
Using Science and Rejecting Stereotypes To Improve Adolescent Sleep
September 4, 2025This blog post, written by high school students who attended the 2025 Summer Research Boot Camp in Adolescent Development, explores the need and importance of sleep during adolescence and offers innovative solutions to help young people get more sleep during this critical period of growth and development.
Exploring the Remarkable Adolescent Brain as an Adolescent
August 27, 2025During the 2025 Summer Research Boot Camp, high school students from around the state came together for two weeks to learn about the developing adolescent brain. This blog post was written by some of the students and explains what they learned about brain and social development, and how it will inform their perspectives moving forward.
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How the Science of Contribution Can Inform Community Programs
August 5, 2025During adolescence, the ages of 10 to 25, immense physical and cognitive growth expands our ability to understand, support, and care for those around us. These years are a critical time in development when young people build the skills necessary to give back to their communities, and when brain and social development increase our capacity to contribute. Opportunities to contribute, to reflect on the meaning of our contributions, and to have our contributions recognized are all important for the future health and well-being of young people.
What the Research Says About Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth
June 30, 2025This month, in honor of Pride, we spoke with NSCA member Stephen Russell about the research on how to support young people who identify as LGBTQ+ in ways that enhance their own health and well-being, which also benefits the communities where they live.