News
Teens are delaying getting their driver’s licenses. Parents want to know why
April 14, 2025NSCA member Rhonda Boyd is quoted in CNN discussing factors that might be delaying adolescents from getting a driver’s license. “Be aware of the possibility that a delay in these milestones could be due to an untreated mental health condition and seek out resources for your teen if you think that may be the case,” says Boyd.
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
In adolescence, every experience matters. Let’s make the ones we design count
April 3, 2025In a new op-ed in Youth Today, CDA advisory board member Karen Pittman references CDA research, reacts to the new Netflix show “Adolescence,” and describes how we can support adolescents by increasing structured opportunities for young people to explore their interests with people and in places that matter to them.
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Do smartphones and social media really harm teens’ mental health?
April 2, 2025NSCA Member Candice Odgers is quoted in a Nature article debating the strength of evidence connecting technology to surging rates of adolescent mental illness. “Science to date does not support the widespread panic around social media and [adolescent] mental health,” says Odgers.
How Social Platforms Can Address The Youth Mental Health Crisis
March 17, 2025NSCA member Candice Odgers is cited in Forbes explaining that research suggests broader societal challenges may have a more significant impact on teen wellbeing than social media. The article proposes that social media companies can help support positive mental health in teens by giving platform users more choices, providing evidence-based supports, and creating approachable solutions.
How COVID Shaped a Resilient Generation of Kids
March 14, 2025NSCA Member Candice Odgers spoke with Scientific American about how although COVID took an emotional and educational strain on children and teens they are far from a ‘lost generation.’ “There’s a resilience story to be told from this,” says Odgers.
Using the science of the adolescent brain to develop a more effective way to teach
February 24, 2025At a Philadelphia Learning Collaborative forum entitled “Making (Brain) Waves,” Co-Executive Director Andrew Fuligni spoke to teachers and administrators about adolescent brain development in an effort to design more effective school programs.
What animals can teach us about the challenges of being a teen
February 19, 2025Founding Director of CDA Ron Dahl is quoted in the new Science article about adolescence in the animal kingdom. According to Dahl, the common findings about adolescence that researchers have discovered across species could “have clinical and policy implications” for supporting human adolescents.
NSCA Member Stephen Russell Elected to National Academy of Education
January 28, 2025Stephen Russell, NSCA member and University of Texas at Austin professor of human development and family sciences, has been elected into the National Academy of Education. Russell studies adolescent development, with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing. He holds the Amy Johnson McLaughlin Administrative Chair in Human Ecology and is the Priscilla Pond Flawn Regents Professor in Child Development at UT Austin, and he serves also as a professor of population health in the Dell Medical School.
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NSCA Member Allyson Mackey Receives the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
January 28, 2025Allyson Mackey, NSCA member and associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, received the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from the National Science Foundation for her groundbreaking research that explores how brain changes drive shifts in the mind, both during development and in response to various experiences.
Falling Behind in School Hurts. Belonging Can Help Students Trust and Learn
December 2, 2024For students who are having a difficult time excelling in school, building trust with teachers and caring adults can help them cultivate confidence and a sense of belonging in academic settings. In a new KQED article, Co-Executive Director Andrew Fuligni explains that “adolescents are building an identity, which involves discovering things that you are good at,” and “many students mistakenly believe that academic ability is fixed rather than a developed skill.” By cultivating a growth culture in the classroom and providing positive feedback and affirmation, adults can help students cement a sense of belonging that can benefit their academic success and overall wellbeing.