UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent
@cda-adolescence.bsky.social
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Working to improve adolescent health, education, and well-being through developmental science.
Join us in ONE WEEK, on Thursday, February 12, at 10:00 am PT for our annual Love in
#Adolescence
webinar! Hear from experts, researchers, and young people about how loving & supportive relationships with caring adults can support positive development:
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
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Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Love in Adolescence: The Need for Love and Support from Caring Adults. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
Adolescence is a critical period of development when we learn more about the social world around us and the complexities of relationships and love. Between 10 and 25, we form new types of relationship...
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C6wS5r6aSfq_aZe1d5Ty3g#/registration
about 5 hours ago
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Announcing our 2025 Annual Report! ✨ This report highlights CDA’s projects, growth, and impact in 2025 as we worked to integrate developmental science into research, policies, programs, and public discourse to better support adolescents. Read more:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/topics/item/...
6 days ago
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Join us in TWO WEEKS, on Thursday, February 12, at 10:00 am PT for our annual Love in
#Adolescence
webinar! 💙 This year's webinar will explore the importance of love and support from caring adults during adolescence. Register now:
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
7 days ago
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Today's adolescents were children when the pandemic began and experienced disruptions to their social & academic lives. Our new spotlight offers insights from adolescent development that policymakers should keep in mind when supporting this group:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/steps-for-yo...
14 days ago
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Happy 2026! 🎉 Want to start the year by getting up to date with new research on adolescent development? Check out our Winter Research Roundup, where we provide an overview of studies we feel are relevant to our community. Read more:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/topics/item/...
20 days ago
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In 2020, COVID disrupted nearly every aspect of young people's lives. In a new science spotlight, we offer information about how the pandemic impacted youth and provide research-based insights to support this new cohort of adolescents. Read more:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/steps-for-yo...
28 days ago
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Happy Holidays from the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent! We wish you a peaceful and joyful holiday season, and look forward to sharing more developmental science insights to support adolescents in the New Year. Thank you for being here and supporting our work. ✨
about 2 months ago
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Want to start off the New Year knowing more about adolescent development and how it can be used in programs and policies to support young people? 🧠 💡 Sign up for our newsletter for monthly updates and/or quarterly research roundups:
ucla.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...
about 2 months ago
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Over the past year, the CDA has been busy advancing our goal to support adolescents by amplifying developmental science. We refreshed our mission, strengthened our community, launched new initiatives & more! Find 2025 highlights in a new blog post:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/blog/item/hi...
about 2 months ago
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Last week, our Co-Executive Director Adriana Galván travelled to Capitol Hill to talk about how we can best support healthy adolescent brain & social development. 🧠 Thanks for the shoutout,
@carbajal.house.gov
!
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about 2 months ago
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We know that digital tech comes with benefits as well as risks—and for young adolescents, that balance might be different than for older youth. NSCA member Jacqueline Nesi is quoted in the
@nytimes.com
discussing when adolescents might be ready for a smartphone:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/w...
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https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/well/family/early-smartphone-ownership-study.html?partner=slack&smid=sl-share
2 months ago
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Congratulations to National Scientific Council on
#Adolescence
member Candice Odgers for being one of Clarivate's 2025 “Highly Cited Researchers”! Odgers' research focuses on how technology and social inequality impact adolescents. Read more below ⬇️
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2 months ago
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To set up our young people for thriving futures, we need to provide them with enough healthy food. In a new blog post, we explain how food insecurity impacts adolescents, and highlight changes to food assistance programs & related data collection:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/blog/item/th...
2 months ago
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Kindergarteners at the start of COVID are now in middle school—they are early adolescents. In a new resource, we provide facts about how the COVID pandemic impacted youth & why early adolescence offers an opportunity to shape positive trajectories:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/topics/item/...
3 months ago
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How can we support the early adolescents who were kindergarteners during COVID as they transition to middle school? This new article quotes NSCA members during a UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent media briefing last week. Read the full article below ⬇️
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3 months ago
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CDA founder and
#Adaptivity
podcast host Ron Dahl was on the
@gettingsmart.bsky.social
podcast discussing how
#adolescence
is a critical developmental phase that presents unique opportunities for fostering agency, contribution, & authentic mattering! 🎙️Listen now:
www.gettingsmart.com/podcast/rona...
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Ronald Dahl on The Adolescence Window
Explore why adolescence is a window of opportunity for learning, agency, and mattering with Dr. Ronald Dahl on this insightful episode of the Getting Smart Podcast.
https://www.gettingsmart.com/podcast/ronald-dahl-on-adolescence/
3 months ago
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CDA founder Ron Dahl spoke on the Gen Change podcast hosted by
@euralumni.bsky.social
! During the episode, host
@drkaylagreen.bsky.social
and Dahl delve into the unique strengths and capacities that make adolescents potential agents of change. Listen now:
open.spotify.com/episode/2BCa...
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E2: Ready or Not? Youths' Unique Strengths and Capacities
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2BCaJdl1XReUaFxD0NtNfI?si=3d28a1b9a59241eb&nd=1&dlsi=14b786484bae4c73
3 months ago
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Today, our friends at
@scholarsnstory.bsky.social
released their annual Teens and Screens Report! This report is based on a survey of 1,500 adolescents & explores young people's perspectives on different media & media use. 🎬 Check out the full report:
www.scholarsandstorytellers.com/teens-screen...
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2025 Teens and Screens Report — Center for Scholars & Storytellers @ UCLA
https://www.scholarsandstorytellers.com/teens-screens-25
4 months ago
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Interested in the latest research on adolescent development? 🧠🍂 Check out our Fall Research Roundup for a recap of new studies that highlight the importance of adaptive risk taking, close parental relationships, support in early high school & more:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/topics/item/...
4 months ago
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In our new CDA resource, we provide information about the unique characteristics, experiences & developmental needs of adolescents from immigrant families, and provide research-based recommendations on how to best support this population. Read now:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/topics/item/...
4 months ago
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Limiting data on food insecurity will make it harder to create informed, research-based systems that support the nutritional needs of our families & adolescents. Learn how food insecurity uniquely impacts adolescent development in our new resource:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/steps-for-yo...
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4 months ago
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In the latest episode of our
#Adaptivity
podcast, authors of The Disengaged Teen talk with host Ron Dahl about why disengagement might happen, and how we can harness adolescents' natural proclivities to spark genuine engagement. Listen now:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/podcasts/ite...
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4 months ago
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In the latest episode of The
@annieecaseyfdn.bsky.social
's podcast
#CaseyCast
, Co-Executive Director Adriana Galván speaks with the foundation’s CEO, Lisa Lawson, about the adolescent brain, stress, and systems that support young people! Listen now:
www.aecf.org/blog/adriana...
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Adriana Galván on the Adolescent Brain, Stress and Systems that Support Young People
UCLA’s Adriana Galván joins Lisa Lawson to unpack adolescent brain science and how schools, justice and social systems can help young people thrive.
https://www.aecf.org/blog/adriana-galvan-on-the-adolescent-brain-stress-and-systems-that-support-young-people
5 months ago
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Interested in articles about issues affecting youth and youth development? Our colleagues at
#YouthToday
offer a diverse range of content, including news, opinions, and updates for people who believe that when youth thrive, we all thrive. Sign up for their newsletter today:
youthtoday.org/subscribe/
5 months ago
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Engaging young people in the evaluation of programs can create effective and informed services. Read how to partner with young people to both support their development and improve program design with our guide, “Youth Engagement in Evaluation”:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/assets/uploa...
5 months ago
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In a new blog post, students who attended the Summer Research Boot Camp explore the reasons why diverse friendships during
#adolescence
can be powerful drivers of inclusive mindsets, & offer ways we can promote these friendships in school settings:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/blog/item/in...
5 months ago
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What if the secret to improving mental health during
#adolescence
was just…more sleep?💤 Read from students who attended the Summer Research Boot Camp about the importance of sleep & hear proposed interventions to help young people get more of it:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/blog/item/us...
5 months ago
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Co-Executive Director Adriana Galván was featured in a
@uclacollege.bsky.social
Newsroom article and podcast that provides insights into adolescent development, memory, and the fight to protect our brains! Read more:
newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/a-mi...
5 months ago
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In a new
#Adaptivity
podcast episode, host Ron Dahl speaks with the authors of The Disengaged Teen about how we can harness adolescents’ natural motivations for agency and connection to spark authentic engagement in education! ✨ Listen now🎙:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/podcasts/ite...
5 months ago
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Interested in knowing more about the teenage brain? 🧠 Sign up today for the Teen Brain Bootcamp, a free science-based email course from
@knowablemag.bsky.social
that features research and insights from our Co-Executive Director Adriana Galván! Learn more below ⬇️
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5 months ago
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During the 2025 Summer Research Boot Camp, high school students came together for two weeks to learn about the developing adolescent brain! Read the student's blog post about what they learned & how it will inform their perspectives moving forward:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/blog/item/ex...
5 months ago
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This back-to-school season, we want to highlight last year's National Scientific Council on
#Adolescence
brief, which offers research-based recommendations for middle-school educators to promote positive mental health among early adolescents!
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/topics/item/...
5 months ago
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The last day to vote for our
@sxsw.com
&
@sxswedu.com
proposal is THIS Sunday, August 24‼️ Let's focus the conversations around AI on promoting healthy development in our young people. Vote for "Adolescence, AI, and the Future of Human Connection" today via SXSW's
#PanelPicker
!
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6 months ago
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reposted by
UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent
Dr. Jennifer Pfeifer
6 months ago
Excited to share that my TEDx talk is finally available online. I loved sharing what the science shows us: that it's time to reframe adolescence - from problem to ✨ potential ✨ 1/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr8V...
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The surprising science of adolescent brains | Jennifer Pfeifer | TEDxPortland
YouTube video by TEDx Talks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr8VVJRcRSg&t=65s
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Our National Scientific Council on
#Adolescence
co-director
@jenndsn.bsky.social
spoke at TEDxPortland about the incredible adolescent brain! “Adolescence isn’t a problem to be solved; it’s a transformative period of growth and opportunity," said Pfeifer. Watch now:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr8V...
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The surprising science of adolescent brains | Jennifer Pfeifer | TEDxPortland
YouTube video by TEDx Talks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr8VVJRcRSg
6 months ago
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This year, we submitted a pitch to
@sxsw.com
and
@sxswedu.com
on “#Adolescence,
#AI
, & the Future of Human Connection.” Vote for our proposal TODAY via SXSW’s
#PanelPicker
to help keep the well-being of our young people at the center of these conversations on AI:
participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sx...
6 months ago
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In a new article, our co-executive director Adriana Galván explains the neurological basis for why adolescents take risks and how risk-taking can be essential for learning and positive development during this period! Read more below.
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6 months ago
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Vote for the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent's
@sxsw.com
and
@sxswedu.com
session proposal: “#Adolescence, AI, and the Future of Human Connection.” Help keep the well-being of our young people at the center of these conversations on AI and vote today♥️:
participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sx...
6 months ago
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In a new STEPS (Science to Enhance Policy Success) Science Spotlight, we explore how developing a positive racial and ethnic identity during
#adolescence
can support higher academic achievement and positive mental and physical health. Read more:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/steps-for-yo...
6 months ago
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In July, our co-executive director spoke at a webinar on the science of
#contribution
hosted by Spring Point Partners! Learn more about how contributing during
#adolescence
can support health & well-being in our new blog post based on the event:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/blog/item/ho...
6 months ago
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The first half of 2025 has been busy at the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent! 💫 Catch up on our top resources, news, and podcasts from the last six months in our Mid-Year Recap newsletter:
mailchi.mp/developingad...
6 months ago
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Congratulations to National Scientific Council on
#Adolescence
member
@stephen-t-russell.bsky.social
on being appointed the new director of the T. Denny Sanford School of Social & Family Dynamics at Arizona State University! Read more:
news.asu.edu/b/20250729-s...
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Stephen T. Russell named new director of the Sanford School | ASU News
Stephen T. Russell, a leading scholar in adolescent development, is joining Arizona State University as the new director of the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics. As the Sanford Sc...
https://news.asu.edu/b/20250729-stephen-t-russell-named-new-director-sanford-school?%7B_src%7D=news-story
6 months ago
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UVA professor and CDA friend Nancy Deutsch was quoted in a
@washprobs.bsky.social
article about the Virginia law restricting social media during
#adolescence
. “If teens are doing something, they’re doing it to meet a developmental need,” says Deutsch. Read more:
www.washingtonian.com/2025/06/09/c...
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Can Virginia Really Ban Kids From Social Media? - Washingtonian
Last week, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a bill prohibiting cellphones in the state's public schools. (DC Public Schools just announced that it will implement its own cellphone ban starting in the 20...
https://www.washingtonian.com/2025/06/09/can-virginia-really-ban-kids-from-social-media/
7 months ago
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Interested in the latest research on adolescent development?💡🧠 Check out our Summer Research Roundup, a curated list of new research from the field of
#adolescence
. This season's issue highlights sleep, prosocial behavior, adversity, and more:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/topics/item/...
7 months ago
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One week away from the 'The Science of Contribution' webinar featuring CDA's co-executive director, Andrew Fuligni! 🧠 Join Spring Point Partners on July 14, from 10–11:00 am PT, to learn how contribution is important for adolescent development. Register now:
www.ticketleap.events/tickets/spri...
7 months ago
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This month, in honor of Pride, we spoke with NSCA member
@stephen-t-russell.bsky.social
about research on supporting the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth. Learn how we can use scientific insights to create environments for LGBTQ+ youth to thrive:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/blog/item/wh...
7 months ago
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We know from research how to support transgender youth, and we need to use this knowledge to inform the policies that affect them. This guidance offers ways to effectively communicate about transgender youth in a way that prioritizes their needs:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/topics/item/...
7 months ago
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Interested in a monthly topical newsletter about supporting healthy development during
#adolescence?💡
Sign up today for emails from the CDA highlighting new research, resources, podcasts, and blog posts about adolescent development:
ucla.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...
7 months ago
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Did you know that the Center for the Developing Adolescent is on LinkedIn, Instagram, and X? Follow us today @develadolescent! 🖇️ 📸 ✖️ 🔷LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/company/cent...
🔷Instagram:
www.instagram.com/develadolesc...
🔷X/Twitter:
x.com/develadolesc...
8 months ago
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All young people deserve a safe environment to grow in where they feel a sense of belonging. Research suggests this is especially true for youth who identify as LGBTQ+. 🏳️🌈 This
#PrideMonth
, we are sharing resources about how to support LGBTQ+ youth:
developingadolescent.semel.ucla.edu/topics/item/...
8 months ago
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