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Youth Development
All over the country, well-intentioned people have set up programs to promote the positive development of young people, and often these programs are very popular. But do they work? That question serves as the impetus for projects Child Trends' staff has conducted and continues to undertake.
Our Work
- Defining Measures of Positive Youth Development
Child Trends held a conference on indicator of positive youth development in 2003, and a conference volume has been published by Springer Science+Business Publishers. More work is planned, including refinement of measures through focus groups and cognitive testing and further conceptual and measurement work to develop indicators of positive development. Please visit our Indicators of Positive Development page for more information.
- Spiritual Development
Child Trends prepared a chapter on the demographics of adolescent spirituality for the forthcoming Handbook of Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence, edited by the Search Institute, which will be published in fall of 2005. In addition, Child Trends wrote a paper on the "Measurement of Family Religiosity and Spirituality" for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
- Youth Development
Child Trends has contributed to the work of The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation by identifying domains, constructs, indicators, and measures of youth development. In addition, Child Trends has written reviews of the research literature that examine why an outcome is important, how it can be measured, and how it can be changed. Child Trends has also preparing syntheses of the research literature on approaches to youth development (including mentoring, civic engagement, education, and job training) that examine the goals, intervention approaches, impacts, and program elements associated with program success. A fifth report on programs for educationally disadvantaged older youth was also completed. We are also conducting analyses of the NLSY97 to examine the prevalence of disconnected youth and the possible pathways to reconnect the youth.
- Adolescent Development
Child Trends has prepared a series of literature reviews on key aspects of adolescent development: physical health and safety, mental health, emotional health, education and skills, positive social relationships, reproductive health, and civic engagement and responsibility. This work has summarized evidence from rigorous evaluations of various program approaches to support healthy adolescent development. This information is presented in an easily accessible Internet-based product known as a "What Works" table. The reports have also been summarized in research briefs and in a single volume called American Teens, published by Child Trends, which is available for purchase. New work on youth development, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, examines what is known about program implementation and presents it in Child Trends' Lifecourse Model, an online visual representation of the stages of childhood that identifies effective programs for children at each age.
- D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation Outcomes Monitoring Project
With funding from the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, Child Trends is designing and implementing an Outcomes Monitoring Project. The DC Trust Outcomes Monitoring Study is a longitudinal study intended to track outcomes for program participants in Early Childhood Programs, Parenting Programs, After-School programs, Youth Entrepreneurship programs and Programs for Youth in the Transition to Adulthood in the District of Columbia. Outcome data are being collected using survey data and non-survey data. Survey data are being collected using self-administered questionnaires from participants aged 13 and older. Non-survey data are being collected using academic and program records. Data are being collected in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin Chinese. Click here to download preliminary reports or visit the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation's Web site at http://www.cyitc.org/cyitc/outcomes/index.asp.
- Indicators of the Social Context of Families
Child Trends is working for ASPE, DHHS and has created an indicator chartbook on the social context of families entitled Indicators of Child, Family, and Community Connections. We also wrote papers that address the measurement and data gaps that limit our ability to adequately portray American families and their social connections. The dimensions of familes that are addressed in the chartbook include: family structure, family functioning, work and child care, school involvement and civic engagement, religiosity, and social connections. Papers on data and measurement gaps address couple formation, family time, religion and spirituality, and longitudinal measures of the social context of families.
- National Longitudinal Survey of Youth – 1997
Child Trends is working with the National Opinion Research Corporation and the Center for Human Resource Research to design the survey for the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97). The NLSY97 is a nationally representative survey of approximately 9,000 youth who were 12 to 16 as of December 31, 1996. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (in the U.S. Department of Labor) sponsors the survey. Child Trends is responsible for measures of family processes, peers, fatherhood, and fertility and family formation. In addition, we have developed items for modules on best friends and domains of influence. We review the questions in the survey and supply detailed tables and a grid to indicate when questions can be phased out of the questionnaire and when new constructs should be added. Critical tasks included ensuring that the questions are age-appropriate and incorporate the latest research on child development and family dynamics. Other activities include recommendations for item selection, skip pattern placement, psychometric analyses, analyses for variable creation, and documentation for all aspects of work (e.g., origin, use, and interpretation of the psychometric scales for the NLSY97 handbook). This work includes evaluating the feasibility of survey indicators and measures for use in a nationally representative sample of adolescents.
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Chartbook on Adolescents
With the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Child Trends is developing a chartbook portraying the lives of adolescents, for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Latest Press Release/Media Advisory
- Monday November 18 2002... American Teens: The Good News - What Parents, Policymakers, and Program Staff Need to Know About Raising Healthy, Productive Adolescents
Negative perceptions abound about adolescents: they are troubled and troubling and we do not know how to enhance their health, behavior, and development. In fact, most American adolescents are healthy, good citizens, and free of major mental and behavioral disorders. For those who are not, and for those at risk, much is known about what can be done to enhance their health and development.
Related Speeches and Presentations
- Building A Better Teenager
64th Annual Conference, Plenary Session Panel
National Council on Family Relations
November 22, 2002
Houston, TX
Other Staff-Authored Publications
Child Trends' staff author many articles for professional journals and other publications, as well as chapters in books. While not published by Child Trends, these works provide additional vehicles for the dissemination of our researchers' expertise. See the associated links to access the research.
Research Briefs
Practices to Foster in Out-of-School Time Programs
Ten practices that can foster positive outcomes for participants in out-of-school time programs.
Kristin Anderson Moore; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew; Ashleigh Collins
January 2010
Practices to Avoid in Out-of-School Time Programs
Lessons about specific program practices that should be avoided or minimized in out-of-school time programs to improve their chances of success.
Kristin Anderson Moore; Ashleigh Collins; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew
January 2010
What Works for Parent Involvement Programs for Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Social Interventions
Mary Terzian; Kassim Mbwana
December 2009
Child Trends synthesizes the findings from 47 rigorous evaluations of parent involvement interventions for adolescents to identify the components and strategies associated with successful programs and interventions.
What Works for Parent Involvement Programs for Children: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Social Interventions
Kassim Mbwana; Mary Terzian; Kristin A. Moore
December 2009
Child Trends synthesizes the findings from 67 rigorous evaluations of parent involvement interventions for children ages 6-11 years old to identify the components and strategies asscociated with successful programs and interventions.
Assessing Bullying: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Practitioners
Kathleen Sidorowicz; Elizabeth C. Hair; Alyssa Milot
October 2009
Conflict among peers is common, and not necessarily a bad thing. Disagreement, teasing, and conflict are part of growing up, and children and adolescents need to develop skills to resolve these clashes. However, bullying, an extreme form of peer conflict or teasing, can be physically and psychologically harmful. Therefore, it is important for programs to be able to identify bullying, and to promote positive peer conflict resolution techniques for children and adolescents.
Assessing Peer Conflict and Agressive Behaviors: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Practitioners
Kathleen Sidorowicz; Elizabeth C. Hair
October 2009
Peer relations during middle childhood and adolescence are an important part of children’s social and emotional development. Children and adolescents pick up essential social and communication skills from their peers as they move into late adolescence and early adulthood. Peer conflict is not necessarily a bad thing; disagreement and conflict are part of life, and children and adolescents need to develop skills to resolve disagreements. However, peer conflict can cause significant emotional and physical harm and can lead to aggressive behaviors when youth lack the social skills necessary to cope with their frustrations.
What Works for Summer Learning Programs for Low-Income Children and Youth: Preliminary Lessons from Experimental Evaluations
The findings of this synthesis suggest that summer learning programs can be effective and are likely to have positive impacts when they engage students in learning activities that are hands-on, enjoyable, and have real-world applications. This review also suggests some insights into promising practices.
Mary Terzian; Kristin A. Moore
September 2009
Non-Participation of Children and Adolescents in Out-of-School Time Programs: Child, Family, and Neighborhood Factors
Tawana Bandy; Kristin Anderson Moore
July 2009
Why Teens Are Not Involved in Out-of-School Time Programs: The Youth Perspective
Mary Terzian; Lindsay Giesen; Kassim Mbwana
July 2009
Online Resources for Identifying Evidence-Based, Out-of-School Time Programs: A User's Guide
Mary Terzian; Kristin Anderson Moore; Lisa Williams-Taylor; Hoan Nguyen
July 2009
Programs for Children and Youth in a Community Context
Kristin Anderson Moore
July 2009
Youth Who Are Disconnected and Those Who Then Reconnect: Assessing the Influence of Family, Programs, Peers, and Communities
Elizabeth C. Hair; Kristin A. Moore; Thomson J. Ling; Cameron McPhee-Baker; Brett V. Brown
July 2009
Building Systems-Level Partnerships
Mary Burkhauser; Allison J. R. Metz
June 2009
Data-Driven Decision Making in Out-of-School Time Programs
Tawana Bandy; Mary Burkhauser; Allison J. R. Metz
June 2009
How Program Administrators Can Support Out-of-School Time Staff
Ashleigh Collins; Allison J. R. Metz
June 2009
Adolescents and Electronic Media: Growing Up Plugged In
Brett Brown; Pilar Marin
May 2009
Research-Based Recommendations to Improve Child Nutrition in Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs
Laura D. Wandner; Elizabeth Hair
May 2009
Physical Inactivity in U.S. Adolescents: Family, Neighborhood, and Individual Factors
Mary Terzian; Kristin Anderson Moore
May 2009
Exploring the Links Between Family Strengths and Adolescent Outcomes
Kristin Anderson Moore; Camille Whitney; Akemi Kinukawa
April 2009
Training Out-of-School Time Staff
Allison J. R. Metz; Mary Burkhauser; Lillian Bowie
February 2009
Staff Selection: What's Important for Out-of-School Time Programs
Allison J. R. Metz; Tawana Bandy; Mary Burkhauser
February 2009
Using Coaching to Provide Ongoing Support and Supervision to Out-of-School Time Staff
Mary Burkhauser; Allison J.R. Metz
February 2009
What Program Providers Want Researchers to Know
Kristin Anderson Moore
January 2009
What Program Providers Want Funders to Know
Kristin Anderson Moore
January 2009
Implementing School-Based Services: Strategies from New Mexico’s School-Based Health and Extended Learning Services
Ashleigh Collins; Kristin Anderson Moore; Renee Paisano-Trujilloi
January 2009
Assessing School Engagement: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners
Laura Lippman; Andrew Rivers
October 2008
Assessing What Kids Think About Themselves: A Guide to Adolescent Self-Concept for Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners
Alena M. Hadley; Elizabeth C. Hair; Kristin Anderson Moore
August 2008
Parental Involvement in Middle Childhood: Can It Protect Children from Harmful TV Viewing Habits and Behaviors?
Kassim Mbwana; Kristin Anderson Moore
August 2008
The Parent-Child Relationship: A Family Strength
Tawana Bandy; Kristin Anderson Moore
August 2008
Youth Governance: How and Why it Can Help Out-of-School Time Programs Involve At-Risk Youth
Lillian Bowie; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew
June 2008
What Works for Education: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Social Interventions to Enhance Educational Outcomes
Thomson Ling; Kristin A. Moore
May 2008
What Works for Civic Engagement: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions
Andrew Rivers; Kristin A. Moore
May 2008
What Works for Preventing and Stopping Substance Use in Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions
Tawana Bandy; Kristin A. Moore
May 2008
What Works for Adolescent Reproductive Health: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions
Victoria Ball; Kristin A. Moore
May 2008
What Works for Increasing Family Income and Parental Employment: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions
Kyleen Hashim; Kristin A. Moore
May 2008
Strategies for Improving Out-of-School Programs in Rural Communities
Ashleigh Collins; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew; Cassandra Logan
May 2008
Building Community Partnerships: Tips for Out-of-School Time Programs
Mary Burkhauser - Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew - Elena Kennedy
March 2008
The Over-Scheduling Myth
Joseph L. Mahoney; Angel L. Harris; Jacquelynne S. Eccles
February 2008
Ways to Promote the Positive Development of Children and Youth
Nicole Zarrett; Richard M. Lerner
February 2008
Assessing Adolescent Reproductive Health: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Practitioners
Meghan O’Toole; Kristin Anderson Moore; Victoria N. Ball
February 2008
How Can I Assess the Quality of My Program? Tools for Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners
Jordan Kahn; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew; Christina Theokas
February 2008
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs): What Are They, and Why Are They Important?
Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew; Tiffany Allen; Krystle Joyner
February 2008
Family and Neighborhood Risks: How They Relate to Involvement in Out-of-School Time Activities
Kristin Anderson Moore; Jordan Kahn
February 2008
Neighborhood Support and Children’s Connectedness
Brett Wilkenfeld; Kristin Anderson Moore; Laura Lippman
February 2008
Random Assignment Evaluation Studies: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners
Kristin Anderson Moore; Allison Metz
January 2008
Quasi-Experimental Evaluations
Kristin Anderson Moore
January 2008
Outcome Evaluation: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Practitioners
Tiffany Allen; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew
January 2008
Process Evaluations: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Practitioners
Lillian Bowie; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew
January 2008
Seven Activities for Enhancing the Replicability of Evidence-Based Practices
Allison Metz, Lillian Bowie, Karen Blase
October 2007
Five Steps for Selecting an Evaluator: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Practitioners
Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew; Krystle Joyner; Tiffany Allen
October 2007
Implementing Evidence-Based Practices: Six 'Drivers' of Success
Allison Metz; Karen Blase; Lillian Bowie
October 2007
Why Conduct a Program Evaluation? Five Reasons Why Evaluation Can Help an Out-of-School Time Program
Allison Metz
October 2007
Building, Engaging, and Supporting Family and Parental Involvement in Out-of-School Time Programs
Allison Horowitz; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew
June 2007
Improving Attendance and Retention in Out-of-School Time Programs
Elena Kennedy; Brooke Wilson; Sherylls Valladares; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew
June 2007
A 10-Step Guide to Adopting and Sustaining Evidence-Based Practices in Out-of-School Time Programs
Allison J. R. Metz
June 2007
What Is Evidence-Based Practice?
Allison J. R. Metz; Rachele Espiritu; Kristin A. Moore
June 2007
Assessing Substance Use and Abuse Among Adolescents: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners
Laurie Martin; Alyssa Milot
March 2007
Assessing the Mental Health of Adolescents: A Guide For Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners
Laurie Martin; Alyssa Milot
March 2007
Assessing the Diet, Exercise, Body Image, and Weight of Adolescents: A Guide For Out-of-School Time Program Practitioners
Laurie Martin; Alyssa Milot
March 2007
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Executive Summaries & Full Reports
Results and Indicators for Children: An Analysis to Inform Discussions About Promise Neighborhoods
Kristin Anderson Moore; David Murphey; Carol Emig; Kathleen Hamilton; Alena Hadley; Katie Sidorowicz
November 2009
President Obama has proposed creation of up to 20 Promise Neighborhoods in communities experiencing poverty, crime, and low student achievement...
Effective and Promising Summer Learning Programs and Approaches for Economically-Disadvantaged Children and Youth
This White Paper summarizes findings from an extensive literature review that was conducted to identify the most promising models and approaches for meeting the needs of low-income children, youth, and families during the summer months. Special attention is paid to summer learning programs that serve diverse, urban low-income children and youth. Data on program participation suggest that children and youth who would stand to benefit the most from summer learning programs (i.e., children and youth who are economically disadvantaged, have low school engagement, and/or exhibit problem behavior) are the least likely to participate.
Mary Terzian; Kristin Anderson Moore; Kathleen Hamilton
June 17, 2009
The Role of Organizational Context and External Influences in the Implementation of Evidence-Based Programs: An Exploratory Study, Report IV
Allison Metz; Ashleigh Collins; Mary Burkhauser
August 2008
Washington, DC: Child Trends
The Role of Organizational Context and External Influences in the Implementation of Evidence-Based Programs: Report III
Allison Metz; Mary Burkhauser; Ashleigh Collins; Tawana Bandy
August 2008
Washington, DC: Child Trends
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Speeches, Presentations & Briefings
Non-Participation in Out-of-School Time (OST) Programs: Research and Youth Perspectives
Tawana Bandy; Mary Terzian
DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation Grantee Institute
September 2009
World Family Map Project: An Introduction
Kristin Anderson Moore; Laura Lippman; Camille Whitney; Brad Wilcox
Counting Children In!
2nd Annual Conference of the International Society for Child Indicators
University of Western Sydney, Australia
November 5, 2009
Children’s Well-being: A Balanced View -- Positive and Negative Micro Indices of Child Well-being
Kristin Anderson Moore; Kassim Mbwana; Margot Bloch
Counting Children In!
2nd Annual Conference of the International Society for Child Indicators
University of Western Sydney, Australia
November 5, 2009
Online Resources for Identifying Evidence-based, Out-of-School Time Programs: A User’s Guide
Mary Terzian; Kristin Anderson Moore;
Lisa Williams-Taylor; Hoan Nguyen
July 2009
State of the Art of Positive Indicators of Child Well-being
Laura Lippman; Kristin Anderson Moore; Hugh McIntosh
May 2009
Strategies for the Effective Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Out-of-School Time Programs, Part 2
Child Trends Practitioner Roundtable
March 2009
Using Incentives to Increase Participation in Out-of-School Time Programs
Ashleigh Collins; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew; Mary Burkhauser
November 2008
Strategies for Improving Out-of-School Programs in Rural Communities
Ashleigh Collins; Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew; Cassandra Logan
November 2008
Strategies for the Effective Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices in Out-of-School Time Programs, Part 1
Child Trends Practitioner Roundtable
November 2008
Research-to-Results: Conceptualization, Design and Implementation of Effective Programmes for Children
Kristin Anderson Moore
March 2008
Parents Matter: Parental Education, Parenting and Child Well-Being
Elizabeth C. Hair; Cameron McPhee; Laurie T. Martin; Alyssa Milot; Tamara Halle
Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development
Boston, MA
April 1, 2007
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Publications Archive
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