Adolescent Development

Programme leader: prof.dr. S.J.T. Branje

The program focuses of the significant issues of education and development in adolescence, in nowadays-western societies the life phase between 12 and 25 years of age. We maintain an epigenetic socio-ecological approach: the program specializes in longitudinal research of adolescent development in social context. We address three linked topics of adolescent development. 1. The development of identity and personality; 2. Changing relationships with parents and peers (peer networks as well as personal relationships with best friend and intimate partner), linkages between these relationships, as well as socio-cognitive mechanisms to understand others; 3. Problem behaviour in adolescence: internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as substance use. In connection to this topic overview studies on intervention and prevention of psychosocial problems have been conducted.