Puberty brings a cascade of changes—physical, emotional, and social. New research suggests that teens who feel prepared to handle these changes experience better mental health through puberty. [Read more…]
What Kids Need Most from Adults, and How to Deliver It
January 24, 2026 By
“Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her.”
That quote comes from developmental psychologist and long-time Cornell Professor Urie Bronfenbrenner. It’s the foundation for hundreds of youth interventions worldwide, including Cornell’s Residential Child Care Project (RCCP), a program that provides evidence-based support to staff at youth residential facilities across the globe. [Read more…]
Making a Meaningful Contribution Boosts Mental Health
January 23, 2026 By
Research finds that youth mental health has been on a downward spiral since the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, 40 percent of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 20 percent seriously considered attempting suicide. [Read more…]
How the Pandemic Changed Puberty’s Impact on Girls’ Mental Health
December 5, 2025 By
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the U.S. in March 2020, life came to a standstill and millions of people experienced drastic changes in their lifestyles. For adolescents, this meant continuing to grow and develop despite different daily routines and circumstances, including virtual classes as schools were shut down. [Read more…]
Virtual Artwork Influences Online Shopping
December 3, 2025 By
With Black Friday just days away, millions of Americans are preparing for the busiest shopping weekend of the year. But an ever-increasing number of shoppers won’t be battling crowds at the mall—they’ll be clicking through online stores from the comfort of home. In fact, online shopping now accounts for the majority of holiday purchases. [Read more…]
What We Know About Residential Care for Vulnerable Youth
November 19, 2025 By
In the United States, an estimated 33,000 youth ages eight and older live in residential care facilities. And across the globe, researchers estimate that some 2.7 million young people live in residential care. [Read more…]
What Cell Phone Bans Mean for Students
November 18, 2025 By
In public schools across the country, states are implementing “bell-to-bell” cell phone bans—policies that restrict smartphone use among students throughout the entire school day. As of this fall, 30 states and territories prohibit phones, tablets, and smart watches during school hours. [Read more…]
The Mental Health Cost of Racism
October 25, 2025 By
It’s well-documented that racial minorities experience psychosis at consistently higher rates compared to the general population. This mental health condition involves hallucinations, delusions, confused thinking, and disorganized behavior; it is one of the most severe mental health disorders because it affects a person’s ability to perceive and interpret reality. [Read more…]
New Evidence Links Pollution to Dementia Risk
October 24, 2025 By
As the baby boomers age and the global population grows older, dementia rates are rising. Increasingly, we hear wellness advice focused on protecting cognitive health, including eating brain-healthy foods, exercising, managing stress, and engaging with others. [Read more…]
Can We Train Students’ Brains to Be Less Biased?
October 7, 2025 By
Everyone employs bias—otherwise known as cognitive shortcuts—in their lives every day. Imagine you’re scrolling through your social media feed and immediately dismiss a news article because it comes from a source you don’t typically trust. Or maybe you’re convinced your favorite restaurant is the best in town, remembering all the great meals you’ve eaten there while forgetting that mediocre dinner last month. [Read more…]
What’s Driving Suicidal Thoughts in Young People?
September 23, 2025 By
It’s well-established that mental health among adolescents has declined over the past two decades, and researchers have been working to understand why more young people are dying by suicide. [Read more…]
How Childhood Resources Affect Risk-Taking Later in Life
September 23, 2025 By
It’s no surprise that individual families provide different types of resources to their children; for example, some are able to provide more financial resources, while others offer more robust social supports. [Read more…]
