Entries by Mia Lamont

Centering Youth Mental Health Around the Web of Support and Connectedness Compass

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Karcher, M. J., & Zaff, J. F. (2025). Connecting in a disconnected world: Tools for health professionals to assess and expand adolescent patients’ connectedness and webs of support. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276251339462 IntroductionDespite being more digitally connected than ever, today’s adolescents are experiencing record levels of loneliness, disconnection, and mental […]

A 4-Year RCT of Big Brothers Big Sisters: Crime Prevention and Positive Youth Development in Action

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DuBois, D. L., Herrera, C., Rivera, J., Brechling, V., & Root, S. (2025). Randomized controlled trial of the effects of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring Program on crime and delinquency: Four-year findings. Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois Chicago. https://www.bbbs.org/youth-relationships-study-2025  Introduction Despite widespread support for youth mentoring as a violence […]

Beyond Good Intentions: What Supports (and Undermines) Latinx Youth Activism

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de los Reyes, W., Sánchez, B., Draper, C., & Barraza, R. (2025). To help or hinder: The role of nonparental adults in the sociopolitical development of immigrant-origin Latinx emerging adults. Journal of Adolescent Research, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/07435584251344276 Introduction In their 2025 study, de los Reyes and colleagues examine a critical gap in mentoring and youth development […]

Profiles in Mentoring: Simon Grégoire on Peer Support, Student Mental Health, and the Power of ACT

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Simon Grégoire, Ph.D., is a professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), whose research focuses on applied, clinical, and positive psychology. His recent work explores how mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches can be adapted to promote mental health and well-being in educational settings. We recently had the opportunity of speaking with Dr. Grégoire about […]

Development and Validation of the Camp Counselor Burnout Scale

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Arkin, M., Lubeznik-Warner, R. P., Eisenhower, A., & Rhodes, J. E. (2025). Development and validation of a self-report measure of summer camp counselor burnout. Applied Developmental Science. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2025.2512869 Introduction Summer camp counselors face unique and demanding roles, often blurring work-life boundaries and leading to significant stress. With nearly a million counselors serving annually, there’s a […]

How Near-Peer Mentoring Can Shape STEM Identity in Students of Color

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Anderson, R. C., Bousselot, T., Madison, E., Kim, M. H., & Husman, J. (2025). The development of science identity through near peer mentoring and research experiences. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 97, 101765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2025.101765 IntroductionIn their recent study, Anderson and colleagues (2025) explore how brief, near-peer mentored research experiences can catalyze science identity development in […]

New Study Addresses the Challenges of College Peer Financial Mentors

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Taylor, Z. W., Kayser, T., Kaus, J., Ray, S., Villa, M., Weber-Wandel, K., & Schuman, P. (2025). “Not a Lot I Could Do”: Challenges Facing College Peer Financial Mentors. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 62(1), 54–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/19496591.2024.2411385 Introduction Peer financial mentoring programs equip students with financial literacy, but mentors often face unique challenges. […]

Fostering Academic Success Among Foster Youth: An Integrative Review of Trauma, Stability, and Support Systems

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Brunner, T. S. (2025). Fostering success: Trauma, stability, and academic outcomes in foster youth. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/15210251251334073 IntroductionFoster youth are among the most academically vulnerable populations in the United States, facing dropout rates three times higher than their peers and college graduation rates below 4% (National Foster […]

Profiles in Mentoring: Claudia Marino on Fostering Social Well-Being Among Mentors

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Claudia Marino, PhD., is a research fellow and associate professor at the University of Padova, Italy. Dr. Marino’s research focuses on problematic digital behaviors among adolescents and young adults, with particular attention to the cognitive processes underlying these behaviors, their mental health impacts, and the effectiveness of prevention and mentoring programs. We recently had the […]

Flipping the Script: Redefining Outcomes in Summer Youth Employment Programs

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Greene, J., & Seefeldt, K. (2023). Learning from youth: Using positive outcomes to evaluate summer youth employment programs. Journal of Adolescent Research, 38(5), 876–910. https://doi.org/10.1177/07435584211043295 Introduction Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEPs) have historically been assessed through a deficit lens, focusing on reducing disparities like crime or dropout rates, without addressing the systemic forces that create […]