1. Research & Initiatives
  2. Research Centers & Labs
  3. Youth-Nex

Youth-Nex

  • Research Center

What We Do

Youth-Nex is a trans-disciplinary center with a translational approach to scholarship and innovation that is central to its work. 

Our Focus

We focus on three core domains: a) Out-of-School Time; b) Educational Systems: Middle School; and c) Community Engagement: Civic and Political.  

Our Aim

We aim to expand and apply the science of Positive Youth Development to enhance the strengths of youth and to prevent developmental risk such as violence; physical and mental health issues; substance abuse and school failure 

Topic

What's New

Check out the latest news and resources this month from Youth-Nex. Click arrows below to scroll to the left or right for more.

A graphic of a road with four photos in bubbles. The photos of are of youth speaking into microphones or holding signs.
How To Support Youth Civic Engagement

Teen author Charlotte shares tips for adults who want to support a teen in their life to be more civically engaged.

Read More
Group of young women of color looking at the camera
How to Support Black and Latina Girls' Healing

In this second post of a new series, these scholars share ideas on how to foster Black and Latina girls’ sisterhood for radical healing.

Read More
Grid of 10 headshots with "Job Market Candidates" written across.
Hire These Youth-Nex Job Market Candidates

Check out these junior scholars at Youth-Nex who are on the job market in 2026-27 and could be a great fit for your organization!

Learn More
Grid of six faculty headshots
Come Study at Youth-Nex!

These professors are accepting Ph.D students this application season to start Fall 2027! Come study at Youth-Nex and build your career here.  

Read More

Youth-Nex Initiatives and Projects

Two girls work on a laptop, one is laughing

Connect with Us

Youth-Nex Newsletter

View recent archives of the Youth-Nex newsletter & sign up to receive monthly updates.

More Info

Students Engaging at Youth-Nex

If you are a college student interested in working with Youth-Nex, complete this interest form to join our database that our scholars check when expanding their research teams.

Sign Up

Youth-Nex Research

More Youth-Nex Research

“Will we Get Called into a Principal’s Office?” Teacher Perceptions of Measures of Culturally Sustaining Practices

Topic

Faculty Associated

Department or Center Associated

Lab or Initiative Associated

An Examination of Posttraumatic Stress and Posttraumatic Growth and the Role of Psychological Flexibility Following Traumatic Job Loss

Faculty Associated

Department or Center Associated

Lab or Initiative Associated

Cultural Humility in Action: Contextualizing Coping Power for Middle Schools in Guadalajara, Mexico

Topic

Faculty Associated

Department or Center Associated

Lab or Initiative Associated

Exploring the construct of posttraumatic growth following interpersonal trauma: A qualitative study with therapists.

Faculty Associated

Department or Center Associated

Lab or Initiative Associated

Integrating School-based and Out-of-School Supports for Youth Mental Health: A Liberatory Design Approach

Topic

Faculty Associated

Department or Center Associated

Lab or Initiative Associated

Posttraumatic growth following interpersonal trauma: The roles of social desirability, spiritual bypass, and optimism.

Faculty Associated

Department or Center Associated

Lab or Initiative Associated

Leveraging Machine Learning to Understand the Link Between School Climate and Youth Substance Use: a Focus on Cannabis and Alcohol Use

Topic

Faculty Associated

Department or Center Associated

The protective power of connection: a proposed conceptual model of social supports in the context of youth adversity, disrupted attachment, and trauma symptoms

Topic

Faculty Associated

Department or Center Associated

Exploring Profiles of Risk and Protective Factors Among Youth Mentees: For Whom Does Mentoring Work?

Topic

Faculty Associated

Department or Center Associated

Youth-Nex News

All Youth-Nex News

Related Labs

Explore Research
  • RMS
  • Research Lab

Remaking Middle School

Remaking Middle School is a multi-phase initiative, elevating the innovation that is present in middle schools across the country and soliciting national input on how we ensure all students thrive in, and grow from, their experience in the middle grades. 
 

  • PIT CREW
  • Research Lab

Preventive Interventions Team: Collaborative Research on Engagement and Wellbeing

We are a multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research lab with a focus on prevention interventions that optimize implementation of evidence-based practices to improve behavior, classroom, and school experiences for youth and school personnel, and/or reduce risk for behavioral and mental health problems. 

  • READY
  • Research Lab

Relationships, Ecologies and Activities for Developing Youth Lab

We are interested in how settings and interactions can be optimized to best meet adolescents’ developmental needs. In particular, we are focused on the role that relationships (with peers, mentors, non-familial adults) and activities play in adolescent development.

  • CTL
  • Research Lab

Contemplative Teaching and Learning Lab

The Contemplative Teaching and Learning Lab applies the contemplative sciences to informing our understanding of life-span development and education.

  • WEB Lab
  • Research Lab

Womanism Empowering Black Women and Girls Counseling Lab

The mission of the Womanism Empowering Black Women and Girls in Counseling Research Lab is to advance knowledge on the experiences, strengths, and wellbeing of black women and girls through womanist frameworks and community-engaged scholarship focused on counseling and counselor education.

Contact Us

Mailing Address

  • PO Box 400281
    405 Emmet Street South
    Charlottesville, VA 22904