Abstract
One of the major goals for research on adolescent development is to identify the optimal conditions for adolescents to grow up in a complex social world and to understand individual differences in these trajectories. Based on influential theoretical and empirical work in this field, achieving this goal requires a detailed understanding of the social context in which neural and behavioral development takes place, along with longitudinal measurements at multiple levels (e.g., genetic, hormonal, neural, behavioral). In this perspectives article, we highlight the promising role of team science in achieving this goal. To illustrate our point, we describe meso (peer relations) and micro (social learning) approaches to understand social development in adolescence as crucial aspects of adolescent mental health. Finally, we provide an overview of how our team has extended our collaborations beyond scientific partners to multiple societal partners for the purpose of informing and including policymakers, education and health professionals, as well as adolescents themselves when conducting and communicating research.
Highlights
Adolescence is a developmental phase between the ages of 10 and 24 years (Sawyer et al, 2018)
Adolescence is considered a period of heightened sensitivity to mental health problems, with approximately 75% of adult mental health problems first appearing during adolescence (Kessler et al, 2007; Solmi et al, 2021)
We further argue that understanding adolescence as a developmental phase with risks and opportunities requires incorporating a transactional perspective with measurements at multiple levels and across different social settings
Summary
Adolescence is a developmental phase between the ages of 10 and 24 years (Sawyer et al, 2018). Adolescents navigate an increasingly complex social network in which peer relations become more salient and are an important source for social learning (e.g., learning about, with, and from peers to adjust to changing social environments; Westhoff et al, 2020a). Both peer relations and social learning have a great impact on mental well-being (Nelson et al, 2005, 2016; Vitaro et al, 2009). Adolescence is considered a period of heightened sensitivity to mental health problems, with approximately 75% of adult mental health problems first appearing during adolescence (Kessler et al, 2007; Solmi et al, 2021)
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