This presentation focused on progress on this study examining whether participation in an inter-group dialogue program during the school year enhances strengths conceptualized in the “positive youth development” paradigm and diversity-related values, and promotes ethnic identity exploration among high school students.
Developments on a Study of Positive Youth Development Among High School Students
This presentation focused on progress on this study examining whether participation in an inter-group dialogue program during the school year enhances strengths conceptualized in the “positive youth development” paradigm and diversity-related values, and promotes ethnic identity exploration among high school students.
Joanna Lee Williams - Dr. Williams’ research interests focus on the cognitive, contextual, and developmental factors related to youth’s perceptions of stigma. This includes an emphasis on the role of identity processes related to race/ethnicity, resiliency, and coping in adolescent development. Her work has examined the nature and frequency of racial microaggressions and their relation to racial ethnic identity development, psychosocial functioning, and achievement outcomes among adolescents and young adults. Dr. Williams is also a member of the research team for the Young Women Leaders Program, a mentoring program for middle school girls that emphasizes self-esteem and leadership development; the mentors are college women at UVa. The evaluation includes a randomized experimental design with program and control groups of middle school girls as well as college women. Surveys, observational data, focus groups, and interviews allow for an examination of individual and contextual factors that support the development of healthy girls and women.
Amir G. François - Amir G. François is currently an Institute for Education Sciences predoctoral fellow in the Educational Psychology: Applied Developmental Science Ph.D. program in the Curry School of Education. After receiving his B. A. in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis, Amir taught 7th and 8th grade science and worked in Diversity Initiatives at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA. Next, he taught 4th grade at Edward W. Brooke Charter Public School in Roslindale, MA. Amir is interested in social-cognitive development and race relations in educational settings. His main research interests include child and adolescent intercultural competence development, environmental influences on intergroup bias, and the role of teacher and peer attitudes on social development. Amir also a research assistant in the Young Women’s Leadership Program (YWLP), a positive youth development intervention program.
