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Center for Child and Family Success

Innovative, multidisciplinary approaches to family life and child well being

About the center

We are an interdisciplinary research center focused on producing pioneering research on the structures and processes that impact youth and society in a rapidly evolving world. We seek to forge alliances among scholars across the social, behavioral, and health sciences who are dedicated to furthering knowledge about human and family dynamics and to join them with community partners and policy makers so the knowledge derived will be highly relevant to daily life and directly applicable to professional practice and social policy.

Target themes

Fostering community embeddedness

We build community partnerships to create a sense of belonging and active participation within local and global communities, enhancing mutual understanding and collaboration for the overall well-being of these communities.

The ecology of youth

We investigate the multifaceted environments shaping youth development, examining interactions between family, school, peers, and community to understand how these contexts influence young people's experiences and outcomes.

Relationships

We explore the social connections and interactions that shape youth development, including family, peer, and romantic, aiming to uncover strategies that promote healthy relationships and contribute to the broader social fabric of the communities we serve.

Multi-methods approaches towards understanding youth context

We employ multi-methods approaches integrating quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research to capture the complexity of youth experiences, ensuring our findings are highly relevant and directly applicable.

Designing, implementing, and evaluating youth development programs

We design, implement, and evaluate youth development programs using rigorous evaluation methods and practical strategies to ensure our initiatives are evidence-based, sustainable, and responsive to youth needs.

Visit our innovative projects

Positive Environments for Adolescents and Children (PEAC) Lab

The PEAC lab focuses on the role of contextual influences in children and adolescents’ development, both in terms of their well-being and psychopathology. We consider the multi-level interplay between family, school, and neighborhood environments.

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Laboratory for the Study of Youth Inequality and Justice

Discover how the Youth Inequality & Justice project explores the roots of racial and economic disparities among young people in the United States. This research initiative brings together data, analysis, and lived experiences to highlight the challenges youth face—and the urgent need for systemic change.

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The SOGI: Health and Rights Laboratory

The SOGI Laboratory is a research hub at ASU dedicated to advancing knowledge on sexual orientation and gender identity and their effects on human health, development and rights. 

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The SHARE Schools Initiative

The SHARE Schools Initiative bridges research and practice to unify school safety, climate, health, and equity efforts. It combats siloed approaches, promoting evidence-based solutions for student well-being and success across the United States. SHARE prioritizes education and youth development, justice for marginalized youth, and balancing school safety with socioemotional well-being.

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The Dynamics of Relationship, Emotion, and Asset in Multiple Systems (DREAMS) Lab

The DREAMS Lab studies positive youth development and well-being across family, interpersonal, and broader social contexts using person-centered and transactional approaches. Our research emphasizes adolescent relationship health, social-emotional development, character strengths, and flourishing, with the goal of informing effective prevention and intervention efforts to support child and adolescent well-being.

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The Romantic Relationships Across the Lifecourse Initiative

The Romantic Relationships Across the Lifecourse initiative at ASU studies how people experience dating, relationships, and singlehood across different stages of life. Led by Dr. Cassandra Cotton, the research focuses on college students and older adults, exploring topics such as dating experiences, partner preferences, family dynamics, and relationship well-being through interviews and qualitative research.

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