Scholars at the Wellesley Centers for Women have conducted research studies and evaluations on issues related to child and adolescent development, including issues around race, ethnicity, immigrant status, and identity; the effects of early child care; the value of physical activity; preventing depression; examining unique family dynamics; and exploring sexuality and evaluating sex-education programming.
2019 - 2022
This project focuses on understanding the impact of GEMS clubs on girl’s curiosity, interest, and persistence in STEM learning in the Franklin area.
Ongoing since 2019
The Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab is collaborating with a team of community and academic experts from media literacy, computer science, and STEM learning to develop a social media wellbeing app, co-designed by youth who would be the primary users of the app.
2018 - 2022
This culturally responsive STEM program seeks to increase underserved girls' interest and confidence in science and math.
Ongoing since 2017
The project goal is to develop a professional development framework that will support specific program practices and enhance current system-building efforts.
Ongoing since 2018
This project studies social media usage in adolescents while providing Wellesley College students with hands-on research opportunities.
Ongoing since 2014
This study looks at factors putting youth at risk for obesity.
Ongoing since 2014
This project is designed to support children's social-emotional and cognitive development.
Ongoing since 2013
Charmaraman will interview a subset of 30 participants from the larger online survey study of over 1,300 young people aged 12 – 25 from the U.S. and abroad.
Ongoing since 2011
This study examines the influence of gender, adversity, and social learning on the development of drug and alcohol-use patterns in a sample of adolescents.
Ongoing since 2011
The purpose of this online nationwide survey study is to understand how different types of media impact young people’s sense of social identities.
Ongoing since 2010
This project will evaluate the Boston Summer Learning Program.
Ongoing since 2009
The research teamwill examine the long-term effects of an earlier intervention on preventing depression during the critical developmental transition to young adulthood.
This project aims to explicate the relation between parental depression, parenting styles, parent/child relationships, sibling relationship quality and internalizing and externalizing outcomes in children.
This national, multi-site research study aims to test the effectiveness and generalizability of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for preventing depressive disorders in at-risk adolescent offspring of parents with depression.
2017 - 2018
This project focused on how young adolescents use social media and the related health effects.
2017 - 2019
Family communication about sex can reduce risky sexual behaviors, but most studies focus only on the teen-parent dyad.
2016 - 2018
This study addressed the potential of maternal and paternal parenting processes to reduce high risk of early sex and teen pregnancy for offspring of teen parents.
2016 - 2017
This project was an in-depth qualitative investigation of teen/parent communication about sex and relationships, which provides an in-depth look at families participating in the evaluation of middle school education program. It included interviews with 32 teen/parent pairs who are participants in the Get Real middle school sex education program.
2014 - 2015
WCW prepared a white paper and two research reviews to frame the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s approach to two-generation strategies related to advancing family economic security and children’s education and learning simultaneously.
2013 - 2016
This investigation explored continuity and change in teen-family sexuality communication over teens' transition to high school.
2011 - 2014
This project was a multi-faceted engagement with Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts to conduct an evaluation of the Get Real middle school sexual education curriculum.
2011 - 2016
This was an evaluation of CATCH-IT, a primary care, internet-based depression prevention program for at-risk adolescents and their families.
2008 - 2011
This project surveyed and assessed Title XX Adolescent Family Life (AFL)-funded research to assist in developing a new AFL research agenda that is applicable to prevention and care demonstration projects.
2008 - 2011
This is a secondary analysis of data collected over the long-term to determine how physical activity benefits the overall health and well-being of children over time. This study focused on theNICHD’s Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development data.
2006 - 2009
Racial/ethnic self-identification can vary over time and place, in other words, some adolescents of mixed ancestry report different single-race or mixed-race identifications at different times and in different situations.This report seeks to explore whether adolescents of mixed-ancestryhave particularstrengths or weaknesses compared within their single-race-reporting peers.
2001 - 2004
Conclusions from this five-year project focused on relationships between personal ethnic identification and television consumption, as well as levels of sexual content in varying shows.
2000 - 2005
This study sought to clarify the links and benefits between sports and high-risk sexual behavior among high-school girls.
1999 - 2003
This study utilized the data from interviews to determine what factors permeated the experiences of young Puerto Rican fathers.
1997 - 1999
This longitudinal study on Puerto Rican adolescents found youth to be well-adjusted and close to their families, not prone (as previously assumed) to risky behavior.
1995 - 1996
This project studied the impact of an undergraduate program that enables female college students to earn a minor in women's studies through comprehensive examination of gender roles and relationships and through mentorships.
1994 - 1997
This study sought to determine levels of healthy development of Puerto Rican children living in the U.S. mainland, and took into account family variables, perceived discrimination, and geographic location.