Engaging Adolescents in Research and Policy
Overview
In the Fall 2022 semester, Fordham University undergraduates completing professor Lindsay Hoyt’s Adolescents in Research and Policy course had the opportunity to work directly with All Hallows students in the Youth Development, Diversity, and Disparities (3D) Lab at Fordham's Rose Hill Campus. At the lab, theory and methods from multiple perspectives are applied to study complex developmental processes, diverse social experiences, and health disparities across adolescence and young adulthood. Projects include primary data collection in naturalistic settings, secondary data analysis of large-scale datasets, and action-oriented research in the community. The multilevel approach seeks to identify, measure, and promote positive and equitable youth development.
Process
All Hallows students were surveyed about mental health topics and vaccine hesitancy; the survey design was co-created by Fordham undergraduates and All Hallows students involved in the research project, including questions on topics relevant to students such as comparing parental expectations from parents born both in and outside of the United States.
Location
Bronx, NY
Community Partner
All Hallows High School (allhallows.org)
Project status
Ongoing. (Planned to be completed by 2023-4.)
Faculty
Testimonial
“The YPAR [Youth Participatory Action Research] class is a great experience because our Co-Investigators, the All Hallows students, are driven, intelligent, and passionate young men capable of enacting positive change. All Hallows has been very gracious to allow us to come to their school and to collaborate with them. All of this is spearheaded by Dr. Lindsay Hoyt who is wonderful to work with not only because she is so knowledgeable, but also because you can tell she truly cares about the ideas of each student she works with. “--Giovanna Rafanello, FCRH ’23, is a psychology major from Madison, N.J. currently completing an Honors thesis on YPAR research.
Outcomes
The project outcomes included organizing a Mental Health Day at All Hallows High School, producing a “Vaccine Hesitancy” informational video (see below) and a presentation at the 2022 Fordham undergraduate research symposium (see photo below).
