Welcome!
Thank you for taking an interest in our work. The goal of the UB Adolescent and Family Development Laboratory is to understand children’s development and well-being from an ecological perspective. Ecology is a scientific discipline that examines interactions between people, and between people and their environment. An important feature of our perspective is that we take a “whole child” approach, and believe that individual, family, peers, and broader community and cultural influences have an impact on development and well-being. Only when all of these influences are considered together can we begin to understand why some children become vulnerable or develop adjustment problems, while others are resilient and socially and emotionally competent. Each developmental stage from infancy through adolescence brings with it new capabilities, as well as challenges, for children and families alike.
The UB Adolescent and Family Development Laboratory examines children’s cognitive, emotional, social and behavioral adjustment along the full spectrum, including typical to atypical development, behavioral and emotional problems, well-being and social competence, and from infancy to adolescence and emerging adulthood.
Sincerely,
Craig R. Colder, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Psychology
Director of Graduate Studies
Director, UB Adolescent and Family Development Laboratory