The Teen Relationships Lab studies adolescent development and mental health. The current focus is on understanding sex trafficking risk for child welfare involved youth. Other central topics to the lab include interpersonal relationships, romantic relationships, friendships, and peer groups.
Current research projects include the development and validation of the York-Simcoe Sex Trafficking Screener (YST) for child welfare involved youth and the associated risk and protective factors. Past research projects study the development of romantic relationships: relationship skills and break-ups; high-risk relationships; relationship-focused interventions for high risk youth; teen mothers; youth homelessness; girls’ dating aggression.
