Positive Youth Development

Janette B. Benson is an Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Denver. She served for five years as the Director of the University-wide Office of Academic Assessment and co-chaired the successful University reaccreditation. Most recently she served as the Associate Dean of the Morgridge College of Education (2014-2017). Dr. Benson’s expertise is in cognitive and sensorimotor development in infancy and early childhood, and her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, The MacArthur Foundation and the March of Dimes. Dr. Benson has published several articles, book chapters and has edited or co-edited several books, including The Encyclopedia of Infancy and Early Childhood Development. She has been the recipient of several awards and honors, including the University of Denver Scholar – Teacher of the Year (1993), the 2000 CASE Colorado Professor of the Year, a Carnegie Scholar, a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, member of the Board of Directors of Shortridge Academy, and the serial editor of Advances in Child Development and Behavior.

• 1. Research and Applications for Promoting Thriving in Adolescence: A View of the Issues2. Youth Activity Involvement and Positive Youth Development3. Intentional Self Regulation and Positive Youth Development4. School Engagement and Positive Youth Development5. Civic Engagement and Positive Youth Development6. Motivation and Positive Youth Development7. Youth Purpose and Positive Youth Development8. Spirituality, Religiosity, and Youth Thriving9. Media and Positive Youth Development10. Developmental Assets and Positive Youth Development11. Hope and Positive Youth Development12. Methods in the Study of Positive Youth Development13. Positive Youth Development as a Frame for the Design of a Youth Educational Curriculum