What is it about?
What does it look like when we shift from conducting research about young people to doing research WITH them? Well, it's complicated. It's complex and layered. :) And yet, so so so worth it. The commentary reflects on our approach at Born This Way Foundation in translating research into action and why this work is more impactful when we do it in partnership with young people. Importantly, we need to create a variety of touch points for engagement with young people. And, in-person community gatherings help translate our research into action, including the creation of resources together.
Featured Image
Photo by Marlis Trio Akbar on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Youth-adult partnership, scientific evidence, and real-world context strengthen the relevance and impact of our work.
Perspectives
A huge thank you to my co-authors, Fran and Sophia, for helping bring this work to life. Sophia, our former Born This Way Foundation research intern, brings such an important youth and research perspective, and Fran, a current doctoral student, greatly helped articulate this approach. And thank you to every person on our Born This Way Foundation team. This work is truly a collective effort to ensure that the science supports the communities we serve.
Claudia-Santi Fernandes
Yale School of Medicine
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Partnering with young people to address the mental health crisis: From research to action., Health Psychology, September 2026, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/hea0001625.
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