All are warmly invited to the first seminar in the 2024/25 SSESW MethodsLab seminar series, on Thursday 3rd October.

Class counts too: Introducing a new model of social class discrimination among adolescents

Professor Zena Mello (San Francisco State University) will talk about her recent work examining how the discrimination young people face because of their social class may shape their teenage years.

The seminar is free and open to all but registration is required. A light lunch will be provided.

Despite considerable evidence connecting social class to adolescent development, there is limited understanding of how the interpersonal bias one experiences because they are disadvantaged in social class relates to their development.

To address this knowledge gap, a new conceptual model is presented that describes social class discrimination among adolescents and outlines how this form of discrimination is associated with developmental outcomes. Mixed method studies provide support for the new model and address links between discrimination and adolescent academic achievement, mental health, and risky behaviours.

Prof. Mello's research examines the factors that facilitate the health and well-being of adolescents who are marginalized because of racial, ethnic, gender, or social class backgrounds. She uses interdisciplinary perspectives to investigate adolescents’ experiences with discrimination based on multiple identities and how such experiences predict risky behaviours. Other research interests include adolescent perspectives on time.

Please register at this link.