Professor James Jaccard Presents at the National Institutes of Health

On September 16, 2011, Professor James Jaccard presented to officials at the National Institutes of Health a summary of a two-year project on "The Science of Adolescent Risk Taking," which was sponsored by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

The task force of 20 developmental scientists, of which Jaccard was a member, met over a two year period and was charged with (a) summarizing the current state of knowledge on biological and psychological changes that occur during adolescence and family, peer, and cultural influences that shape adolescents' lives; (b) highlighting lessons learned from those working in related areas; and (c) identifying the knowledge, research opportunities, and emerging fields of science that offer promise for the design, implementation, and evaluation of prevention programs for adolescents.

The panel held public workshops, commissioned papers, and held numerous executive sessions over a two-year period to address the above matters. Read the panel's report.