Making Research Work: Implementing Evidence-Informed Practices in Youth Development Settings

On average, it takes 17 years for a scientific finding to find its way into practice. This takes far too long, especially when it comes to youth development—an area where trends and societal influences change rapidly. How can we accelerate this process, and how can we ensure that our research has a faster impact in practice? Margot Peeters will reflect on these questions and evaluate implementation frameworks and practical applications that could facilitate this acceleration.

About the speaker: 

Dr. Margot Peeters is an Associate Professor of Youth Studies at the Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University. Her research examines adolescent development, with a focus on risk behaviors such as substance use, problematic gaming, and externalizing behavior. She studies behavioral change and mental health in young people, with special emphasis on the school context. Her work emphasizes translating scientific insights into practice, using participatory methods to bridge the gap between research and practice. She leads and collaborates on projects like TRAILS, HBSC, and Minding the Gap, and works with organizations such as GGD, Trimbos, and Youth Social Work and Health Care to develop evidence-based prevention strategies.