Youth is both a period of transition to adulthood and a pivotal period in human development. Several identity changes related to the multiplication of social roles and contextual adjustments ensue, such as empowerment from parents, socialization by peers and romantic partners, vocational choices and professional integration. Youth also involves the emergence of new behaviours and abilities related to puberty and brain development.  The term youth takes on an inclusive meaning in the VISAJ chair (immigrants, institutionalized, Aboriginal peoples, etc.) and refers to all youths aged 12 to 25. Although our research focuses primarily on this age category, it can nevertheless be done upstream (childhood) and downstream (early adulthood), in order to clearly identify the various influences on youth and the consequences of this decisive period for after.

The scientific knowledge resulting from work in the human sciences on the problems experienced by youths, still has significant gaps, specifically on the protective factors to delay their appearance, the mechanisms and the processes at the base of social inequalities that make it possible to explain these problems and the consequences of these problems for psychosocial adjustment. The programming of the Chair aims to fill these gaps by focusing on the positive psychosocial adaptation of youths, as well as their developmental, educational, social and migratory trajectories.

The data collected by the research projects carried out within the framework of this Chair, will therefore make it possible to obtain crucial information leading to the identification of new intervention targets that can play an important role in improving the health and well-being of youths, thus enabling them to make a better contribution to society.