Our Mission

The GROWTH Lab investigates how children and families experience positive adaptation and growth following adversity. Guided by a developmental and ecological perspective, our research examines how trauma, resilience, and social determinants of health interact to shape children’s well-being over time. Through partnerships with families, healthcare providers, schools, and community organizations in St. Louis, we aim to advance knowledge that fosters healing, promotes equity, and creates pathways for children to thrive. Our mission is to understand not only how young people survive difficult experiences, but how they can grow through them.