330.644.11
Structural Determinants of Adolescent Neurodevelopment: A Public Mental Health Perspective

Location
East Baltimore
Term
Summer Institute
Department
Mental Health
Credit(s)
1
Academic Year
2026 - 2027
Instruction Method
In-Person
Start Date
Thursday, June 4, 2026
End Date
Friday, June 5, 2026
Class Time(s)
Th, F, 1:00 - 4:50pm
Auditors Allowed
No
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Michelle Carlson
Contact Name
Michelle Carlson
Frequency Schedule
One Year Only
Next Offered
Only offered in 2026
Prerequisite
No prerequisites for this course.
Enrollment Restriction
This course is not restricted.
Description
• How does neighborhood and socioeconomic context shape the developing adolescent brain? • What does existing research on stress, safety, and disadvantage suggest about youth mental health—without assuming causation? • How can brain findings be used to support, rather than stigmatize, young people in public mental health settings?
Examines how adolescent neurodevelopment responds to stress, safety, and environmental context, with a focus on neighborhood and socioeconomic disadvantage. Reviews empirical findings on stress-related neural processes in adolescence and discusses limits of interpretation and risks of biological overreach. Introduces a concise structural lens to distinguish adaptive responses from deficit framings. Emphasizes careful, equity-centered interpretation of neurodevelopmental evidence. Prepares students to evaluate how such findings can be understood, misused, or responsibly applied in youth mental health policy and prevention.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Describe what existing research suggests about how neighborhood and socioeconomic disadvantage relate to adolescent neurodevelopment.
  2. Identify how stress and safety signals are reflected in adolescent brain findings.
  3. Critically evaluate the limits of current adolescent neurodevelopment research and identify what is needed next.
  4. Interpret research with attention to equity and potential misuse.
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
  • 25% Participation
  • 50% Final Project
  • 25% Reflection
Instructor Consent
No consent required
Special Comments

This is the onsite section of a hybrid course. Please be mindful of the section you are enrolling in.