News

Discover the latest achievements of the Laursen Lab.

New Book by Laursen Lab Alum:  Allow Me to Interrupt  by Gilly Kahn, Ph.D.

Congratulations to Brett Laursen who was selected as the winner of the 2024 International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award!

Laursen Lab research featured in Scientific American: Parents Labeling a Kid’s Friend a Bad Influence Can Backfire

Laursen Lab research Featured in Newsweek: Cutting Off Children from Friends Can Make Behaviors Worse

Laursen Lab research featured in US News & World Report: Maternal Disapproval of Friends Backfires

Laursen Lab research featured in Huffpost: Don't Lke Your Child's Friends? Advice for Parents

Recent Student Publications

• *Leclerc-Bedard, L.-A., *Leggett-James, M. P., Kaniušonytė, G., Žukauskienė, R., & Laursen, B. (in press). The correlates and consequences of friendship change and friendlessness during late childhood and early adolescence.  Journal of Early Adolescence. https://doi.org/10.1177/02724316251343104

• *Leggett-James, M. P., *Yoho, M., & Laursen, B. (2025). The wrong stuff: Characteristics of youth involved in enemy relationships. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-025-02145-4

• *Selover, M., *Leggett-James, M. P., & Laursen, B. (2025). School structure explains age group differences in friend selection similarity. International Journal of Behavioral Development. https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254251314822

• *Leggett-James, M. P., & Laursen, B. (2024). More about being fun: Making friends to maximize social status. Journal of Personality, 92,1438-1450. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12899

Laursen lab featured in the Wall Street Journal: How Children Use Conflict to Win Popularity

Congratulations to Brett Laursen!

On International Friendship Day (30 July), Brett was named a world expert on friends and is now ranked as the 3rd leading world expert on friendship. More details here: https://expertscape.com/ex/friends