BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN

ENTERTAINMENT & RESEARCH

TO HELP THE NEXT GENERATION THRIVE

Media has power. Content creators have an opportunity. Research can help.

Drawing of clap board for film

THE POWER OF STORIES

Stories move hearts and minds in a way that numbers alone can’t. We all know it inherently. And a growing body of research supports it.

THE IMPACT ON YOUTH

Media impact on youth

Good intentions are important, but often not sufficient. Research can help ground us in how to create content responsibly.

Importance of research

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH

The brain is more malleable during early childhood and adolescence than at any other time of our lives. And young people today report consuming more than 9 hours of media a day. 

Featured News

  • NEW TEEN RESEARCH SNAPSHOT: Media Teens & Young Adults Look To During Times of Stress

    Our latest Teen Research Snapshot explores the types of media teens and young adults turn to during stressful and uncertain times.

    Read Now

  • Finding Comfort in the Neighborhood: How Daniel Tiger's Lessons Follow Children into Adolescence

    Our latest research, done in collaboration with Fred Rogers Productions, uncovered something remarkable: the lessons from Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood haven't just entertained children—they've shaped teenagers' emotional lives for years to come.

    Read Now

  • NEW Teens Speak Out Research Snapshot: Sex Education on TV

    CSS conducted a national survey to better understand how teens are turning to television for insights on sexual and reproductive health (SRH).

    Read Now

  • NEW RESEARCH: Gen Z, the American Dream, and Representation

    Our latest study reveals a generation grappling with what it means to achieve the American Dream and yearning for more socioeconomic diversity on screen

    Read More

  • 2024 Impact Report: Available Now

    Learn about all of the storytellers we worked with in 2024 to make a difference for kids, teens and young adult storytelling

    View Here

Ways We Help

Clients We’ve Worked With

Working out of UCLA, the Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) is a nonprofit helping connect the biggest names in Hollywood and creative professionals everywhere with evidence-based insights from psychology to positively impact kids, teens, and young adults.

We’re the only organization with the institutional affiliation, academic credibility, and entertainment expertise to meet youth and young adults where they are: on screens.

Hollwood sign UCLA center

“Although insights that can guide responsible storytelling emerge regularly from the work of social scientists, they are often slow to make their way into the hands of the entertainment industry. That’s why, when I obtained my doctorate in psychology after almost two decades working in the movie industry, I created the Center for Scholars & Storytellers.”