Howard S. Adelman

Howard S. Adelman is a professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is also co-director of the School Mental Health Project and its National Center for Mental Health in Schools. His research focuses on policies and practices for addressing barriers to student learning, including educational, psychosocial, and mental health challenges. His work examines system variables such as environmental determinants, intervention models, and mechanisms for systemic change, as well as intrinsic motivational factors like perceptions of control, competence, and relatedness in learning and behavior. He has been involved in large-scale systemic reform initiatives to strengthen school and community efforts to support student well-being and promote healthy development. He previously directed the Fernald School and Laboratory at UCLA. Adelman earned his PhD in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. He began his career as a remedial classroom teacher. 

updated 2025