Aims: This debate paper traces the development of innovative
methods for undertaking health promotion research with a socialecological
orientation, with a few examples drawn from 30 years of research on adolescent
health promotion research at the University of Bergen.
Conclusion: We aim to show how the
social-ecological model is becoming more evident as a guide to research,
using three cases that illustrate progress and potential. The first case is
the Norwegian part of the European Network of Health Promoting Schools. The
second case is a project just underway, The COMPLETE study, which is a
community-led effort to promote students’ mental health and create a good
psychosocial learning environment. The third case is a developing idea for
the next generation of social-ecological research on adolescent well-being,
using an asset approach to foster social inclusion and sense of community in
multiple settings.
