The “SEPAM Adolescence Awareness Event,” organized by the Social, Economic and Political Research Center (SEPAM) of Antalya Bilim University, was held at Yusuf Ziya Öner Science High School.
The program, carried out under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Işıl Cerem CENKER ÖZEK, faculty member of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, aimed to enhance the awareness, knowledge, and competencies of adolescents and their families regarding developmental processes and changes related to adolescence.
The event was conducted as a ten-week program between March 27, 2026, and June 12, 2026, with the participation of 9th-grade students from Yusuf Ziya Öner Science High School. Within the scope of the program, various sessions were organized for students and parents by academics from different departments of Antalya Bilim University.
In this context, faculty members from the Department of Psychology also delivered sessions on the psychological aspects of adolescence. The first session of the program was conducted by Asst. Prof. Dr. Demet Kara on March 27, 2026, under the title “Change and Self in Adolescence.” The second session was delivered by Asst. Prof. Dr. Gizem Sarısoy Aksüt on April 3, 2026, under the title “Catching the Thread: What Happened That Made Me Feel This Way?” The third session was held by Asst. Prof. Dr. Merve Gölcük and her students on April 10, 2026, under the title “What Would We Do Without Our Emotions? Understanding and Regulating Emotions.”
In addition to the sessions held for students, faculty members from the Department of Psychology also conducted a session for parents. The parent session, titled “Recognizing and Understanding Changes During Adolescence,” was held on June 5, 2026. The session addressed developmental changes experienced during adolescence and the role of families in making sense of this process.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Işıl Cerem CENKER ÖZEK for leading the SEPAM Adolescence Awareness Event; to SEPAM for its contributions to the organization and coordination of the program; to the students and parents who participated in the sessions; to the faculty members of the Department of Psychology for their valuable contributions to the event; and to Yusuf Ziya Öner Science High School for their support and hospitality throughout the program.
Finally, we would also like to thank the undergraduate students of the Department of Psychology who supported the faculty members of the Department of Psychology in the preparation and implementation of all student and parent workshops.
Psychology undergraduate students who contributed to the program:
Arshia Akbarian
Asiye Elif Özbilge
Aslı Sümeyye Salma
Azra Selin Arslan
Bilge Alkan
Ece Çeliktuğ
Erva Kafes
Hasan Avcı
Pervin Akşen
Rahime Suyun
Selina Çopur
Sude Şahin
Şevval Mert
