The inclusion of human development psychology as a line of work at the Latin American School of Development Studies (ELADES) of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) was highlighted as an evolution in the institution’s traditional approach to studying the development process in the region, during the seminar "Human Development in Latin America and the Caribbean: Contributions from Developmental Psychology [2]" held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Santiago, Chile.

The event was inaugurated by ECLAC’s Acting Deputy Executive Secretary, Javier Medina Vásquez, and Carolina Moll, Secretary General of the Latin American Union of Psychology Entities (ULAPSI), with moderation by Felipe Correa, Coordinator of ELADES. The audience included 52 young researchers from 18 countries in the region who are participating in person in the 2025 edition of ELADES’ Development Policy Studies Program. More than 400 people followed the event online.

“Traditionally, ECLAC and ELADES have focused on the socioeconomic dimensions of development (growth, inequality, poverty, productive structure, etc.). By incorporating developmental psychology, we recognize that human development is a much more complex process, encompassing individual, cognitive, emotional, social, and psychological well-being dimensions throughout the entire life cycle. This allows for a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the region,” explained Javier Medina Vásquez during the event’s opening, describing the Latin American School of Development Studies at ECLAC (formerly the Summer School) “as a fundamental space for reflection and training on development issues in the region.”

Many of the persistent problems in Latin America and the Caribbean—such as inequality, violence, low-quality education, and mental health—have deep roots in psychosocial and cultural factors in individual development, he contextualized, adding that “developmental psychology can offer tools to understand how these factors influence people’s life trajectories and the reproduction of inequalities.”

By better understanding the psychological processes underlying individual behavior and human development, Javier Medina Vásquez suggested, public policies can be designed to be more effective and better adapted to the needs and realities of the population. This includes areas such as education, mental health, and child and adolescent protection.

“In summary, introducing developmental psychology as a line of work in ELADES implies a more multidimensional and people-centered approach to development, enriching ECLAC’s analysis and capacity to propose solutions to the complex challenges of Latin America by integrating individual and collective psychological dimensions into the understanding and addressing of regional issues,” he stated.

Also in the opening session, Carolina Moll from ULAPSI emphasized that “ECLAC, with its integrative vision, is now also relying on and inviting psychology to speak about development,” and the well-being of future generations. “Much has been done so far in terms of psychology for development, but there is still much to do. We believe that by joining forces, knowledge, and perspectives—that is, by working collectively and sharing the elements each discipline brings—we will enrich the development of our societies, improve the development of our children and adolescents, and enhance the well-being of the entire population of our Latin America and the Caribbean,” she noted.

The event featured presentations by Pedro Paulo Bicalho, President of the Federal Council of Psychology of Brazil; Rodrigo Castaneda-Valle, Analyst for PISA and TALIS at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Carlos Henríquez Calderón, General Coordinator of the Latin American Laboratory for Assessment of the Quality of Education at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and Ricardo Rosas, Professor at the School of Psychology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. The speakers agreed on the importance of having accurate diagnoses and concrete proposals to address key elements of human development, particularly cognitive and socioemotional development of individuals and societies.

The seminar also addressed the contribution of developmental psychology to the Pact for the Future [3] adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at the 2024 Summit of the Future, which includes a declaration on future generations and a Global Digital Compact. “The perspective of developmental psychology not only humanizes the United Nations Pact by focusing on people’s life experiences, but also provides the scientific and empirical basis for designing strategies and policies that are truly effective in shaping new generations capable of meeting global challenges and building a more sustainable, just, and peaceful future,” concluded Javier Medina Vásquez.