World Children’s Day | Interview with Dr. Diego Gomez-Baya—Editorial Board Member of Youth

World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year to promote international co-operation, awareness among children worldwide, and improvements in their welfare. This year, under the theme “Listen to the Future, Stand up for Children’s Rights”, we were honored to interview Dr. Diego Gomez-Baya, an Editorial Board Member of Youth (ISSN: 2673-995X).

The following is a short interview with Dr. Diego Gomez-Baya:

1. Could you introduce yourself and share a brief overview of your research field?
I am Associate Professor at the University of Huelva (Spain) and secretary of the Department of Social, Developmental and Educational Psychology. Also, I am president of the Advisory Council for Childhood and Adolescence of the Junta de Andalucía (Spain).
My research interests are in the promotion of psychological well-being and healthy lifestyles in adolescence and youth. In addition, I am interested in the study of gender differences in risk and protective factors during development, especially in developmental transitions. I am currently directing the project “Positive Youth Development in Andalusian University Students: Longitudinal Analysis of Gender Differences in Well-being Trajectories, Health-Related Lifestyles and Social and Environmental Contribution”, of the 2021 call for Projects of Excellence of the Junta de Andalucía.

2. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your research career?
The greatest challenge I face in my career as researcher is working to ensure that our findings are transferred into the design of government programs and public measures that improve the quality of life of our children and adolescents. Other challenges I regularly face are securing funding for our research and sustaining both investments and research teams over time.

3. What does World Children’s Day mean to you, both as a researcher and as a member of the global community?
World Children’s Day means, on the one hand, recognizing the needs and problems of children in order to devote more resources to improving their quality of life. On the other hand, it highlights the importance of listening to their voices and opinions, the importance of taking them into account when designing measures that affect them. Also, it underscores the need for valuing their strengths and potential, not only to improve the health and well-being of this part of the population, but also for the community as a whole.

4. Looking ahead, what changes or advancements would you most like to see in the next 10 years to ensure a safer, healthier, and more equitable future for all children?
In the coming years, I hope to see an increase in measures to promote socio-emotional development in educational settings, as well as the prevention and early detection of emotional disorders. Programs to foster positive youth development should be active and participatory, allowing adolescents to take ownership of their own development. Likewise, measures that encourage greater civic and environmental engagement are equally necessary, hand in hand with the promotion of personal character strengths.

5. As an Editorial Board Member of Youth, could you share your experience with MDPI?
My experience with the publisher MDPI began with the publication of manuscripts in some journals. Then, I continued my research contribution by leading several monographs and also joined the Editorial Boards of the journals Youth and Children. In recent years, the publisher has been improving the editorial process, author services, open access dissemination, and the interest and scope of Special Issues. Finally, I recently participated in the coordination of the monographs entitled “Cross-National Evidence of Positive Youth Development and Contribution to Society and Environment”, “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: From Prevention to Effective Intervention Strategies”, and “Mental Health and Health Promotion in Young People”.