Attachment--and loss.

This chapter describes positive youth development (PYD) as an emerging arena of applied developmental science. We show how PYD is both rooted in the theoretical traditions of developmental psychology, and fueled by newer emphases on nurturing the potentialities of youth more than addressing their supposed deficits, and on addressing and helping to shape the roles of developmental contexts, especially that of the community, and youth themselves as agents of their own development. We begin with an historical overview and a presentation on major conceptual frameworks, including the framework of developmental assets, which have significantly influenced PYD theory, research, and programs. The following section of the chapter poses seven broad hypotheses that represent the scientific foundation of PYD (e.g., contexts can be intentionally altered to enhance developmental success and changes in the context change the person), and reviews a wide array of studies that lends support to the hypotheses. After demonstrating the general utility of these hypotheses for understanding and promoting positive development in all youth, we review research that illustrates differences in developmental paths and outcomes across youth diversity in gender, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The chapter ends by suggesting those areas of youth development knowledge where the field is relatively strong (e.g., taxonomies of factors that are correlated with positive outcomes), and those areas where significantly more research is needed (e.g., theories of change that articulate how youth, adults, and community systems move toward greater developmental attentiveness). We conclude by posing a number of theoretical questions, research challenges, and applied needs to be addressed if the promise of PYD as both a scientific and applied field is to be fully realized.


Keywords:

community change and youth development;
developmental assets;
positive youth development;
research on youth development

Positive Youth Development: Theory, Research, and Applications†

A positive psychology perspective on school psychology challenges us to think critically about the degree to which schools and schooling processes support children’s optimum adjustment. We argue that schools contribute to a student’s positive adjustment when they function as psychologically healthy environments for development. In this narrative review, we examine contemporary perspectives on positive adjustment in children and propose a developmental-ecological perspective as one theoretical lens through which to view positive school adjustment. We will critique the empirical literature on contextual factors contributing to school satisfaction, one marker of positive school adjustment. Finally, we will make recommendations for practice and research in this area.

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The Developmental Context of School Satisfaction: Schools as Psychologically Healthy Environments.

Escalation and Initiation of Younger Adolescents' Substance Use: The Impact of Perceived Peer Use

Data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal high numbers of adolescent substance use in the United States. Substance use among adolescents can lead to increased risk of transmission of sexually transmitted infections, vehicular fatalities, juvenile delinquency, and other problems associated with physical and mental health. Adolescents are particularly susceptible to involvement in substance use due to the underdeveloped state of the adolescent brain, which can lead to reduced decision-making ability and increased long-term effects of drugs and alcohol. Understanding the causes of adolescent substance use is vital for successful prevention and intervention programs.

/pdf/familial-social-and-individual-factors-contributing-to-risk-52bwt9i4tn.pdf

Familial, Social, and Individual Factors Contributing to Risk for Adolescent Substance Use

Many studies have suggested the importance of peer influence and personal attitudes (e.g., expectancies, resistance self-efficacy, and perceived harm) in predicting adolescent use of illegal substances. The present study examined these variables in relation to self-reported use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana for 213 younger adolescents (12-15 years old) and 219 older adolescents (18-22 years old). A series of logistic regressions was performed to assess variables relating to use of each substance by age group and gender. Friends' use was significantly related to substance use for both age groups, both sexes, and all substances examined in this study. Perceived harm was not significantly related to use for any group. Finally, outcome expectancies and resistance self-efficacy were differentially related to use depending on age, gender, and substance. The implications of these findings for prevention programming and future research are also discussed.

Attitude and peer influences on adolescent substance use: The moderating effect of age, sex, and substance

Assessed in the present study were the contributions of variables thought to be related to positive expectations for the future in a sample of inner-city sixth-grade through eighth-grade students. Students completed self-report measures in September and June. At each time point, higher levels of positive expectations for the future were related to lower levels of problem behaviors and peer negative influences and to higher levels of school involvement, internal resources, and social support. In prospective analyses, higher levels of Time 1 problem behaviors and peer negative influences predicted decreases over 9 months in positive expectations for the future; higher levels of family support and problem-solving efficacy predicted increases over 9 months in positive expectations for the future. These findings have implications for further prospective research as well as for designing resilience-promoting prevention programs for at-risk youth.

Predictors of Future Expectations of Inner-City Children:: A 9-Month Prospective Study

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Attitude and peer influences on adolescent substance use: The moderating effect of age, sex, and substance

Predictors of Future Expectations of Inner-City Children:: A 9-Month Prospective Study