Page 11 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
P. 11
foreword: the significance of contexts in positive youth development
school-level differences in positive development after first presenting the
PYD measures’ psychometric properties in Slovenia. Reliable and valid
measures of PYD are the first step in drawing valid conclusions and, in this
respect, the article thus provides solid grounds for future research on PYD
in Slovenia. The section continues with another chapter on the school con-
text (Preventing bullying: Peer Culture as the Crucial Developmental Context
in Adolescence), where the author Košir presents peer culture as a signifi-
cant context while studying bullying and victimisation in the school set-
ting. Further, Gradišek’s article (Character Strengths of First-year Student
Teachers and the Five Cs of the Positive Youth Development Framework: A
Mixed-methods Study) considers young people’s experiences during their
transition to higher education in an innovative interplay of the PYD per-
spective and positive psychology. Earlier research (e.g., Eccles et al., 1993;
Wentzel, 2009) suggests that youth during the transition period from one
educational level to another are likely to find it difficult to establish new re-
lationships and develop social support. Youth in educational transition face
several challenges, such as integrating into a new school and engaging with
new classmates. Gradišek’s chapter presents several support mechanisms in
the form of selected character strengths that may contribute to such young
people’s positive development.
The section on PYD across Contexts in Slovenia continues with three
chapters on migration and language contexts. Migration status as a risk
factor is linked with negative youth outcomes like difficulties at school
(Strohmeier & Schmitt-Rodermund, 2008), communicative anxiety and
lower linguistic competence (Sevinç & Dewaele, 2016; Sevinç & Backus,
2017) across various contexts. In this regard, Mlekuž’s chapter (Components
of Positive Youth Development among Native Students and Students with an
Immigrant Background in the Slovenian Educational Environment) explores
differences in the positive adaptation of immigrant youth versus non-im-
migrant youth in Slovenia, and highlights several areas of concern associ-
ated with greater difficulties for immigrant youth. To address some of these
concerns, Lampret’s review (Contact-based Interventions to Reduce Ethnic
Prejudice against Migrants and Ethnic Minorities in the School Context: A
Systematic Literature Review) of the existing literature on effective inter-
ventions for reducing ethnic prejudice against migrants, refugees and eth-
nic minorities in schools sets out the practical implications of implement-
ing a successful intervention in schools. Finally, Žmavc’s article (Mobilising
the potential held by one’s entire linguistic repertoire for positive youth
11
school-level differences in positive development after first presenting the
PYD measures’ psychometric properties in Slovenia. Reliable and valid
measures of PYD are the first step in drawing valid conclusions and, in this
respect, the article thus provides solid grounds for future research on PYD
in Slovenia. The section continues with another chapter on the school con-
text (Preventing bullying: Peer Culture as the Crucial Developmental Context
in Adolescence), where the author Košir presents peer culture as a signifi-
cant context while studying bullying and victimisation in the school set-
ting. Further, Gradišek’s article (Character Strengths of First-year Student
Teachers and the Five Cs of the Positive Youth Development Framework: A
Mixed-methods Study) considers young people’s experiences during their
transition to higher education in an innovative interplay of the PYD per-
spective and positive psychology. Earlier research (e.g., Eccles et al., 1993;
Wentzel, 2009) suggests that youth during the transition period from one
educational level to another are likely to find it difficult to establish new re-
lationships and develop social support. Youth in educational transition face
several challenges, such as integrating into a new school and engaging with
new classmates. Gradišek’s chapter presents several support mechanisms in
the form of selected character strengths that may contribute to such young
people’s positive development.
The section on PYD across Contexts in Slovenia continues with three
chapters on migration and language contexts. Migration status as a risk
factor is linked with negative youth outcomes like difficulties at school
(Strohmeier & Schmitt-Rodermund, 2008), communicative anxiety and
lower linguistic competence (Sevinç & Dewaele, 2016; Sevinç & Backus,
2017) across various contexts. In this regard, Mlekuž’s chapter (Components
of Positive Youth Development among Native Students and Students with an
Immigrant Background in the Slovenian Educational Environment) explores
differences in the positive adaptation of immigrant youth versus non-im-
migrant youth in Slovenia, and highlights several areas of concern associ-
ated with greater difficulties for immigrant youth. To address some of these
concerns, Lampret’s review (Contact-based Interventions to Reduce Ethnic
Prejudice against Migrants and Ethnic Minorities in the School Context: A
Systematic Literature Review) of the existing literature on effective inter-
ventions for reducing ethnic prejudice against migrants, refugees and eth-
nic minorities in schools sets out the practical implications of implement-
ing a successful intervention in schools. Finally, Žmavc’s article (Mobilising
the potential held by one’s entire linguistic repertoire for positive youth
11
