Page 15 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
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https://w w w.doi.org/10.32320/978-961-270-341-7.15-35
Positive Youth Development and Thriving
in Norwegian Youth
Sofia Nag Delgado,1 Nilei Kattarina Huang,2 Nora Wiium3
1Department of Addictive Medicine, Health Bergen, Norway
2Solli District Psychiatric Center, Bergen, Norway
3Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway
Abstract
Positive youth development (PYD) focuses on positive qualities of youth
and how such qualities can promote thriving as well as healthy develop-
ment. PYD research on the association between developmental assets and
thriving shows that young people who report numerous developmental as-
sets also report many thriving indicators. However, to date little research
has been performed in this field in Norway. Our study thus extends PYD
research by investigating the associations between developmental assets
and thriving among 591 Norwegian high-school students (55% girls). The
participants’ average age was 16.70 years (SD = .90). Findings from correla-
tion analysis indicated that all eight developmental assets being examined
correlated significantly with thriving, which was assessed as a composite
variable reflecting good physical health, leadership, delayed gratification,
overcoming of adversity, valuing of diversity, school success, and helping
others. Still, regression analysis showed that only two of four internal as-
sets (i.e., commitment to learning and positive values) and two of four exter-
nal assets (i.e., empowerment and constructive use of time) remained signif-
icantly associated with thriving. The regression analysis also showed that
developmental assets, along with the demographic variables: age, gender,
and parents’ educational level, accounted for 21% of the variance in thriv-
ing, while developmental assets alone accounted for some 19% of the var-
iance. The findings suggest that developmental assets can provide a good
15
Positive Youth Development and Thriving
in Norwegian Youth
Sofia Nag Delgado,1 Nilei Kattarina Huang,2 Nora Wiium3
1Department of Addictive Medicine, Health Bergen, Norway
2Solli District Psychiatric Center, Bergen, Norway
3Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway
Abstract
Positive youth development (PYD) focuses on positive qualities of youth
and how such qualities can promote thriving as well as healthy develop-
ment. PYD research on the association between developmental assets and
thriving shows that young people who report numerous developmental as-
sets also report many thriving indicators. However, to date little research
has been performed in this field in Norway. Our study thus extends PYD
research by investigating the associations between developmental assets
and thriving among 591 Norwegian high-school students (55% girls). The
participants’ average age was 16.70 years (SD = .90). Findings from correla-
tion analysis indicated that all eight developmental assets being examined
correlated significantly with thriving, which was assessed as a composite
variable reflecting good physical health, leadership, delayed gratification,
overcoming of adversity, valuing of diversity, school success, and helping
others. Still, regression analysis showed that only two of four internal as-
sets (i.e., commitment to learning and positive values) and two of four exter-
nal assets (i.e., empowerment and constructive use of time) remained signif-
icantly associated with thriving. The regression analysis also showed that
developmental assets, along with the demographic variables: age, gender,
and parents’ educational level, accounted for 21% of the variance in thriv-
ing, while developmental assets alone accounted for some 19% of the var-
iance. The findings suggest that developmental assets can provide a good
15
