Page 59 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
P. 59
developmental assets and healthy lifestyles among spanish youth
In this vein, the Positive Youth Development (PYD) theory is a
strengths-based approach to the developmental transition of young indi-
viduals to adulthood that argues the development of health and well-being
is the outcome of the alignment of their internal strengths and contextu-
al assets (Lerner et al., 2005; Lerner et al., 2003; Lerner et al., 2015). Derived
from developmental systems theory, PYD considers the mutually beneficial
interactions between the individual and the context to be adaptive regula-
tions. Developmental Assets (DAs) theory was postulated within this rela-
tional, developmental systems meta-model to describe the individual and
the contextual resources which may foster PYD (Scales, 2011; Lerner et al.,
2015). DAs theory integrates the evidence-based resources that: a) relate to
fewer risk behaviours (e.g. substance use or violent behaviour) and promote
thriving and resilience; b) can be generalised across different social loca-
tions; c) foster a balance of the factors on both the ecological and individual
levels; d) are available within the capacity of communities to promote their
satisfaction; and e) young people are able to easily reach them (Benson et
al., 2006; Benson et al., 2011). Two types of DAs exist: internal and external
assets (Benson et al., 2011). External assets encompass support, empower-
ment, boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of time. Internal
assets entail four categories: commitment to learning, positive values, so-
cial skills, and a positive identity. These internal and external assets are ex-
pected to be positively associated (Theokas et al., 2005) and consistent with
the relational, developmental systems proposed by Lerner et al. (2011) to
integrate individual-context interactions. These assets are cumulative for
promoting PYD and for reducing risk behaviours, and can be developed
by youth programmes and interventions in their developmental contexts
(Benson et al., 2011).
Some studies examined the relationships between developmental as-
sets, risk behaviours and indicators of thriving. Most research has been con-
ducted in the USA. In a survey involving 6,000 adolescents from the USA,
Scales et al. (2000) showed that developmental assets explained around
half of the variance in a composite index comprising indicators of thriv-
ing, including school success, leadership, helping others, maintaining good
health, delayed of gratification, valuing diversity and overcoming adversity.
In other work, Leffert et al. (1998) concluded that risk behaviours (i.e. alco-
hol, tobacco, illicit drugs, risky sexual intercourse, depression, suicide, an-
tisocial behaviour, violence, school problems, driving after consuming al-
cohol, and gambling), were related to less presence of developmental assets.
59
In this vein, the Positive Youth Development (PYD) theory is a
strengths-based approach to the developmental transition of young indi-
viduals to adulthood that argues the development of health and well-being
is the outcome of the alignment of their internal strengths and contextu-
al assets (Lerner et al., 2005; Lerner et al., 2003; Lerner et al., 2015). Derived
from developmental systems theory, PYD considers the mutually beneficial
interactions between the individual and the context to be adaptive regula-
tions. Developmental Assets (DAs) theory was postulated within this rela-
tional, developmental systems meta-model to describe the individual and
the contextual resources which may foster PYD (Scales, 2011; Lerner et al.,
2015). DAs theory integrates the evidence-based resources that: a) relate to
fewer risk behaviours (e.g. substance use or violent behaviour) and promote
thriving and resilience; b) can be generalised across different social loca-
tions; c) foster a balance of the factors on both the ecological and individual
levels; d) are available within the capacity of communities to promote their
satisfaction; and e) young people are able to easily reach them (Benson et
al., 2006; Benson et al., 2011). Two types of DAs exist: internal and external
assets (Benson et al., 2011). External assets encompass support, empower-
ment, boundaries and expectations, and constructive use of time. Internal
assets entail four categories: commitment to learning, positive values, so-
cial skills, and a positive identity. These internal and external assets are ex-
pected to be positively associated (Theokas et al., 2005) and consistent with
the relational, developmental systems proposed by Lerner et al. (2011) to
integrate individual-context interactions. These assets are cumulative for
promoting PYD and for reducing risk behaviours, and can be developed
by youth programmes and interventions in their developmental contexts
(Benson et al., 2011).
Some studies examined the relationships between developmental as-
sets, risk behaviours and indicators of thriving. Most research has been con-
ducted in the USA. In a survey involving 6,000 adolescents from the USA,
Scales et al. (2000) showed that developmental assets explained around
half of the variance in a composite index comprising indicators of thriv-
ing, including school success, leadership, helping others, maintaining good
health, delayed of gratification, valuing diversity and overcoming adversity.
In other work, Leffert et al. (1998) concluded that risk behaviours (i.e. alco-
hol, tobacco, illicit drugs, risky sexual intercourse, depression, suicide, an-
tisocial behaviour, violence, school problems, driving after consuming al-
cohol, and gambling), were related to less presence of developmental assets.
59
