Page 64 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
P. 64
positive youth development in contexts
research followed a cross-sectional design with data being collected dur-
ing April and May in 2017. The students anonymously completed a self-re-
port measure, which required around 30 minutes, during normal class
time in the presence of a previously trained research team member. This
research was approved by the University of Huelva’s ethics board. The ten
high schools and universities contacted agreed to join in the research. All
students agreed to participate and provided written informed consent, and
parents’ informed consent in the case of minors. The participants did not
receive any reward for being involved in the study.
Design of the data analyses
Descriptive statistics were presented (i.e. mean and standard deviation)
for the developmental assets and for the collective dimensions of internal
and external assets. The frequency distribution was also examined for the
behaviours reflecting lifestyles. We examined differences in developmen-
tal assets among participants who had reported various behaviours/life-
styles by performing Student t-tests. Cohen’s d was shown for effect size.
Means and standard deviation for developmental assets were presented for
the dichotomic responses in each lifestyle behaviour. The statistical pack-
age JASP 0.14.1.0 was used.
Results
Table 1 presents descriptive statistics (i.e. mean and standard deviation) of
developmental assets and the frequency distribution of lifestyles (i.e. the
share answering “yes”). On the range of possible scores, the results indi-
cated moderate scores for internal and external developmental assets. The
mean score for internal assets was 11.98 (SD = 1.43), while 11.13 (SD = 1.58)
was the mean for external assets, considering a range of possible scores
from 4 to 16. Thus, higher values were observed for the internal assets, espe-
cially social skills and commitment to learning. Further, in the external as-
sets’ dimensions, the highest score was found for empowerment, while the
lowest one was detected for constructive use of time, which was also the di-
mension with the lowest internal consistency.
Regarding lifestyles, less than 60% of the sample reported having en-
gaged in physical activity for at least 30 min two or more times per week,
and having eaten at least one serving of vegetables or fruit every day. With
regard to alcohol use, three-quarters of the sample had consumed alcohol
once or more over the previous 30 days, and around 40% had been drunk
64
research followed a cross-sectional design with data being collected dur-
ing April and May in 2017. The students anonymously completed a self-re-
port measure, which required around 30 minutes, during normal class
time in the presence of a previously trained research team member. This
research was approved by the University of Huelva’s ethics board. The ten
high schools and universities contacted agreed to join in the research. All
students agreed to participate and provided written informed consent, and
parents’ informed consent in the case of minors. The participants did not
receive any reward for being involved in the study.
Design of the data analyses
Descriptive statistics were presented (i.e. mean and standard deviation)
for the developmental assets and for the collective dimensions of internal
and external assets. The frequency distribution was also examined for the
behaviours reflecting lifestyles. We examined differences in developmen-
tal assets among participants who had reported various behaviours/life-
styles by performing Student t-tests. Cohen’s d was shown for effect size.
Means and standard deviation for developmental assets were presented for
the dichotomic responses in each lifestyle behaviour. The statistical pack-
age JASP 0.14.1.0 was used.
Results
Table 1 presents descriptive statistics (i.e. mean and standard deviation) of
developmental assets and the frequency distribution of lifestyles (i.e. the
share answering “yes”). On the range of possible scores, the results indi-
cated moderate scores for internal and external developmental assets. The
mean score for internal assets was 11.98 (SD = 1.43), while 11.13 (SD = 1.58)
was the mean for external assets, considering a range of possible scores
from 4 to 16. Thus, higher values were observed for the internal assets, espe-
cially social skills and commitment to learning. Further, in the external as-
sets’ dimensions, the highest score was found for empowerment, while the
lowest one was detected for constructive use of time, which was also the di-
mension with the lowest internal consistency.
Regarding lifestyles, less than 60% of the sample reported having en-
gaged in physical activity for at least 30 min two or more times per week,
and having eaten at least one serving of vegetables or fruit every day. With
regard to alcohol use, three-quarters of the sample had consumed alcohol
once or more over the previous 30 days, and around 40% had been drunk
64
