Page 69 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
P. 69
developmental assets and healthy lifestyles among spanish youth
assets. Those who reported the daily consumption of vegetables showed
more constructive use of time and more social skills.
Table 3 presents t-tests of the mean scores for developmental assets by
the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, and the practice of betting. First,
the results indicated that young people who drank alcohol once or more in
the last month had more empowerment and a stronger positive identity, as
well as more overall external assets. However, those who had been drunk
once or more over the last month or smoked a cigarette once or more in
that period indicated a lower commitment to learning, positive values, and
social skills, and lower scores for overall internal assets. Betting was asso-
ciated with lower scores for commitment to learning, social skills, positive
values, boundaries and expectations, and social support. Participants who
reported they had been betting also showed lower scores in the dimension
of internal assets.
Finally, Table 4 presents the results of the t-tests of the mean scores for
developmental assets by the consumption of illegal drugs. The consump-
tion of marijuana or another illicit drug, and the inhalation of substances,
over the last year, was linked to lower scores for social skills, positive values
and commitment to learning, as well as a lower overall average for the in-
ternal assets’ dimension. Specifically, the use of marijuana and inhalation
were associated with less support, while the use of marijuana or another il-
licit drug was associated with fewer boundaries and expectations. Less em-
powerment was detected among those who had used another illicit drug.
More constructive use of time was paradoxically indicated by those who
had reported substance inhalation. Concerning the overall scores for exter-
nal assets, a lower average was observed among participants who reported
having used marijuana or another illicit drug.
Discussion
The aim of this study was to examine the associations between internal and
external assets and lifestyles among young people; specifically, their phys-
ical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, consumption of substances
(alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, substance inhalation, others) and gambling.
In line with our hypothesis, the greater presence of internal and external
developmental assets was associated with a healthier lifestyle, with more
health protective behaviours and less risk behaviours. In detail, an active
lifestyle, involving the performing of physical activity for at least 30 min
two or more times per week, was related to the more constructive use of
69
assets. Those who reported the daily consumption of vegetables showed
more constructive use of time and more social skills.
Table 3 presents t-tests of the mean scores for developmental assets by
the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, and the practice of betting. First,
the results indicated that young people who drank alcohol once or more in
the last month had more empowerment and a stronger positive identity, as
well as more overall external assets. However, those who had been drunk
once or more over the last month or smoked a cigarette once or more in
that period indicated a lower commitment to learning, positive values, and
social skills, and lower scores for overall internal assets. Betting was asso-
ciated with lower scores for commitment to learning, social skills, positive
values, boundaries and expectations, and social support. Participants who
reported they had been betting also showed lower scores in the dimension
of internal assets.
Finally, Table 4 presents the results of the t-tests of the mean scores for
developmental assets by the consumption of illegal drugs. The consump-
tion of marijuana or another illicit drug, and the inhalation of substances,
over the last year, was linked to lower scores for social skills, positive values
and commitment to learning, as well as a lower overall average for the in-
ternal assets’ dimension. Specifically, the use of marijuana and inhalation
were associated with less support, while the use of marijuana or another il-
licit drug was associated with fewer boundaries and expectations. Less em-
powerment was detected among those who had used another illicit drug.
More constructive use of time was paradoxically indicated by those who
had reported substance inhalation. Concerning the overall scores for exter-
nal assets, a lower average was observed among participants who reported
having used marijuana or another illicit drug.
Discussion
The aim of this study was to examine the associations between internal and
external assets and lifestyles among young people; specifically, their phys-
ical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, consumption of substances
(alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, substance inhalation, others) and gambling.
In line with our hypothesis, the greater presence of internal and external
developmental assets was associated with a healthier lifestyle, with more
health protective behaviours and less risk behaviours. In detail, an active
lifestyle, involving the performing of physical activity for at least 30 min
two or more times per week, was related to the more constructive use of
69
