Page 72 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
P. 72
positive youth development in contexts
support, and relationships. In Spain, the Healthy Universities Network was
recently established to foster health and well-being within Spanish univer-
sities (REUS, 2018), while the Spanish Institute for Youth (2018) has started
actions to enhance social participation and empowerment in youth by pro-
moting international cooperation, youth associationism, youth creativity,
the training of information agents, and the exchange of experiences.
In conclusion, the study presents evidence of positive relationships in
Spain between developmental assets and healthy lifestyles, and reinforces
the results obtained in other countries. Most research to date on develop-
mental assets and their associations with health and well-being has been
conducted with samples from North America and the current research re-
sults underline the importance of assets for healthy development also in a
Spanish sample of youth. This study examined the associations between in-
dividual internal and external assets with several lifestyle behaviours, i.e.
practice of physical activity, the consumption of fruit and vegetables, alco-
hol use, having been drunk, smoking, substance inhalation, cannabis use,
use of other illicit drugs and betting. The results revealed different profiles
of both internal and external assets that were associated with more physical
activity and greater consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as less risk
behaviours (substance use and gambling). Thus, this research suggests the
need to design programmes to foster developmental assets and to promote
healthy lifestyles in order to support a healthy transition to adulthood.
References
Arguis, R., Bolsas, A., Hernandez, S., & Salvador, M. (2010). The “Happy
Classrooms” Programme. Positive Psychology applied to education. http://
educaposit.blogspot.com.es/p/free-programme-download.html
Atkins, L. A., Oman, R. F., Vesely, S. K., Aspy, C. B., & McLeroy, K. (2002).
Adolescent tobacco use: the protective effects of developmental as-
sets. American Journal of Health Promotion, 16(4), 198–205. https://doi.
org/10.4278/0890-1171-16.4.198
Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., Hamilton, S. F., & Sesma, A. (2006). Positive youth
development: Theory, research, and applications. In R. M. Lerner (Ed.).
Theoretical models of human development. Volume 1 of Handbook of Child
Psychology (pp. 894–941). Wiley.
Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., & Syvertsen, A. K. (2011). The contribution of the
developmental assets framework to positive youth developmental theory
72
support, and relationships. In Spain, the Healthy Universities Network was
recently established to foster health and well-being within Spanish univer-
sities (REUS, 2018), while the Spanish Institute for Youth (2018) has started
actions to enhance social participation and empowerment in youth by pro-
moting international cooperation, youth associationism, youth creativity,
the training of information agents, and the exchange of experiences.
In conclusion, the study presents evidence of positive relationships in
Spain between developmental assets and healthy lifestyles, and reinforces
the results obtained in other countries. Most research to date on develop-
mental assets and their associations with health and well-being has been
conducted with samples from North America and the current research re-
sults underline the importance of assets for healthy development also in a
Spanish sample of youth. This study examined the associations between in-
dividual internal and external assets with several lifestyle behaviours, i.e.
practice of physical activity, the consumption of fruit and vegetables, alco-
hol use, having been drunk, smoking, substance inhalation, cannabis use,
use of other illicit drugs and betting. The results revealed different profiles
of both internal and external assets that were associated with more physical
activity and greater consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as less risk
behaviours (substance use and gambling). Thus, this research suggests the
need to design programmes to foster developmental assets and to promote
healthy lifestyles in order to support a healthy transition to adulthood.
References
Arguis, R., Bolsas, A., Hernandez, S., & Salvador, M. (2010). The “Happy
Classrooms” Programme. Positive Psychology applied to education. http://
educaposit.blogspot.com.es/p/free-programme-download.html
Atkins, L. A., Oman, R. F., Vesely, S. K., Aspy, C. B., & McLeroy, K. (2002).
Adolescent tobacco use: the protective effects of developmental as-
sets. American Journal of Health Promotion, 16(4), 198–205. https://doi.
org/10.4278/0890-1171-16.4.198
Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., Hamilton, S. F., & Sesma, A. (2006). Positive youth
development: Theory, research, and applications. In R. M. Lerner (Ed.).
Theoretical models of human development. Volume 1 of Handbook of Child
Psychology (pp. 894–941). Wiley.
Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., & Syvertsen, A. K. (2011). The contribution of the
developmental assets framework to positive youth developmental theory
72
