Page 77 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
P. 77
https://w w w.doi.org/10.32320/978-961-270-341-7.77-105
Measuring Positive Youth Development
in Slovenia with a Focus on Gender
and School-Level Differences
Tina Pivec
Educational Research Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Abstract
The Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach postulates that all young
people possess strengths (internal assets) that, when combined with re-
sources in their environment (external assets), can impact the extent to
which they thrive as they develop during their whole lifespan. Moreover,
if both types (internal and external) of these assets are present, positive
youth development is shown by the presence of the 5Cs: competence, con-
fidence, caring, connection and character. Since the PYD approach origi-
nates from and is well researched in the USA, all of the related measures
were developed in that context. To determine whether the PYD model can
be transferred for use in the Slovenian context, reliable and valid measures
are foremost needed since some indicators of PYD might vary due to cul-
tural and societal differences. The aim of this paper is to present the psy-
chometric properties (reliability, validity) of PYD measures (i.e. internal,
external assets, and the 5Cs of PYD) in Slovenia and to determine gen-
der and school-level differences. We used the Developmental Assets Profile
(Scales, 2011) and the short version of the Positive Youth Development
Questionnaire (Geldhof et al., 2014b). Our sample consisted of 1,979 stu-
dents (57.4% female; Mreavgee=a1l5t.h4a3t) from lower and upper secondary schools in
Slovenia. The results PYD can be partly transferred for use in the
Slovenian context and that gender differences in particular exist in PYD.
Implications for practice and guidelines for future research are discussed.
77
Measuring Positive Youth Development
in Slovenia with a Focus on Gender
and School-Level Differences
Tina Pivec
Educational Research Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Abstract
The Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach postulates that all young
people possess strengths (internal assets) that, when combined with re-
sources in their environment (external assets), can impact the extent to
which they thrive as they develop during their whole lifespan. Moreover,
if both types (internal and external) of these assets are present, positive
youth development is shown by the presence of the 5Cs: competence, con-
fidence, caring, connection and character. Since the PYD approach origi-
nates from and is well researched in the USA, all of the related measures
were developed in that context. To determine whether the PYD model can
be transferred for use in the Slovenian context, reliable and valid measures
are foremost needed since some indicators of PYD might vary due to cul-
tural and societal differences. The aim of this paper is to present the psy-
chometric properties (reliability, validity) of PYD measures (i.e. internal,
external assets, and the 5Cs of PYD) in Slovenia and to determine gen-
der and school-level differences. We used the Developmental Assets Profile
(Scales, 2011) and the short version of the Positive Youth Development
Questionnaire (Geldhof et al., 2014b). Our sample consisted of 1,979 stu-
dents (57.4% female; Mreavgee=a1l5t.h4a3t) from lower and upper secondary schools in
Slovenia. The results PYD can be partly transferred for use in the
Slovenian context and that gender differences in particular exist in PYD.
Implications for practice and guidelines for future research are discussed.
77
