Next steps in advancing research on positive youth development.

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article briefly reviews the ambitious and timely report Youth Development in the United States: Research Findings on Evaluations of Positive Youth Development Programs ( Catalano, Berglund, Ryan, Lonczak, & Hawkins, 2002 ). We focus on the importance of the report, its implications for measurement and methodology in this field, defining the domain positive youth development and its importance independent of the reduction of problem behavior, as well as the study of factors that influence implementation of programs in community settings. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Brian Bumbarger, Prevention Research Center, 109 South Henderson Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802. E -mail: bkb10@psu.edu The Importance of the Report for Research, Policy, and Practice In the past decade there has been increasing interest in the development of innovative program models intended to increase the well -being of children and adolescents. Catalano, Berglund, Ryan, Lonczak, & Hawkins (2002) , with their substantive report on the state of evaluated programs for the promotion of