Not All Developmental Assets Can Predict Negative Mental Health Outcomes of Disadvantaged Youth: A Case of Suburban Kuala Lumpur

Rozmi Ismail,Norhayati Ibrahim,M Nuruddin Ghazalli

doi:10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5s1p452

Abstract

This study sets out to gauge the relationship between developmental assets of adolescents and their negative mental health outcomes. Sample size comprised of 346 respondents of disadvantaged (at-risk) youth from suburban areas of Kuala Lumpur by using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Two instruments were used; General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) by Goldberg and Williams © (1988) to measure negative mental health outcomes (depression/anxiety and social dysfunctions) and a shorter version of Developmental Assets (© Search Institute) to measure developmental assets. Correlation and multiple regression were employed to test the hypotheses through SPSS (V.22.0). Results depict none of the internal assets had significant correlation with negative mental health outcomes, and external assets; particularly, the hope and expectations of family members have significant negative correlation with depression, anxiety and social dysfunction. While, positive peer influence and neighbourhood religiosity had significant negative correlation with overall negative mental health outcomes. On the other hand, hope and expectations of parents toward their adolescents can predict the severity of negative mental health outcomes. Conclusively, findings exhibit positive influence of peers and neighbourhood religiosity are inversely proportional to negative mental health outcomes. The implications of this study would suggest good and timely parental monitoring of the adolescents is a significant contributor in positive youth development. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5s1p452

Highlights

Positive youth development (PYD) initiated as a conceptual domain of developing assets within youth as compared to eradicate risk factors that focus on ‘deficit-oriented domains’ (Lerner, Brentano, Dowling & Anderson, 2002)
Various variables could take into account, the demographics, as this study focused on at-risk youth in suburban Kuala Lumpur and cannot generalized on the overall population
This study found that external assets such as low expectations and hope from parents and family members may have impact on adolescent’s depression, anxiety and social dysfunction

Summary

Introduction

Positive youth development (PYD) initiated as a conceptual domain of developing assets within youth as compared to eradicate risk factors that focus on ‘deficit-oriented domains’ (Lerner, Brentano, Dowling & Anderson, 2002). Plethora of research indicates an association exists between the number of assets possessed and the number of flourishing indicators within an individual (Enfield & Owens, 2009) Considering this evidence, PYD deliberates the strengths of youth and values that contribute towards healthy development by taking advantage of these individual strengths through evocative societal roles and community-based actions (González et al, 2013). According to Moore et al, (2006) youth “at risk” would always been vulnerable to be victimised or be offended by environmental, social and family condition that negatively influence their personal growth and development. There is likelihood, this youth would turn into truants, and early drop outer from school

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion