Structural model of 5Cs of positive youth development in Croatia: relations with mental distress and mental well-being

Abstract

ABSTRACT The 5C model of Positive Youth Development has widely been researched in the last decade yielding inconsistent structural solutions in different cultural settings. This paper seeks to examine the structure of the 5C model in the Croatian context. The internal structure and criterion validity of the model were examined on a sample of 3559 1st grade high school students (M = 15.12 years; 53.5% female). The item-based structural equation analyses showed that the ESEM model provides a better fit to the five-factor structure than the CFA and bifactor models. Facet-based bifactor and bifactor (S·I-1) analyses confirmed general construct, positive youth development. Higher competence, confidence, and connection predicted less while higher character and caring predicted more mental distress in youth. Full SEM model showed that competence, character, confidence, and connection, four of the 5Cs, were associated with positive mental health. The results support the 5C model and suggest specifics of the local context.