Youth Development Research Articles

Antimicrobial Peptides From the Gut Microbiome of the Centenarians: Diversification of Biosynthesis and Youthful Development of Resistance Genes.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) offer a potential solution to the antibiotic crisis owing to their antimicrobial properties, and the human gut biome may be a source of these peptides. However, the potential AMPs and AMP resistance genes (AMPRGs) of gut microbes in different age groups have not been thoroughly assessed. Here, we investigated the potential development of AMPs and the distribution pattern of AMPRGs in the gut microbiome at different ages by analyzing the intestinal metagenomic data of healthy individuals at different life stages (CG: centenarians group n = 20; OAG: older adults group: n = 15; YG: young group: n = 15). Age-related increases were observed in the potential AMPs within the gut microbiome, with centenarians showing a greater diversity of these peptides. However, the gut microbiome of the CG group had a lower level of AMPRGs compared to that of the OAG group, and it was similar to the level found in the YG group. Additionally, conventional probiotic strains showed a significant positive correlation with certain potential AMPs and were associated with a lower detection of resistance genes. Furthermore, comparing potential AMPs with existing libraries revealed limited similarity, indicating that current machine learning models can identify novel peptides in the gut microbiota. These results indicate that longevity may benefit from the diversity of AMPs and lower resistance genes. Our findings help explain the age advantage of the centenarians and identify the potential for antimicrobial peptide biosynthesis in the human gut microbiome, offering insights into the development of antimicrobial peptide resistance and the screening of probiotic strains.

Defining contribution: A scoping review.

The term contribution is a key feature of approaches to positive youth development but has yet to be adequately defined. The purposes of this study were to identify properties that underlie contribution and to establish a theoretical definition of the construct. A two-phase scoping review was conducted. The first phase involved the systematic search, selection, and analysis of studies from which six properties of contribution were identified and a preliminary theoretical definition was constructed. In the second phase expert judges rated the degree to that the proposed definition and the six properties of contribution fit with their conceptualization of the construct on a 6-point scale. Mean ratings for the definition and the six properties ranged from 5.05 to 5.70. Judges' ratings for the overall definition of contribution and the six properties were evaluated using Aiken's content validity coefficient (V). All V coefficients ranged in size from 0.81 to 0.94 and were statistically significant (p's < .01) indicating that the definition of contribution and the corresponding six properties fit well with experts' conceptualizations of the construct. This study provides a theoretical definition of contribution that will serve as a foundation upon which future research in the area of positive youth development can build.

The Reach and Impact of a Positive Youth Development Program (Project P.A.T.H.S.) in China and Beyond: Review and Reflection

AbstractThere are few validated positive youth development (PYD) programs in different regions of China. Utilizing 15 PYD constructs extracted from effective programs in the United States and with the support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, colleagues from five universities in Hong Kong developed the P.A.T.H.S. Program in Hong Kong. In the past two decades, the research team trained 9,415 potential program implementers, supported the implementation in 300 + high schools in Hong Kong (357,839 participants) and evaluated the impact of the project. Because of its overall success, the P.A.T.H.S. Program was transplanted to mainland China with the support of the Tin Ka Ping Foundation, with adaptation of the curriculum materials. Before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the research team also trained 1,589 teachers and related professionals, provided guidance on the implementation in 30 + schools (84,000 + participants), and evaluated the impact of the program. This paper reviews the achievements, effects, and impact of the P.A.T.H.S. Program in China and beyond. It also highlights several observations and reflections regarding the future development of positive youth development programs in China as well as around the globe.

Moving from Second Sight to Critical Consciousness Building: Using Social Justice Youth Development and Youth Participatory Action Research to Promote Praxis in Out-of-School Time

Abstract Youth development programs offer flexible environments for healing and positive identity development for youth facing discrimination and oppression. Programs often occur in out-of-school time (OST), a context that is clearly positioned in tandem with the education system to create complex relationships that lead to challenges in OST spaces. Youth development programs occurring in OST settings have the potential for resisting or replicating oppressive practices toward youth occurring in the education system. This article highlights a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project within an OST program using photovoice, field trips, and arts-based strategies. Eleven youth participated in the project over the course of nine months. Thematic content analysis of weekly photovoice and critical consciousness resulted in a primary theme of peeling back the layers. This theme encompassed the evolution of youth understanding the interconnectedness between their individual-level experiences of racism and broader community and systems-level inputs. This article describes critical consciousness development of OST youth participants through intentional engagement in critical dialogue, experiential field trips, and reflective art making.

Paragliding Events &amp; Festivals: Catalyzing Aero-Sports Tourism Development in India

India’s diverse geographical landscape and rich cultural history make it an ideal destination for paragliding events and festivals, highlighting its potential for aero sports tourism in the world. India has been the host of the Paragliding World Cup, and Paragliding Accuracy Pre-World Cup integrating with various cultural events and festivals. Paragliding destinations of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, and Kerala have gained popularity among the paragliding community worldwide by hosting paragliding “events &amp; festivals”. This study has evaluated the potential of the paragliding destination of various states in India and the role of paragliding “events and festivals” in aero-sports tourism development in India. After analyzing the data from the secondary sources found the various challenges for aero sports tourism in India. Managerial implication has underlined the importance of strategic planning required by state tourism departments, paragliding associations, and local communities to incorporate music and dance festivals with paragliding events. Skill development and training programs for local youth, development of the infrastructure, sustainable environmental practices, and effective marketing and promotion will all contribute to the growth of paragliding tourism in India. Findings highlight the incorporation of local culture (dance music &amp; food) into paragliding festivals, which promotes India’s rich heritage. Organizing events and festivals at Aero sports destinations attract tourists as well as benefits the local economy, resulting in job growth. Sustainable environment-friendly practices and community participation can reduce environmental damage and it will promote a sense of ownership among locals. The results underline the importance of empowering local communities to benefit from paragliding tourism development. Paragliding festivals not only paragliding pilots and tourists, but they also serve as an effective destination marketing tool, promoting lesser-known destinations and contributing to India's long-term Aero-sports tourism development goals.

Aligning extracurricular school activities with physical literacy: pilot evaluation through self-study of practice.

Although several important documents of education and health promotion on the international level favor practices geared toward physical literacy (PL), not all countries have yet gained experience with this holistic concept. Therefore, numerous stakeholders and practitioners who intend to align their interventional activities with PL will soon face the situation that there are no recommendations for their specific culture and language for how to design such programs. Given that such recommendations are also lacking for Germany, the goal of the present study within the uncontrolled pilot cycles of the PLACE study was (a) to describe the process of a female pedagogue (27 years old, previously unexperienced with PL) initially familiarizing herself with the PL concept and its implementation opportunities for the school setting, and (b) to retrace the process of developing and refining a PL-driven intervention for extracurricular physical education (60-90 min) of children in grades three and four at primary schools in Bremen. Adopting a self-study design, this endeavor emphasized continuous reflexivity involving: (a) session protocols; (b) biweekly discussions with another coach; (c) weekly discussions between scientists and stakeholders of youth development ("multi-perspective panel"); (d) weekly observations and impressions during field work; and (e) summative group interviews with children (n = 17, age range: 8-9 years, 17.6% boys). Written documents underwent qualitative content analysis with inductively generated categories. Despite explicit links between the theoretical PL domains and the intervention content, the character of how PL informed the intervention level was dominated by the stance and atmosphere implemented by the deliverer (e.g., participatory attitude, open mindset). Accordingly, the team revised the intervention primarily on the levels of organization (temporal schedule and sequences), instruction, and materials. After initial stages of didactically "surviving" within classes, the deliverer could increasingly integrate tasks of cognitive engagement and provide choice for students enabling individual autonomy for nurturing a person-centered approach. This study encourages teachers and stakeholders of physical education to seek exchange with scholars or other practitioners while simultaneously demonstrating patience in comprehensively internalizing PL and efficiently translating the concept into routines in line with individual's quality standards.

Should I Stay, or Should I Go Now? Neighborhood, Family, and Youth Predictors of Intracity Mobility.

The effects of residential mobility on youth development outcomes related to violence and victimization have traditionally been understood from an outward mobility perspective. Less attention has been paid to predictors of intracity moves, a more common mobility practice. Research, however, should identify factors associated with intracity mobility before scholars can explore and fully understand the impacts of moving within the city on youth development outcomes such as violence and victimization and whether they are akin to those identified for moves beyond city limits. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, we apply a multilevel ecological framework to assess neighborhood, family, and youth factors associated with intracity mobility. We employed hierarchical generalized linear modeling to examine within and between-neighborhood models of intracity mobility among youth and their families who moved within Chicago (N = 426) and those who did not (N = 867). Our investigation highlights as important factors family dynamics instability and aggression and violence at the neighborhood level. Findings show that parental divorce/separation, harsh disciplinary practices, negative school experiences such as racial/ethnic conflict, gangs, or heightened security measures, and exposure to violence predict intracity mobility. Critically, negative school experiences proved to be a robust determinant of moving as cross-level interactions suggest neighborhood crime significantly shapes how these experiences inform intracity mobility. This study emphasizes the importance of examining mobility beyond urban city limits, noting distinct predictors of intracity mobility across systemic levels. The findings fill a gap in our understanding of neighborhood turnover and stability, while also providing a foundation for exploring within and between-neighborhood differences in intracity mobility.

Delivering project SCORE in competitive youth sport settings.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Project SCORE intervention in fostering Positive Youth Development (PYD) within competitive youth sport settings in Portugal. Project SCORE is an online PYD-focused tool developed to assist coaches in promoting the 4Cs-competence, confidence, connection, and character-within their coaching. The research involved 13 coaches and 70 youth athletes from football and rowing teams. Methodologically, this study analyzed the pre- and post- Project SCORE intervention data, assessing the perceptions of coaches and athletes towards the development of the 4Cs. Results indicated significant improvements in athletes' perceptions of 4Cs post-intervention, and among coaches' perceptions, there was a significant improvement in the practice and transfer of life skills. Particularly, coaches showed enhanced abilities in fostering life skills and facilitating the transfer of these skills to competitive environments, although some dimensions like sport climate did not sustain positive changes. The findings highlight the benefits of customized PYD-based programs in competitive youth sports and suggest the need for further research to enhance their widespread and consistent implementation.

Positive youth development of Tayal and Han adolescents in Taiwan: A cultural and structural perspective.

Using the Five Cs model of positive youth development (PYD), this study aimed to provide a socio-structural and cultural understanding of PYD in Indigenous Tayal youth by examining the specificity in the development of Five Cs (Competence, Confidence, Character, Caring, and Connection) between Tayal and Han youth in Taiwan. A sample of 847 Tayal and Han adolescents (43.8% Tayal, 47.9% girls, Mage = 14.83, SD = 0.50) were drawn from a larger study (September 2014 to August 2017). Adolescent participants completed questionnaires asking about their Five Cs, contribution behavior, and depressive symptomatology. Measurement invariance was conducted to explore specificity between Tayal and Han youth's Five Cs performance. A bi-factor Five Cs model was identified and partial metric and partial scalar measurement invariance was established between the two samples. Across both groups an overarching PYD factor, which was associated with increased contribution and lower depressive symptomatology, was identified. Specificity was observed in the Tayal sample, particularly relating to indicators of Competence, Character, Caring, and Connection. The findings of this study provide a sociocultural-informed lens regarding the specificity of development in Tayal youth. Character, Caring, and Connection appear to contribute significantly more to the overall PYD for Tayal adolescents than their Han peers. Findings relating to Competence suggest that the educational environment may not be aligned with the learning style of Tayal youth. This study has policy and practical implications for Tayal youth, and can further help inform program development in Taiwan and internationally.

Does grit predict thriving or is it the other way around? A latent cross-lagged panel model on the triarchic model of grit and the 5Cs of positive youth development.

Grit, defined as passion and perseverance to achieve long-term goals, has been associated with adolescents' optimal academic and psychological functioning. However, the role of grit in adolescents' positive youth development (PYD)-characterized by the 5Cs known as competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring-remains unknown. Using latent cross-lagged panel modeling, this study examined the longitudinal relations between the triarchic model of grit (TMG) dimensions (i.e., perseverance of effort, consistency of interest, and adaptability to situations), and the 5Cs of PYD while controlling for specific socio-demographic covariates (gender, age, SES, and school type). Data were obtained from 1620 Filipino adolescents (Mage = 17.15; SDage = 1.00) in November 2021 and May 2022. Results show that grit dimensions predicted subsequent PYD dimensions, but not vice versa. Specifically, while perseverance and adaptability were linked to higher levels of competence, confidence, and character, consistency was associated with lower levels of competence and confidence six months later. Results highlight the importance of grit's dimensions in facilitating PYD characteristics among adolescents, especially efficacy-related Cs (competence and confidence). Theoretical and practical implications in promoting adolescent thriving and well-being are discussed.

Social workers’ experiential accounts of complex intervention development for youth and families in practice settings

ABSTRACT We aimed to explore social workers’ experiential accounts of developing complex interventions for youth and families within practice settings. Social workers’ experience of developing interventions has not been leveraged in scientific research even though many complex interventions in use are developed by social workers in practice settings. Lack of insight into the intervention development process impairs our ability to link approaches to outcomes and thereby assess whether specific approaches produce interventions that are more successful than others. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 developers of seven complex interventions. Through qualitative content analysis we identified 11 categories of activities participants engaged in during the development process. Participants described engaging in a range of activities found in the scientific literature. However, participant engagement in development activities were motivated on different grounds and conducted at different stages than suggested by current intervention development frameworks. Contextual and organisational factors were important in shaping the final approach to intervention development. We recommend future research on intervention development from the practitioner perspective to further explore and validate these findings. We encourage practitioners to document important details in their intervention development work to build a literature base and guide other practitioners who engage in complex intervention development.

Freedom dreaming in carceral spaces: Youth care workers' imagined alternatives to anti-Black racism in residential facilities.

Although youth-adult partnerships (Y-APs) have been linked to a wide range of positive youth and community outcomes, the possibility of Y-AP occurrence in spaces of racialized social control such as youth residential facilities remains unknown. Rooted in a social justice and rights-based ethos, Y-APs represent an innovative conceptual and practice model of youth engagement that challenges longstanding patterns of control that characterize adult-youth relationships in these settings. This study uses narrative thematic inquiry and counter storytelling to examine frontline youth care workers' narratives (N = 21) of Y-AP enactment against the backdrop of anti-Black racism in youth residential facilities. Workers' narratives include instances of both enhanced and diminished forms of partnership, and explanations for Y-AP diminishment depict an interplay of racist (anti-Black) ideologies and organizational processes, including selective racial cognizance in hiring practices, color-evasive and elitist training, and racialized blame-shifting. Importantly, workers' narratives suggest that although flourishing Y-APs remain elusive, it is not a foregone conclusion that Y-APs cannot occur to realize youth development and social change in these extreme contexts.

ON THE ISSUE OF THE IMPACT OF VOLUNTARY ACTIVITY ON SOCIAL COHESION: CHALLENGES TODAY

The article examines the peculiarities of the formation of the volunteer movement during the years of Ukraine's independence, namely the significant historical moments of its formation. Modern scientific approaches to the interpretation of the concepts of "volunteer movement" and "community cohesion" are analyzed. It was found that the basis of the development of the volunteer movement is the cohesion of the people, community, and society. The war in Ukraine in 2014 was the birth of the volunteer movement, and the second wave of the full-scale invasion of 2022 was the development and increase in the number of volunteers, volunteer initiatives and volunteer organizations. The article presents the results of the annual report of the "World Philanthropy Index". It was determined that volunteering became a manifestation of social cohesion of the community, society and is considered not only as a manifestation of charity, voluntary activity, but as a tool of influence on the people in modern conditions, and volunteering itself is a tool of influence: on the development of youth; for the activation of society; on the social cohesion of the community; on the identity of citizens; on the development of moral and spiritual values; on the emotional stability and indomitability of people. In this context, volunteering is a tool to influence all horizontal and vertical aspects of our society, using all possible methods of influence and methods that would motivate the public to action. The purpose of the article: actualization of volunteer activities in society, community, state on the basis of activation, identity, cohesion and moral norms. The task: to reveal the main aspects of volunteering in society, as tools of influence on the community.

Extension Education as a Practice of Youth Development: A Conceptual Review

Extension Education as a Practice of Youth Development: A Conceptual Review

Effects of alcohol abuse on involvement of youth in productive economic activities in Baringo Central Sub-County, Kenya

This study sought to analyse the effects of alcohol abuse on youth involvement in productive economic activities in Baringo's central sub-county, Kenya. The issue of alcohol abuse among youth is pervasive globally, with approximately 30 per cent of adolescents engaging in binge drinking, leading to severe consequences for health systems, economic productivity, and social stability. In Baringo Central Sub-County, approximately 40 per cent of the youth engage in regular alcohol consumption, presenting a critical public health issue. This study aimed to assess the effects of alcohol abuse on youth involvement in productive economic activities, including crop farming, animal herding, entrepreneurial activities, and formal employment. The researchers utilised a cross-sectional descriptive research design to collect data from youth aged 18-35 using structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The findings revealed that 66 per cent of respondents reported missed farming deadlines, 69 per cent indicated neglect of livestock, 69 per cent of young entrepreneurs reported reduced motivation, and 70 per cent of respondents in formal employment reported increased absenteeism due to alcohol abuse. These results underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions such as comprehensive awareness programs, enhanced access to rehabilitation services, and stricter regulations on alcohol sales to address alcohol abuse and support the socio-economic development of youth in Baringo Central Sub-County. The study contributes valuable insights into the socio-economic effects of alcohol abuse, informing policymakers and stakeholders about the necessary measures to mitigate these impacts and promote sustainable development.

Racial Socialization and Black Adolescent Mental Health and Developmental Outcomes: A Critical Review and Future Directions

ABSTRACT Objective Black American adolescents are beleaguered with the most frequent and severe experiences of racial discrimination (RD) among their peers. To protect Black adolescents’ mental health and developmental outcomes from the pernicious impact of discrimination, parents and other proximal adults and peers often utilize racial socialization (RS), or communications and behaviors emphasizing the importance of race and the harms of racism. While several recent RS reviews have been conducted across ethnicity, a modern review investigating RS practices related to and predictive of Black adolescent psychosocial outcomes is needed. Method To ground our critical systematic review of 45 articles, we first highlighted the ways RD impacts the lives of Black adolescents. Then, drawing from integrative models for Black youth development, we synthesized recent psychological, academic, and sociocultural literatures to describe the role of RS in Black adolescents’ wellness. Results The impact of various tenets of RS was seen most clearly as a protective factor against RD with respect to adolescents’ mental health (e.g. depression), academic achievement (e.g. GPA), and sociocultural identity (e.g. public and private racial regard) development. Cultural socialization, a strategy related to extolling pride for one’s race, was the most consistent RS protective factor, with novel RS constructs (e.g. parental competency) emerging as a method to buffer youth internalizing and externalizing problems. Conclusions Recommendations are made for future research on understudied components of RS and multiple methods and reporters to capture a more holistic depiction of RS practices. We emphasize preventative and intervening approaches to reduce the impetus for RS and its impact, including burgeoning clinical and community-level programs and the importance for provider training to yield positive mental health outcomes for Black adolescents.

The Roles of Alcohol Availability, Overserving, and Enforcement in Recreational and Social Settings on Alcohol Misuse and Harms: A Comparison of Australia and the United States.

To examine how alcohol availability, overserving, and enforcement in recreational and social settings are related to alcohol misuse and alcohol-impaired driving among young adults in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States. Longitudinal data came from 1,430 participants in Victoria (n = 757; 52% female) and Washington (n = 673; 53% female), surveyed in 2014 (age 25) and 2018 (age 29) from the International Youth Development Study, a population-based, cross-national study to examine factors influencing substance use. Path modeling tested associations between age 25 perceptions of the alcohol environment, age 25 social alcohol consumption, and age 31 alcohol-related harms. Multiple-group modeling examined differences in parameter estimates across both states. Age 25 perceptions of the alcohol environment (alcohol availability, overservice in evening social venues, legal enforcement) and alcohol consumption in evening social settings were similar between the two states. Higher alcohol availability and perceived tendency of evening social venues to overserve were associated with higher alcohol consumption in these contexts. In turn, higher alcohol consumption in these settings was associated with more problematic alcohol use and an increased likelihood of alcohol-impaired driving 4 years later. Perceived likelihood of legal enforcement in evening social settings was not related to alcohol consumption in these contexts. The recreational and social settings commonly frequented by young adults can influence drinking behaviors and alcohol-related harms. Reducing alcohol availability and over-servicing in settings where young adults often congregate and socialize could reduce problematic alcohol use and alcohol-impaired driving.

Sibling Sexual Abuse: Youth Counseling Considerations

Sibling sexual abuse (SSA) can have a significant impact on human development and counselors play an important role in identifying, advocating for, and supporting youth who have been sexually abused. In this article, considerations for counselors working with youth who have experienced SSA are discussed. The impacts of SSA on youth development, and challenges that counselors face when working with those affected by SSA are addressed. Counseling interventions that may be useful when counseling those who have experienced SSA are also provided, along with suggestions for future research.

Enhancement of Psychosocial Competence and Well-Being of Chinese High School Students under the COVID-19 Pandemic: Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Project in Mainland China

Mental health problem is a growing problem in mainland China and the situation has worsened under the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides focusing on tertiary and secondary prevention strategies, there is an urgent need to enhance the well-being of adolescents through primary prevention programs. During the pandemic, a positive youth development program entitled “Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Program” was implemented in schools in mainland China. In 2022/23 academic year, students were invited to write a weekly diary on their experience about the program after completion of the program (N = 2,337). Qualitative evaluation showed that 98.2% of the students perceived the program was beneficial to their well-being in different domains. Specifically, students perceived the program enhanced their sense of community, school and academic adjustment, interpersonal relations (family relations and peer relations), and intrapersonal competence (including optimism, resilience, positive coping with stress, spirituality, life meaning and cherishing one’s life). In conjunction with other quantitative and qualitative evaluation findings, the triangulated findings strongly suggest Tin Ka Ping P.A.T.H.S. Program is a promising program that enhances the psychosocial competence and quality of life of adolescents.

Flipping the Narrative: A Unifying Framework for Juvenile Court-based Forensic Social Work Practice

Professional social workers are trained in multiple competencies and occupy various positions within the forensic landscape. Unified by a code of ethics that emphasizes social justice and the protection and empowerment of marginalized populations and a philosophical approach that recognizes the interplay of individual and environmental factors, social work leadership in youth justice policy and practice is vital. This article proposes a unifying framework for macro, mezzo, and micro court-based forensic social work practice in the 21st century that draws from post-modern critical social work theory. The lifelong negative impacts of court involvement for young people are well documented and contribute to persistent societal inequities. Pre-disposition court practices can mitigate or further harm court-involved youth. “Flipping the Narrative” is a culturally relevant practice framework for evaluating and designing youth court practices that recognize the intersectionality of the identities and experiences of court-involved youth. The proposed framework incorporates the practical implications of Critical Theory, specifically Critical Race Theory, the Theory of African American Offending, and Queer Theory, and relevant practice approaches, such as Social Justice Youth Development and Narrative Therapy, to analyze current youth court practices, propose areas for further evaluation and innovation, and recommend practice enhancements for defense-based forensic social workers. The urgency for innovation in one New England state is illustrated through a case study.