Positive Youth Development Perspective Research Articles

Preventing Online Addictive Behaviors Promoting Active Online Use: Preliminary Findings in Italian Early Adolescents

<strong>Introduction:</strong> Information and Communication Technologies (i.e., ICT) are fundamental in everyone’s daily lives, especially for youths who integrate them into their routines as instruments for academic, relational, and entertainment purposes (Oka et al., 2021). Thus, it becomes crucial to differentiate positive or proactive online behaviors, which motivate people to interact directly with others and are positively associated with well-being, from negative or addictive online behaviors, which increase emotional, behavioral, or work-related and academic problems (Alimoradi et al., 2019; Gjoneska et al., 2022; Oka et al., 2021). Social and clinical policies are mostly focused on negative and addictive online behaviors in youths, due to their huge effects on mental health, which also significantly impact social and health costs to deal with these problems (Cañas & Estévez, 2021; Lopez-Fernandez & Kuss, 2020). To our knowledge, promotive policies and interventions in this field are still lacking, because they mostly focus only on the reduction of problematic behaviors rather than promoting individual or contextual protective factors (Cañas & Estévez, 2021; Li et al., 2020). Contrary to this trend, considering the potentiality of ICTs for youths, research is now highlighting the importance of considering both preventive and promotive components in online behaviors. According to the Positive Youth Development perspective (Lerner et al., 2018), which emphasized the importance of focusing on individuals’ resources and protective factors, a preventive-promotive intervention was developed and implemented in an Italian Junior High School, that aimed to contrast negative online behaviors, while promoting positive ones (La Rose et al., 2010). <strong>Aims of this Study:</strong> Thus, the present study preliminary investigated the effectiveness of this intervention, by analyzing longitudinal mean differences of two negative (i.e., problematic use of social network and smartphones) and two positive (i.e., searching for social support online, offering social support online) internet-related behaviors in youths. <strong>Method and Results:</strong> 358 youths (35% females; Mage=15.35, S.D.=.63) completed the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (Monacis et al., 2017), the Smartphone Addiction Scale (Kwon et al., 2013), and the Active and Passive Use of Social Networking Sites Scale (Remondi et al., 2023) in the pre-and-post intervention assessments. Repeated Analysis of Variances showed that smartphone and SNS addictions significantly decreased from pre-to-post assessments. In addition, offering and searching for social support on SN significantly increased across the two time points. <strong>Discussion:</strong> Our findings showed that addictive smartphone and SNS use significantly decreased in a short time period, while relational activities engaged with SNS significantly increased across the intervention. These results could suggest the short-term efficacy of the project and could be considered in the implementation of other school-based interventions, and in the implementation of more effective socioeconomic strategies to contrast internet-related addictive behaviors (Andreassen et al., 2017).

Validation of a youth social capital scale Informed by positive youth development

Informed by a positive youth development perspective, the current study develops and validates a brief social capital scale for adolescents and emerging adults from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. We first detail the development of the scale and examine its factor structure using exploratory factor analysis. Second, using a new and independent sample, we use confirmatory factor analysis to replicate and confirm the factor structure of the scale. Finally, we conduct measurement invariance by gender, age, and race-ethnicity to determine if the scale held similar meaning for participants from different groups. Findings support a multidimensional scale of youth social capital that captures three important elements: network strength, network diversity, and network mobilization. The creation of this scale expands possibilities for researchers and practitioners by providing a comprehensive and actionable measure for empirically assessing youth social capital, which can be leveraged to support positive youth development.

Smartphone and social network addiction in early adolescents: The role of self-regulatory self-efficacy in a pilot school-based intervention.

Youths' online problematic behaviors, such as smartphone or social network sites (SNS) addiction, gained increasing attention nowadays, due to their impact on concurrent and later adjustment, such as emotional and/or behavioral problems, academic impairments, or relational issues. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot school-based intervention to contrast online addictive behaviors while fostering adolescents' self-regulative abilities. The intervention started in January 2022 in an Italian junior high school located in Rome, and consisted of four meetings with students. A total sample of 462 15-year-old adolescents (Mage = 15.2; SD = 0.50; 41% females; Ncontrol = 214; Nintervention = 248) was considered. Within the latent difference score framework, we examined short-term changes from the pre-to-the-postintervention levels of SNS and smartphone addiction, and self-regulatory self-efficacy (SRSE) beliefs as a possible booster of the intervention's effectiveness. Results showed a significant decrease in both online addictions (SNS and smartphone addiction), controlling for age, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status, because of the short-term efficacy of the project. The buffering effect of SRSE beliefs was further supported. These findings emphasized the usefulness of promoting youths' self-regulative beliefs to contrast problematic tendencies, according to a Positive Youth Development perspective which focused on resources rather than only on the prevention of negative outcomes for youths' adjustment.

Promoting decent work and decent life for all: Preparing the next generation through decent education and career development education

This article advances a prevention and positive youth development perspective for promoting access to decent work and decent lives for all. We apply the psychology of working theory to consider the readiness of youth to contribute to this aspirational goal and the roles that education and career development education could play in furthering a reality of decent work and decent lives. We propose a transformative model of career development education that encompasses youth purpose, career adaptability, hope, critical consciousness, relational support, and equitable systems.

Risk behaviors and well-being among Egyptian and Roma adolescents in Albania during the COVID-19 pandemic: Vulnerability and resilience in a positive youth development perspective.

Egyptian and Roma communities represent two of the most deprived and stigmatized ethnic minorities in Albania. However, research investigating vulnerability and well-being in youth from these communities is scant. Even less is known among Egyptian and Roma adolescents who dropped-out of school. Within a Positive Youth Development framework, we investigated among Egyptian and Roma adolescents: (1) risk behaviors, well-being, and developmental assets (personal and contextual); (2) associations of developmental assets with risk behaviors and well-being; (3) specificities by ethnicity, gender, and education. A total of 201 Egyptian and Roma adolescents (Mage = 16.63, SDage = 1.80; 47% girls; 53% school dropouts) completed a series of questionnaires in a community setting in August 2020 (first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic). Binomial, Poisson and linear regression models indicated that Egyptian and Roma adolescents reported similar and high levels of risk behaviors, with boys reporting overall more risk behaviors than girls. Low level of well-being and of personal and contextual assets were reported. Girls reported higher family assets, positive values and social competencies than boys. The situation of adolescents attending school was overall not better than that of youth who had dropped out. Higher positive identity was associated with higher well-being. Intervention and prevention efforts are urgently needed to support minority adolescents' development during and in the aftermath of the pandemic. They should address the structural factors which limit the availability of personal and contextual resources in minority youth's lives. Interventions aimed at building safer neighborhoods and providing safe access to schools for minority youth should be a priority and are essential to prevent the widening of inequalities during and after this health emergency.

Longitudinal relationships between school assets, traditional bullying, and internet gaming disorder: the role of self-control and intentional self-regulation among Chinese adolescents.

Although developmental assets have been proven to be enabling factors for both adolescent traditional bullying and internet gaming disorder (IGD), there is a lack of empirical evidence that has investigated the direct relationship between school assets and both of these problematic behaviors concurrently. Based on the positive youth development (PYD) perspective, the present study aimed to explore the relationship between school assets, intentional self-regulation (ISR), self-control, traditional bullying, and IGD among Chinese adolescents. A total of 742 middle school students (Mage = 13.88 years, SD = 1.99 years) were followed up to measure school assets, ISR, self-control, traditional bullying, and IGD in two waves that were separated by 5 months. Structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that T1 school assets negatively predicted T2 traditional bullying and T2 IGD. T1 self-control significantly mediated the relationships between T1 school assets and T2 traditional bullying, as well as between T1 school assets and T2 IGD. Additionally, T1 ISR strengthened the positive effect of T1 school assets on T1 self-control and further moderated the two mediating paths. These findings show that plentiful school assets support the development of self-control and are more successful in reducing traditional bullying and IGD, particularly among students with higher ISR. As a result, schools should take measures to provide superior-quality assets for the positive development of youth, which will help to prevent and relieve traditional bullying and IGD in the school context.

The relation of classroom climate to adolescents' countering hate speech via social skills: A positive youth development perspective.

Hate speech is a current challenge for schools around the globe. At the same time, students worldwide stand up to hate speech by countering it. Guided by a positive youth development perspective, the present study investigated the direct and indirect associations between classroom climate (environmental assets), social skills (personal assets), and countering hate speech (as a proxy of thriving) among adolescents. The sample included 3225 students in grades 7-9 (51.7% self-identified as female) from 40 schools in Germany (n = 1841) and Switzerland (n = 1384). Students completed self-report questionnaires that assessed classroom climate, three facets of social skills (i.e., perspective-taking, prosocial behavior, assertiveness), and counterspeech. The results of the 2-(1-1-1)-1 multilevel mediation analysis revealed that classroom climate (L2) and the three facets of social skills (L1) had a direct positive effect on counterspeech (L1). Furthermore, classroom climate (L2) also had a direct positive effect on the three facets of social skills (L1). Finally, classroom climate (L2) had an indirect positive effect on counterspeech (L1) via all three aspects of social skills (L1). The findings highlight that successful anti-hate speech programs may entail a combination of environmental and personal factors for increasing adolescents' active contribution to an inclusive and discrimination-free classroom environment where hate speech is not tolerated.

Designing elite football programmes that produce quality athletes and future ready adults: incorporating social emotional learning and career development

ABSTRACT This article uses a positive youth development (PYD) perspective to recommend a number of programme design strategies for improving the mental health and wellbeing, future readiness, and performance of elite youth footballers in the academy system. Elite youth footballers refers to the estimated 12,000 boys (aged 8–21) who are contracted to professional academies at any one time, with many of these youth experiencing negative outcomes during their time within the academy system and beyond (e.g. psychological distress, inferior academic outcomes, academic disengagement, foreclosed identities, impaired social and emotional development). The recommendations are framed around key PYD competencies with the primary goal being to increase resilience, proactivity, and adaptability amongst these youth.

The development of the 5Cs of positive youth development in a school year: A 3-wave longitudinal study of Slovenian youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The paper analyses the longitudinal pathways for the 5Cs of positive youth development outcomes (Competence, Confidence, Character, Caring, Connection) in a school context during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical framework for the paper is provided by the Positive youth development (PYD) perspective, which focuses on the importance of the interplay between individual characteristics and contexts. In the period of adolescence, school and its characteristics are one of the most influential contexts for the promotion of positive youth development. Therefore, the paper focused on the changes in the 5Cs in one school year using the methodology of longitudinal research (latent growth modeling) with three measurement points (beginning of the school year, middle of the school year, and the end of the school year). We used a sample of Slovenian youth (N = 1241 participants; 59,5% female; M age = 15.35, SD = 1.21) who participated in the PYD-SI-MODEL study and responded to the PYD questionnaire during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we tested whether the development of the 5Cs in a school year differed by gender, age, and school level (lower-secondary, upper-secondary). The results indicated a significant decrease in Connection, Caring, and Character from the beginning to the end of the school year and an increase in Competence and Confidence in the same period. Significant intercept-slope interactions were detected in Confidence and Connection indicating that their higher initial level is associated with a more stable trajectory throughout the school year. In addition, we found that gender and school level play a significant role in several of the pathways while age was not a significant covariate with any of the Cs. The study is the first to test 5Cs pathways in one school year, using Slovenian data. In addition to the important role of contexts on positive developmental outcomes, the study highlights the significance of 5Cs promotion in pandemic times as much as in more stable times.

Positive affect, negative affect, and psychological resilience mediate the effect of self‐compassion on mental toughness: A serial mediation analysis

AbstractFollowing the positive youth development perspective that emphasizes the importance of focusing on the positive assets of youth to be developed, this study examined the variables related with mental toughness, a trainable skill that is associated with psychological and academic well‐being outcomes, in preadolescent youth. The effect of self‐compassion on the mental toughness of preadolescents and the serial mediating effect of positive/negative affect and psychological resilience was explored for the first time in the literature to the best of our knowledge, via the causal‐comparative model. The study group consisted of a total of 263 preadolescents (ages 10–13). The results show that self‐compassion increases positive affect and this increases the mental toughness of preadolescents. As negative affect is negatively associated with mental toughness, by decreasing negative affect, self‐compassion positively influences mental toughness. Alternately, self‐compassion increases resilience, which in turn increases mental toughness. The findings of this study indicate that positive/negative affect and resilience play a serial mediating role in the relationship between self‐compassion and mental toughness. These relationships highlight the components to be included in interventions directed toward adolescents to improve the trainable skill of mental toughness, which can then lead to positive well‐being outcomes concurrently and through adulthood.

A Literature Review on the Role of Hope in Promoting Positive Youth Development across Non-WEIRD Contexts

Theoretical and empirical evidence has identified hope as a key adolescent strength that is linked to positive youth developmental outcomes. Although hope must be understood from a cultural lens, most of the evidence regarding adolescent hope is derived from samples of white youth from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) nations. Therefore, in order to have a more comprehensive and global understanding of the antecedents, outcomes, and processes of hope, we apply a positive youth development perspective in order to review the literature (N = 52 studies) on hope from diverse cultural and international contexts. In organizing the findings by global region, our review provides evidence of the shared function of hope in promoting positive youth developmental outcomes and the usefulness of the Child Hope Scale across contexts. Family and parental relationships were identified as key assets in promoting hope; however, there exists cultural and contextual variation in what aspects of these relationships promote hope. We conclude this review by considering the priorities for research, practice, and policy, based on these findings.

Hong Kong Adolescents’ Participation in Political Activities: Correlates of Violent Political Participation

The present study aimed to examine Hong Kong junior secondary school students’ participation in different types of political activities, to identify profiles of adolescents based on their political participation, and to examine potential protective and risk factors associated with adolescents’ violent political participation during the social unrest in Hong Kong from a positive youth development perspective. A total of 2,016 students (age = 13.92 ± 1.10 years) recruited from 24 secondary schools in Hong Kong participated in an online survey six months after the social unrest subsided. The findings provide a comprehensive descriptive profile of Hong Kong adolescents’ political participation. Four clusters of adolescents with homogeneous patterns of political participation were identified: (1) “Politically Inactive” (42.6%); (2) “Legal Participant” (27.5%); (3) “Radical/Violent Activist” (13.0%); and (4) “Peaceful Activist” (17.0%). Logistic regression analysis showed that being female, born in Hong Kong, having a weak local identity and a strong national identity, a high level of bonding, prosocial involvement and prosocial norms, a low level of parental psychological control and family conflict, and a good parent–child relationship were associated with a low risk of adolescents’ violent political participation. The findings point to the needs to further promote social cohesion in Hong Kong society, to help adolescents avoid the potentially essentialized dichotomy in their identity construction, and to develop programs targeting the identified risk and protective factors to prevent adolescents from engaging in political violence and to promote their civic participation.

The Unique Lived Experiences of LGBQ Athletes: A Collegiate Women’s Rugby Club Team as an Inclusive & Empowering Community

ABSTRACT There is ongoing debate regarding the culture of competitive women’s sports. On one hand, women who participate in sports are viewed as adhering to and reinforcing heteronormative stereotypes and hegemonic masculinity. Conversely, women’s sports are viewed as an inherently supportive environment for those involved. The current study explored the latter phenomena, specifically related to factors that promote an inclusive and empowering community for LGBTQ+ women. Eleven individual semi-structured interviews and one follow-up focus group with six participants were conducted with women from a collegiate women’s rugby club team. All participants described their sexual identities as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Queer (LGBQ). A reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data collectively. Participants described their collegiate rugby team as being one of their first encounters with a safe and inclusive LGBTQ+ environment. Membership on the team also was viewed as an important experience that helped participants come to terms with their sexual identity. Specifically, findings indicate the supportive actions of teammates, an inclusive team culture, and unique factors related to the sport of rugby helped promote an inclusive and empowering community for LGBTQ+ women. Indeed, from a critical positive youth development perspective, social justice life skills (e.g., allyship) provided actionable behaviors that promote an inclusive and empowering community for LGBTQ+ women. However, future research must seek to understand the lived experiences of all women’s rugby participants, particularly transgender and athletes of color.

The Relationship between Mindfulness and Social Adaptation among Migrant Children in China: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem and Resilience

Social adaptation of migrant children is not only related to the physical and mental health and development of individuals, but also reflects the level of urban social integration and stable development. Mindfulness has a protective effect on individual social adaptation. Self-esteem and resilience were found to be positively associated with mindfulness and social adaptation. Based on the Positive Youth Development Perspective, this study aimed to explore whether self-esteem and resilience sequentially mediated the associations among mindfulness and social adaptation. A total of 526 migrant children were assessed with the questionnaires regarding mindfulness, self-esteem, resilience, and social adaptation. The results indicated that mindfulness was positively associated with social adaptation of migrant children. Self-esteem and resilience played the sequential mediating roles between mindfulness and social adaptation. The present study revealed the influence and mechanism of mindfulness on social adaptation and provided some guidance for the intervention programs to promote migrant children's adaptability.

Reconsidering depression and internet gaming disorder from positive youth development perspective: a longitudinal study in Chinese adolescents

Reconsidering depression and internet gaming disorder from positive youth development perspective: a longitudinal study in Chinese adolescents

The cumulative effects of developmental assets on self-control during adolescence: A short-term longitudinal study

Self-control is an important ability functioning throughout life. But little research has investigated its influential factors. From the positive youth development perspective, the current study attempts to explore the relationship between developmental assets and self-control ability, including the possible cumulative effect, stability across time, relationship models, and gender differences. A sample of adolescents (N = 1023, 518 females, Mage = 13.18, SD = 0.88) from two senior high schools in China participated in the two-wave survey. They completed questionnaires regarding developmental assets and self-control twice. The findings revealed that developmental assets had a stable cumulative effect on self-control ability. In particular, the relationship showed a threshold model concurrently and a superposition model longitudinally. Moreover, the moderating role of gender was found significantly in the threshold model of developmental assets and self-control. These findings deepen previous studies by revealing the stability, relationship model, and gender differences in the cumulative effect between developmental assets and self-control. Practically, comprehensive measures should be taken to assist adolescents to obtain more developmental assets to improve their self-control ability.

Academic Aspirations and Dropout Intentions in the Perspective of Positive Youth Development: Protective Factors in Adolescence

Early school leaving is a problem that, especially in adolescence, can lead to maladaptive development. It is, therefore, essential provide quality, equitable, and inclusive education. Following the Positive Youth Development perspective, the aim of this study was to identify the possible strengths and resources of adolescents. Specifically, we analyzed three protective factors of school dropout intentions and academic aspirations: positivity, self-efficacy for self-regulated learning (SESRL), and school engagement. The participants in the present study were N = 260 ninth-grade students (M = 14.36, SD = 0.78, 204 boys) that were recruited in two Technical high schools in the center of Italy. There were two multiple hierarchical regression analyses that were carried out, considering academic aspirations and intentions to drop out of school as dependent variables. Hierarchical regression models highlighted that positivity, SESRL, and school engagement have significant and positive roles in school aspirations. Moreover, positivity and SESRL were negatively associated with intention to drop out of school. These results have pivotal implications in the prevention and promotion of interventions, suggesting the importance of building positive orientation and self-efficacy for self-regulated learning, and school engagement in the classroom context.

School assets and bullying in Chinese youth: A multiple mediation model of intentional self-regulation and internet gaming disorder.

Bullying is a severe social problem affecting young people all over the world. Previous studies suggested that engagement in bullying had massive effects on teenagers’ physical and psychological development. It is critical and necessary to investigate the antecedents and underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon among young generations. The present study, based on the positive youth development perspective and the developmental assets theory, attempts to explore the positive factors in the school subsystem that could effectively prevent adolescents from bullying, as well as the multiple mediation effects of intentional self-regulation (ISR) and internet gaming disorder (IGD). In this study, we adopted a two-wave design and recruited a sample of 768 Chinese adolescents using a randomized cluster sampling method in the post-pandemic era. The results revealed that T1 school assets significantly and negatively predicted T2 adolescent bullying. Furthermore, T2 ISR and T2 IGD mediated the association between T1 school assets and T2 bullying separately and sequentially. Overall, school resources play a protective role in adolescent development and could effectively prevent them from negative outcomes. These current findings contribute to the literature by providing a further understanding of the direct and indirect protective effects of school assets on adolescent bullying. Moreover, practitioners could also benefit from these findings in preventing and intervening in bullying in the school subsystem.

Aligning Physical Literacy With Critical Positive Youth Development and Student-Centered Pedagogy: Implications for Today's Youth.

The purpose of this article is three-fold: (1) revisit the concept of life skills to position physical literacy as a social justice life skill; (2) make the argument that physical literacy is particularly relevant within a critical positive youth development perspective; and (3) propose a novel critical praxis for developing physical literacy amongst youth. When considering emergent social issues, youth programming has the potential to integrate concepts from a range of theoretical frameworks, which may help youth transform into social change activists and competent movers. Such critical perspectives may guide sport and physical education programming as contemporary society poses numerous challenges concerning youths' diverse emotional, mental, physical, and social needs. In order to advance knowledge and practice, we urge researchers and practitioners to rethink the way sport and physical education has been traditionally conceptualized. Ultimately, we propose that educating individuals to recognize and then confront neoliberal values within a post-pandemic landscape is critical. These notions may help researchers (re)frame their positionality and readiness to tackle physical literacy through broader theoretical lenses which—as alluded to in this article—may equip practitioners and researchers to meaningfully advance social justice.

A Positive Youth Development Perspective on Mental Distress among American Indian/Alaska Native Youth.

Positive youth development approaches with American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth have been particularly successful and promising. Utilizing a survey with 3,736 AI/AN students, we investigated the associations between risk and protective factors and significant mental distress of AI/AN youth. The protective factors were studied within the positive youth development framework, which includes positive developmental assets reflecting aspects of the Circle of Courage, a prior framework embodying core indigenous values for youth development and education to support youth at risk. Risk factors in the study included having experienced trauma, being bullied by peers, substance use, and skipping school; protective factors were social supports, out-of-school-time activity participation, healthy eating, and healthy sleeping behaviors. Through logistic regressions, we found that risk factors were associated with more mental distress, consistent with prior research. However, students who participated in out-of-school-time activities at least three times a week, were sleeping at least eight hours daily, and those reporting social supports, particularly family/community support and sense of empowerment, had lower likelihood of mental distress. In fact, the presence of these protective factors reduced the associations of risk factors and risky behaviors with mental distress.