Younger Youth and Positive Youth Development

1. Younger Youth and Positive Youth Development Angela J. Huebner, Ph.D. Department of Human Development Virginia Tech

2. Overview • Why is it important for youth development efforts to focus on younger youth? • What does research tell us about how PYD efforts with younger youth contribute to the promotion of healthy behaviors and the reduction of risk behaviors?

3. Why Focus on Younger Youth? • Younger youth are participating in risk behaviors • Alcohol & drug use • Sexual activity • Delinquency • Easier to prevent behavior than it is to stop it once it has started • More economical to prevent problem behaviors than to fix them

4. What is happening developmentally with younger youth?

5. Physical Development • Rapid growth in height and weight • Continuum of puberty • Brain development

6. Cognition & Personality • Piaget’s concrete operational to formal operation • Erikson’s industry versus inferiority and identity versus role confusion • Self concept: more realistic expectations about abilities

7. Social Relationships • Spend more time with peers • Spend more time with non-parent adults

8. How do PYD efforts with younger youth contribute to promotion of healthy behaviors and reduction of risk?

9. What are the elements of PYD?

10. Elements of Youth Development (1) • Academic success • Citizenship & contribution • Close relationships with caring adults • Communication skills • Community connections • Creativity • Decision-making/reasoning skills • Emotional health & well-being

11. Elements of Youth Development (2) • Facing challenges/taking initiative • Family relationships • Leadership • Peer relations & friendship • Physical health & well-being • Respect for diversity • Sense of autonomy & independence

12. Elements of Youth Development (3) • Social justice/ethics • Spirituality/philosophy of life • Taking an active role with adults • Understanding & valuing yourself • Vision for the future • Workforce preparation

13. Summary • Greater emphasis on competence, autonomy, and relatedness • Seek opportunities to master new skills • Increase independent decision making • Are able to control their behavior • Are forming social relationships with peer and adults outside the family

14. What does the research tell us about successful programs?

15. Common Elements of Successful Programs • Competence enhancement (Botvin, 1985; Griffin, 2003) • Social resistance training (Botvin,1985; Griffin, 2003) • Normative education (ie. how many people are actually doing it) (Griffin, 2003) • Opportunities for role playing (Manlove et al. 2004) • Dosage—more intensity and length had better effects (Manlove, 2004: Roth et al, 1998) • Allow opportunities to connect with caring adults (McLaughlin, Irby, & Langman, 1994; Noam & Hermann, 2002: Roth et al. 1998)

16. Common Elements of Successful Programs (2) • Maintaining program integrity—following curriculum (Manlove et al. 2004) • Are tailored to participants’ age-level, culture, and level of risk experience (Kirby 2001; Luthar & Cichetti, 2000) • Provide training for adult leaders (Kirby, 2001) • Multi-level targeted prevention programs are more effective (Perry et al. 1996) • May include youth perspective in development (Herrman et al. 2003)

17. References • Botvin, G. The Life Skills Training program as a health promotion strategy: Theoretical issues and empirical findings. Special Services in the Schools, 1, 9-23. • Griffin, K (2003). Cotemporary school-based prevention approaches and the perceived risk and benefits of substance use. In D. Romer (Ed.). Reducing Adolescent Risk: Toward an Integrated Approach (pp 99-105). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, Inc. • Herrmann, D., & McWhirter, J. (2003). Anger & Aggression Management in Young Adolescents: An Experimental Validation of the SCARE Program. Education and Treatment of Children, 26(3), 273-302. • Kirby, D. (2001). Emerging answers: Research findings on programs to reduce teen pregnancy. Washington, DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. • Luthar, S., & Cicchetti, D. (2000). The construct of resilience: Implications for intervention and social policy. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 857-885. • Manlove, J., et al. (2004). No Time to Waste: Programs to Reduce Pregnancy Among Middle School-Age Youth. Washington, DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. • McLaughlin, M., Irby, M., & Langman, J., (1994). Urban Sanctuaries: Neighborhood Organizations in the Lives and Futures of Inner-City Youth. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. • Noam, G., & Hermann, C. (2002). Where education and mental health meet: Developmental prevention and early intervention in schools. Development and Psychopathology, 14, 861-875. • Perry et al. (1996). Project Northland: Outcomes of a communitywide alcohol use prevention program during early adolescence. American Journal of Public Health, 86 (7), 956-965. • Roth, J., et al. (1998). Promoting Healthy Adolescents: Synthesis of Youth Development Program Evaluations. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 8(4), 423-259. • Shure, M. (2003). A problem-solving approach to preventing early high-risk behaviors in children and preteens. In D. Romer (Ed.). Reducing Adolescent Risk: Toward an Integrated Approach (pp 85-98). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, Inc.

18. Other Resources • No Time to Waste: Programs that Reduce Teen Pregnancy Among Middle School Youth (National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2004) • Child Trends “What Works” in prevention programs • http://www.childtrends.org