Contribution of Developmental Assets to the Prediction of Thriving Among Adolescents

Abstract

This article investigated the contribution of developmental assets to the prediction of thriving behaviors among adolescents. The study was based on a sample of 6,000 youth in Grades 6-12 evenly distributed across 6 ethnic groups. Investigated were the effects of gender, grade, and levels of youth assets on 7 thriving indicators: school success, leadership, valuing diversity, physical health, helping others, delay of gratification, and overcoming adversity. Developmental assets are identified that together contribute "over and above demographic variables" between 10% and 43% to the variance of the thriving indicators and between 47% and 54% of the variance in a composite index comprised of the separate thriving indicators. The results substantially reflect the relation of developmental assets and thriving outcomes suggested by the research literature, and provide evidence for the utility of the developmental assets framework.