Exploring positive youth development among young people who leave school without graduating high school: A focus on social and emotional competencies.

Abstract

Much qualitative and quantitative research has examined the individual and contextual risk factors of youth who have left high school without graduating. However, few studies have examined their strengths and, to the authors' knowledge, no studies have used a positive youth development (PYD) perspective. To begin to fill this gap, we explored a component of the PYD process, an individual's social and emotional competencies, among 27 youth (57.64% male; 45% African American and 24% Hispanic) who had previously left school without graduating. We used an interpretive phenomenological approach in combination with the competency framework proposed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning to examine whether (and, if so, how) these youth expressed these social and emotional competencies. Contextualized within their lived experiences, we found that youth exhibited multiple competencies, including making responsible decisions, creating and implementing strategies for goal pursuit, and understanding how their thoughts, feelings, and experiences related to their development. Implications for policies and programs that support youth at risk for leaving school without graduating and for reengaging these youth are discussed.

Relationships Between Treatment Attitudes, Psychological Symptoms, Emotional Competence, and Help‐Seeking Intentions

“…Specifically, researchers have hypothesized the potential role of emotional competence (i.e., emotional awareness, coping skills) in the utilization (Rickwood, Deane, Wilson, & Ciarrochi, ) and effectiveness (Gratz, Weiss, & Tull, ) of mental health services. Emotional competence refers to an individual's ability to identify, describe, understand, and manage emotions (Ciarrochi & Deane, ) and has been linked to enhanced decision‐making (e.g., Avsec, ), lower impulsivity (e.g., Checa & Fernández‐Berrocal, ), and better social and interpersonal functioning (e.g., Nelis et al, ; Zaff et al, ). Therefore, emotional competence may play a role in help‐seeking.…”

Conceptualization of the Premature School Exit Phenomenon in Mashonaland Region of Zimbabwe: The Voice of Early School Leavers

“…To them, they had lost education, which, Bridgeland et al (2006) argue, facilitates all-round life, yet they remained resilient as they made efforts to engage themselves with NGOs in various activities. To this end, Zaff et al (2014) concluded from a study on premature school exit prevention that students who left school prematurely had the strength to cope in hard contexts and were much more resilient than how current researches portray them or imply.…”

Designing Quality Programs that Promote Hope, Purpose and Future Readiness Among High Need, High Risk Youth: Recommendations for Shifting Perspective and Practice

“…Drawing from advances in brain science, Babcock argues that trauma-informed efforts need to consider how overactivity within the limbic system due to prolonged exposure to poverty, stress and trauma impacts development of the prefrontal cortex which is needed for establishing a future time perspective, setting goals and problem-solving. While Zaff and his colleagues advocate for a web of support to work with high need, high opportunity youth (Zaff et al, 2016), given the potential for emotional and mental health challenges, it is also important that programs provide access to counseling support, especially to help youth become ready consider future possibilities.…”