School‐Based Positive Youth Development: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Evaluations indicate that programs increase intrapsychic measures of well-being in youth as well as social confidence and healthy behaviors. However, it is important to not only include "at-risk" persons in programming, because a mixed group of young people encourages a more positive peer-to-peer climate. In addition, peer mentorship activities should be actively facilitated by an adult supervisor to ensure positive communication and trust between the mentor and mentee.

Does Stress Mediate the Association Between Emotional Intelligence and Life Satisfaction During Adolescence?

“…The present study has provided evidence that high levels of perceived stress is a significant risk factor and should be given more attention to the assessment and promotion of youth development. Therefore, it seems reasonable to develop and implement school‐based prevention programs in order to promote student's psychosocial adjustment and well‐being by strengthening coping capacities as well as emotional abilities . These programs should in part focus on establishing a flexible repertoire of adaptive coping strategies, which facilitates adolescents to cope effectively with diverse stressors .…”

Association Among Internal Assets, Bullying, and Emotional Distress in Eighth Grade Students

“…Specifically, developmental assets and relationship approaches provide a foundational resource for individuals, schools, and communities committed to improving the health and well‐being of middle school students. We suggest that schools: Empower school staff members by integrating information about the Search Institute's developmental relationships framework into interdisciplinary trainings; Explore and integrate interventions aimed at building developmental assets during adolescence, with a specific focus on internal assets, into school settings; Strive to directly bolster all students' internal assets through youth development approaches such as social–emotional learning programs; Cultivate young people's assets by fostering supportive relationships with school staff …”

“…• Empower school staff members by integrating information about the Search Institute's developmental relationships framework 41 into interdisciplinary trainings; • Explore and integrate interventions aimed at building developmental assets during adolescence, 27,42 with a specific focus on internal assets, into school settings 31,43,44 ; • Strive to directly bolster all students' internal assets through youth development approaches such as social-emotional learning programs 45 ; • Cultivate young people's assets by fostering supportive relationships with school staff. 46 Additionally, the finding that internal assets were particularly protective against bullying and emotional distress among girls, conceivably due in part to girls demonstrating more active identity development as compared to boys during early adolescence, 47 suggests that schools consider:…”

Examining Integrated Youth Services Using the Bioecological Model: Alignments and Opportunities

“…Despite placing an emphasis on holistic approaches, with the exception of a few examples of more comprehensive school-based programs [656] most PYD program models are isolated services applied within sport, extra-curricular and school-based contexts [see [575859]. Recognizing this shortcoming, the IYS model represents a possible advancement in PYD practice whereby specialized community services that are better equipped to support a range of individual needs and strengths are brought together.…”