Longitudinal Analysis of a Very Short Measure of Positive Youth Development

• NCJ Number: 247036
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 43 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2014 Pages: 933-949
• Author(s): G. John Geldhof; Edmond P. Bowers; Megan Kiely Mueller; Christopher M. Napolitano; Kristina Schmid Callina; Richard M. Lerner
• Date Published: June 2014
• Length: 17 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In this article the authors examine the longitudinal stability of the very short version of the Positive Youth Development (PYD) scale developed as part of the 4-H Study of PYD.

Abstract

As developmental scientists cease to perceive adolescence as a period of inevitable turmoil and adopt the Positive Youth Development (PYD) perspective, psychometrically sound measurement tools will be needed to assess adolescents' positive attributes. In this article the authors examine the longitudinal stability of the very short version of the PYD scale developed as part of the 4-H Study of PYD. Using a sample of 7,071 adolescents (60 percent female) followed between Grades 5 and 12 the results suggest general stability of PYD across adolescence, both in terms of mean levels and rank-order stability. The authors also showed that both a global measure of PYD and the individual Five Cs of PYD consistently correlate with important criterion measures (i.e., contribution, depressive symptoms, and problem behaviors) in expected ways. Although our results suggest weak relationships among the author's three criteria, the authors especially note that across adolescence PYD becomes more strongly correlated with contribution but less strongly correlated with depressive symptoms, and that confidence becomes more strongly related to depressive symptoms. The authors discuss implications for use of the present PYD measure in youth development programs. Abstract published by arrangement with Springer.