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.
Neighborhoods are critical contexts for adolescent development, but little attention has been paid to how neighborhood characteristics play a role in positive youth development (PYD), notably among predominantly African American youth. This study examined distinct features of the neighborhood, including youth-serving institutional resources (YSI) and safety, as they relate to PYD among adolescents from low-income neighborhoods in an urban setting (n = 491, 68.6% African American). Because neighborhood experiences during adolescence often differ based on gender, we also examined moderation by gender. Results from cross-sectional, multilevel data suggest that neighborhood safety, YSIs, and gender are differentially associated with indicators of PYD (i.e., hope, mastery, friend support). The pattern of results suggested that when associated with mastery, YSIs may compensate for low-safety neighborhoods for adolescent females but not males. In terms of associations with friend support, YSIs may foster the development of PYD in low-safety neighborhoods for males but not females. Limitations of the current study and implications for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
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