DOCUMENT RESUME UD 032 932 ED 431 040 Benson, Peter L.; Scales, Peter C.; Leffert, Nancy; AUTHOR Roehlkepartain, Eugene C. A Fragile Foundation: The State of Developmental Assets TITLE among American Youth. Search Inst., Minneapolis, MN. INSTITUTION ISBN-1-57482-352-3 ISBN 1999-00-00 PUB DATE 203p. NOTE Search Institute, 700 S. Third St., Suite 210, Minneapolis, AVAILABLE FROM MN 55415-1138; Tel:800-888-7828; Web site: http://www.search-institute.org ($17.95 plus $5.50 for handling/shipping, prepaid). Descriptive (141) -- Reports Books (010) PUB TYPE MF01/PC09 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Behavior Patterns; *Child Development; *Disadvantaged Youth; DESCRIPTORS Elementary Secondary Education; Futures (of Society); *High Risk Students; *Risk; *Urban Youth; Well Being ABSTRACT This report presents both a framework for understanding of young people, positive factors that contribute to the healthy development 6th-to-12th-grade youth termed "developmental assets," and a portrait of data from 99,462 based on that framework. The report analyzes and interprets The first youth in 213.comm3.inities collected during the 1996-97 school year. people chapter gives background material about the assets and the young each of the surveyed. The second chapter gives in-depth information about and patterns .eiyh: catgonjes of assets, and chapter 3 examines the deficits development. of high-risk behavior that threaLem to compromise healthy and the ricky Chapter 4 builds links between the developmental assets thriving. Chapter behaviors and shows how assets promote eight indicators of goal for well-being, and 5 pulls the pieces together to suggest an overall blame and the responsibility suggests that all elements of society share the the realities of for the problems faced by young people today. Documenting build a firm foundation for their young people's lives makes it possible to detailed findings futures. Four appendixes contain background information and and thriving indicators. on assets, deficits, high-risk behavior patterns, (Contains 44 figures and 90 tables.) (SLD) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** AVAILABLE COPY BEST U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Off ice of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY )(This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization hnt) 8e1-z originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to Search Insii/v7e improve reproduction quality: TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 1 11: 3ii :':'' ,- k 1.' 1111 Alm" The State of Developmental Assets among American Youth AVAILABLE 1 BEST A-Search Institute Report A Fragile Foundation The State of Developmental Assets among American Youth Peter L. Benson, Peter C. Scales, Nancy Leffert, and Eugene C. Roehlkepartain Search INSTITUTE The resource is part of Search Institute's Healthy Communities Healthy Youth initiative, which seeks to unite individuals, organizations, and communities for children and adolescents. Major corporate support for this initiative is provided by Lutheran Brotherhood, a member-owned organization of more than 1 million Lutherans joined together for finan- HEALTHY YOUTH cial security, benevolent outreach, and volunteer service. Lutheran Brotherhood demonstrates its stewardship through programs that strengthen communities and serve Lutheran congregations and institutions. A Fragile Foundation: The State of Developmental Assets among American Youth By Peter L. Benson, Peter C. Scales, Nancy Leffert, and Eugene C. Roehlkepartain Copyright C) 1999 by Search Institute All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever, me- chanical or electronic, without prior permission from the publisher except in brief quotations or summaries in articles or reviews, or as individual charts or graphs for educational use. For addi- tional permission, write to Permissions at Search Institute. 9 10 4 6 8 7 3 5 2 1 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A fragile foundation : the state of developmental assets among ... Iet all American youth / Peter L. Benson cm. p. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 1-57482-352-3 (acid-free paper) 1. Child developmentResearchUnited States. 2. Adolescent psychologyR esearch--U nited States. 3. ChildrenResearchUnited States. I. Benson, Peter L. HQ767.85.F73 1999 305.231d c21 99-12993 Search Institute 700 South Third Street, Suite 210 Minneapolis, MN 55415 612-376-8955 800-888-7828 www.search-institute.org Credits Editing: Kathryn (Kay) L. Hong Design and Illustration: Wendy J. Johnson, Points Of View, Inc. Cover photography: Joel Grimes Photography, courtesy of Assets for Colorado Youth, Denver Contents v Preface: Shared Challenges, Shared Opportunities ix Acknowledgments xi Executive Summary xvii List of Figures and Tables Identifying and Measuring Developmental Assets 1. 1 External Naming the Positive: The Framework of Developmental Assets Background on the Developmental Assets Internal Assets Assets Principles Undergirding the Asset Framework Measuring the Assets About the Sample What This Research Contributes Scientific Resources on Developmental Assets 2. Young People's Experiences of Developmental Assets 15 Support Empowerment Constructive Boundaries and Expectations Use of Time Commitment to Learning Social Positive Values Putting the Pieces Together Overall Positive Identity Competencies Level of Assets of Specific Subgroups of Levels of Developmental Assets Youth The Challenge 41 Deficits and Risks in Young People's Lives 3. Young People's Experiences of Defining Developmental Deficits Number of Deficits Young People Experience Developmental Deficits Deficits in Specific Subgroups of Youth Average Levels of Deficits Overall Involvement in High- Defining Patterns of High-Risk Behaviors Engaging in Multiple High-Risk Behavior Patterns Risk Behavior Patterns High-Risk Behavior Patterns in Specific Subgroups of Youth The Clustering Differences between Middle and High of High-Risk Behavior Patterns Overcoming Does One Risk Lead to Another? School Youth Immobilization 4. The Power of Developmental Assets 73 Impact on Multiple High- The Protective Power of Developmental Assets The Enhancement Power of Developmental Assets Risk Behavior Patterns The Power of Assets for The Resiliency Power of Developmental Assets Summary on Resilience in the Face of Specific Deficits Vulnerable Youth Assets Are Powerful, But Not a the Overall Impact of Developmental Assets Guarantee 5. Building a Solid Foundation for Healthy Development 107 Building Blocks of a Solid Foundation Are the Criteria Too High? What Creating Healthy Is Preventing Us from Strengthening the Foundation? Complementing Problem-Reduction Communities for Youth A Positive Focus Individual and Organizational Commitment Community-wide Strategies Informal Asset Commitment Targeted Strategies Comprehensive Strategies Focus on Individual Differences Building Formal Asset Building All Youth Signs of Hope Children Focus on Adolescents iii State of Developmental Assets among American Youth The Contents Postscript: Tapping Deep Cultural Currents 127 Patterns in the Currents Undercurrents in the Findings Deep Cultural Emerging Signs of Hope From Innovation to Culture Change Challenges Appendix A: Background Information and Detailed Findings on 135 Developmental Assets Appendix B: Background Information and Detailed Findings on 153 Developmental Deficits Appendix C: Background Information and Detailed Findings on 161 High-Risk Behavior Patterns Appendix D: Background Information and Detailed Findings on 173 Thriving Indicators Selected Resources 183 iv A Fragile Foundation 6 Preface Shared Challenges, Shared Opportunities Theme #1: All Young People Are n recent years, the United States has engaged in I much collective hand-wringing about problems and Affected challenges facing young people. One opinion poll after another shows that youth-related issues top people's The challenges and opportunities identified in this re- lists of concerns and priorities. People consistently ask port speak to all types of youth, all types of communi- politicians and other leaders to improve education; re- ties, all types of families. In terms of developmental duce youth violence; prevent young people from using assets, no group of youth is far better off or far worse alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs; or declare "war" on off than other groups. No group is immune; no group some other youth-related problem. is cursed. All young peopleincluding those who "have everything" and those who have littleneed so- While most people agree that something has gone ciety to pay more attention to their care and nurture. wrong, there is much less agreement about how to make more things go right. Yet a growing number of When we examine young people's experiences of devel- experts and leaders in youth development, education, opmental assets (Chapter 2), we see that too many prevention, juvenile justice, public health, and other young people do not experience these positive relation- fields are calling for a new focus on building a solid ships and opportunities, leaving them with a fragile foundation that can help young people cope and foundation upon which to build their lives. On the av- thrive. erage, the 99,462 surveyed adolescents report experi- encing only 18 of the 40 developmental assets. Almost This report, A Fragile Foundation: The State of two-thirds of the young people surveyed possess half or Developmental Assets among American Youth, presents fewer of the 40 assets. both a framework for understanding positive factors that contribute to healthy developmentwhich we In addition to the lack of assets for most youth, we see call "developmental assets"and a portrait of 6th- to that deficits and patterns of high-risk behavior are 12th-grade youth based on that framework. widespread among these middle and high school youth. (See Chapter 3.) The average young person sur- At least three important themes recur throughout this veyed experiences 1.9 of the 5 deficits measured. report: Furthermore, almost half of the young people surveyed 1. All young people are affected. The foundation for (47 percent) report being involved in 2 or more of the healthy development is too fragile for virtually 10 dangerous patterns of high-risk behavior that are all young people, regardless of their background studied. and circumstances. To be sure, some important differences exist among 2. The real story lies not in the details of individ- various subgroups of youth (i.e., grade, gender, ual assets, high-risk behaviors, deficits, or thriv- race/ethnicity, family composition, level of mother's ing indicators. Rather, the power lies in putting education, and type of community). These differences all these pieces together to bring positive and pro- are presented in the report and the appendixes, and tective aspects into the lives of all young people. they need further investigation and focused attention. But most striking are the commonalities across all the 3. Everyone plays a role, both in contributing to the groups of young people surveyed. current situation and in taking action to strengthen the foundation for the future. v The State of Developmental Assets among American Youth 7 Theme #2: The Power Lies in assets have to shape young people's choices. As shown in Chapter 4, young people who experience the most Adding Together All the Pieces developmental assets are least likely to engage in prob- lem behaviors and most likely to thrive. Intentionally One wouldn't necessarily reach the conclusion that vir- working to ensure that more young people experience tually all young people are building their lives on a many of the assets offers a positive, hopeful path to a fragile foundation by looking just at isolated areas of brighter future for young people and society. their lives. Nor would you notice the power of many assets if you focused on just a few of them. The power and impact become evident as you put all the pieces Theme #3: Everyone Plays a together in a mosaic of young people's lives, and then step back and look at the big picture. Role For example, each of the individual patterns of high- Too often, reports on young people focus attention on risk behavior is experienced by between 18 and 33 per- specific gaps in their lives, laying blame for the prob- cent of young people. We might pick any one of these lems on a particular institution or segment of society. behaviors (e.g., violence) and say that targeted preven- Some Americans point to parents as the primary cul- tion or intervention efforts could be effective in ad- prits behind problems facing young people. Others dressing that problem. However, the challenge comes blame schools or the public sector for inadequately when we find that only one-third of young people re- preparing young people for life. port none of these patterns of high-risk behavior. The data based on the framework of developmental as- When all the pieces are drawn together, we see that sets make it difficult to lay blame on any single institu- only 4 percent of young people report having all of the tion or group of people. Indeed, all elements of society following elements: share both the blame and the responsibility for many 31 or more of the 40 assets; of the challenges facing young people. For example, one of the most striking statistics in the framework of 1 or none of the 5 deficits; developmental assets is that only about one in five 2 or fewer of the 10 high-risk behavior patterns; young people say they experience asset #7: community and values youth. at least 6 of the 8 thriving indicators. There is plenty of blame to go around. But more im- portant is the critical need to shift away from pointing Thus, the vast majority of young people are building fingers to joining hands. The framework of develop- their lives on a foundation that truly is fragile. Some mental assets offers common ground where all seg- perhaps mostyoung people will still manage to navi- ments of communities can explore together how every- gate through adolescence into adulthood relatively un- one can support and encourage our young people in scathed, despite their circumstances and some of the their growth and positive development. harmful choices they make. Too many will not, how- ever. For them, experiences in their early years will By focusing attention on ensuring that all young peo- leave scars that will take years to heal, if they heal at ple experience the developmental assets, individuals, all. And some will become trapped in negative cycles families, organizations, and communities can begin to of violence, addiction, and hopelessness that will de- transform a fragile foundation into a solid foundation prive both themselves and their community of their for life. But it will take all of usparents, peers, potential and contribution. neighbors, teachers, leaders, businesses, volunteers, and othersrecognizing our own potential for contribut- But this is not the end of the story. The mosaic of ing to the health and well-being of all young people. young people's lives has a hopeful theme. That hope becomes evident in the potential that developmental vi A Fragile Foundation 8 Overview of This Report lights a series of creative tensions that must be kept in mind in addressing the challenges and This report provides the first extensive portrait of opportunities that the report presents. American youth based on data from a surveySearch Each chapter includes text, figures, and tables that Institute Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and offer details about patterns and differences that emerge Behaviorsthat measures 40 developmental assets. It from the data. Throughout the text are tables that analyzes and interprets data collected from 99,462 show data by grade and genderthe two demographic youth in 213 communities during the 1996-97 school areas where differences consistently appear. The appen- year. It is organized as follows: dixes offer additional details related to other demo- Chapter 1 gives the background about assets graphic differences: race/ethnicity, type of community, and the young people surveyed. family composition, and maternal education. Chapter 2 focuses on young people's experiences of developmental assets, offering in-depth infor- Fueling a Movement mation about each of the eight categories of assets. This report focuses on documenting the realities in Chapter 3 shifts to examine the deficits and pat- young people's lives. In doing so, we hope it fuels a na- terns of high-risk behavior that threaten to com- tional movement to shore up the foundation that all promise young people's healthy development. young people need to ensure that they areand be- comecaring, contributing, and resourceful members Chapter 4 builds links between the developmen- of families, communities, and society. tal assets and the deficits and risky behaviors, showing the power that assets have in reducing That movement is already under way. At the time of young people's involvement in high-risk behav- this writing, more than 300 communities have begun iors and in mitigating the negative effect of initiatives designed to unite, motivate, and equip all deficits. In addition, this chapter shows how sectors of the community to work together to build assets promote eight thriving indicators. assets for youth. In addition, dozens of national and regional organizations and thousands of individuals are Chapter 5 pulls the pieces together, suggesting exploring their own capacity and opportunities for an overall goal for well-being that takes into ac- asset building. count the assets, deficits, patterns of high-risk behavior, and thriving indicators. It then high- vii The State of Developmental Assets among American Youth 9 Acknowledgments We also want to thank the many colleagues at Search The information that is distilled into these pages Institute who have contributed to this report. The sur- grows out of the commitments, efforts, and con- vey services departmentDyanne Drake, Jean Wachs, tributions from many people and places. and Debbie Grillowas instrumental in working with No organization has been more pivotal in the survey communities to conduct the surveys. Marilyn process that undergirds this report than Lutheran Erickson contributed her word processing skills. And Brotherhood, a member-owned financial services orga- our data services colleaguesTamra Boyce, Karen nization. Without Lutheran Brotherhood's support for Pladsen, and Rick Trierweilerprovided endless data and commitment to strengthening communities, much analysis and huge stacks of printouts that form the of Search Institute's asset-building work in the past foundation for this report. decade would not have been possible. Thanks as well to the publishing team that helped re- Lutheran Brotherhood commissioned Search Institute fine and polish this manuscript. Special thanks to Kay to create the original survey that measured 30 assets in Hong, whose meticulous attention to detail, eye for 1989 and has continued to be a major partner in this what's missing, and commitment to getting it right effort, including funding for The Troubled Journey, the strengthened the report in innumerable ways. Renee precursor to this report. In addition, Lutheran Vraa, Pat Johnson, Karen Pladsen, Kalisha Davis, and Brotherhood has subsidized the cost of conducting the Amanda Seigel helped to create tables and charts and survey in hundreds of communities, including those double-checked thousands of percentages, facts, and represented in this report. We particularly thank figures to ensure that this report is as accurate as possi- Louise Thoreson and Ellen Albee, who have become ble. Becky Manfredini, Wendy Johnson, and Mary our colleagues and friends through this partnership. Byers shepherded the report through design, copyedit- ing, proofreading, and production. Another vital link in this process is the involvement of communities in gathering data. Though each commu- Finally, we thank the reviewers whose insights and nity conducted the survey to learn about its own comments strengthened this report: Craig Deville, youth, the aggregate sample in this report gives us in- Tom Griffin, and numerous Search Institute col- sight into the larger context. Thanks to the participat- leagues. ing communities for being part of the picture. ix The State of Developmental Assets among American Youth 1 0