This study investigated ethnic-racial identity (ERI) developmental processes (i.e., exploration and resolution) as pathways for adolescents to develop global bicultural competence, or the ability to meet heritage and host cultural demands. The sample included 749 U.S. Mexican-origin youth (30% Mexico-born; 51% male) followed from early-to-late…

Needs assessments (NAs) for marginalized communities would ideally contextualize needs in the sociocultural context, use agency-supportive methods, and result in liberatory action planning. This article develops the Transformative Needs Assessment With Marginalized Communities (TNAMC) using a mixed-methods approach that examines internal and…

In theory, purpose has implications for fostering good character, yet almost no research considers this proposition. This study examined character strengths in interviews with eight adolescent and young adult purpose exemplars and with informants who know them well. Most mentioned, general, typical, and variant strength occurrences were compared…

This brief summarizes the working paper, "Understanding Motivation: Building the Brain Architecture That Supports Learning, Health, and Community Participation," which explains the science behind motivation--the "wanting" system and the "liking" system--as well as how those systems develop, and how that development…

Talent development constitutes an important phenomenon of human development; yet it is rarely considered a mainstream topic in the field of child and adolescent development. Conversely, in the field of gifted and talented studies, various talent development (TD) models developed in the past have had minimal interaction with the literature on child…

Background: Advances in knowledge of how to promote positive youth development (PYD) have significant potential to enrich intervention science. As part of a broader movement in the direction of a more fully integrated intervention science, PYD intervention research can provide practitioners in youth behavioral and mental health with an updated set…

Background: Overall, youth well-being is crucial, particularly in developmental contexts, such as sub-Saharan Africa, which is experiencing the largest growth in the youth population internationally. The Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework considers the importance of positive experiences, positive relationships and positive environments…

This research explored what students and school staff in rural, low socioeconomic (SES) high schools perceive as factors that strengthen and inhibit the positive youth development (PYD) attributes of students' confidence, competence, character, connection, and compassion. A collective case study was conducted in four rural high schools, two in…

Cultural brokering refers to the process of youth (i.e., children, adolescents, and emerging adults) from immigrant families interpreting cultural norms for others. Cultural brokering is not an acontextual, individual, or passive experience but varies by context (e.g., situational demands), is interpersonal (e.g., involves the broker and a social…

Lifelong learning is essential for building inclusive, resilient and future-ready societies. Yet, rapid digitalisation and demographic shifts are changing how, when and why people learn throughout life. This report explores how countries and economies can strengthen individuals' agency as lifelong learners, supporting people to take an active role…

Despite ample research on empathy development, its social origins have been understudied, particularly in the context of peer relations. This two-wave study of Swedish adolescents (N = 318; M[subscript ageT1] = 16.28, SD = 0.49; 55% females) examined longitudinal associations between youth friendships and empathy. The results showed that…

This study was situated in the context of the University of California 4-H Positive Youth Development Program. A convenience sample of teen teachers (N = 11) represents variation in age (11-17), gender, ethnicity, and geographic location. All teens delivered the 4-H Mindful Me curriculum from the University of California 4-H Program. Qualitative…

The transition to secondary school can be a challenging period for adolescents. Although several questionnaires exist to measure transition-related concerns, there is a need to develop a comprehensive survey for assessing the knowledge and skills that adolescents require to adapt effectively to a new school. Thus, the purpose of this study was to…

Background: The positive youth development (PYD) framework orients developmental scholarship to focusing on youth's strengths rather than deficits, however, validity evidence on PYD measures among ethnic-minority youth is limited. Objectives: The objectives of the current study were to (a) examine the factor structure of a PYD measure within a…

Economic growth is dependent on well-skilled human capital. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes are paramount in provision of the requisite capabilities which encompass both academic and non-academic skills also known as whole youth development (WYD) skills. Youths leaving training institutions in Kenya experience…