Work

Positive Youth Development Among Diverse Racial–Ethnic Children: Quality Afterschool Contexts as Developmental Assets

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: Positive youth development (PYD) deserves more empirical attention, particularly among children of diverse racial–ethnic backgrounds. Given the need among families for monitoring and supervision during out-of-school time, community-based afterschool is a potentially promotive ecological setting. This study explores the quality of afterschool experiences upon PYD. This multimethod study includes over 500 elementary school children in Grades 2–5 (Mage = 8.80, SD = 1.12). The sample comprises of 49% White, 27% African American, 7% Latino, and 17% mixed race/others with 45% free/reduced lunch eligible children. In multilevel models, independently observed quality across time positively impacted competence, connection, caring for all youth, and cultural values for racial–ethnic minority youth. Afterschool fosters PYD, including sociocultural dimensions, when comprised of appropriately structured, supportive, and engaging interactions. The title for this Special Section is Positive Youth Development in Diverse and Global Contexts, edited by Emilie Phillips Smith, Anne C. Petersen, and Patrick Leman

Source: Child Development

DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12870

Authors: Emilie Phillips Smith, Dawn P Witherspoon, D Wayne Osgood

Institutions: University of Georgia, Pennsylvania State University

Language: English

Topic: Youth Development and Social Support

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Wallace Foundation, William T. Grant Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse