The Five Cs of Positive Youth Development in a school context; gender and mediator effects

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the mediating effect of the Five Cs of Positive Youth Development (PYD) on the relationship between students’ perceived school empowerment and school satisfaction, as well as gender differences in these relationships. The data stemmed from a cross-sectional survey of 997 adolescents from four upper secondary schools in Norway. Structural equation modelling (SEM) using the statistical program AMOS was employed. Results showed that students’ perception of an empowering school climate predicted the Five Cs. However, only the competence, confidence, and connection factors predicted school satisfaction. Competence, confidence, and connection fully mediated the effect of school empowerment on school satisfaction. Based on significance tests according to gender, the Five Cs are more strongly related to school empowerment and school satisfaction for females than for males.