Exploring youth development with diverse children: Correlates of risk, health, and thriving behaviors

Abstract

PURPOSE. This study explored the relationships between internal and external assets, risk behaviors, health behaviors, and thriving behaviors in diverse children. DESIGN AND METHODS. The strength of relationships existing between measures, differences between group means based on gender, grades earned, and school, and confidence interval (p ≤.05) were tested in a sample of 61 urban sixth graders. RESULTS. Few assets were related to substance use. Assets were related to delinquency acts, health behaviors, and thriving indicators. Group differences between schools and gender and the total number of assets were noted. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Supporting assets are important to consider when nurses perform assessments and design interventions to support youths in their maturation processes. © (2008), The Authors.