TAKING THE PLUNGE - AN EXAMINATION OF POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Most research on adolescent development focuses on specific problem behaviors, whereas few studies examine the avoidance of multiple forms of risk taking or the determinants of positive development. This article develops two measures designed to address this lack: (a) a ''Missteps Scale'' in which multiple forms of risk taking are assessed through the adolescent years, and (b) a ''Positive Well-Being index'' that includes multiple measures of positive development, ranging from satisfaction with life to community involvement. Demographic, family school, and neighborhood characteristics were included in multivariate models estimated on the National Survey of Children. Results indicate that youth who experience fewer family disruptions, who are closer with their parents, whose parents are better educated, and who had fewer behavior problems in elementary school were at lower risk of a misstep and enjoyed greater well-being net of other variables; whereas children in high-poverty neighborhoods experienced lower well-being and higher misstep hazards. Black youth scored higher on the well-being scale because of their greater religiosity and concern for correcting social inequalities.