Positive Youth Development Programmes for Adolescents in the educational context: systematic review

Programmes from the Positive Youth Development approach favour integral development, promoting positive behaviours and reducing the probability of risky behaviours. But what are the characteristics of these programmes implemented in schools and what is their relationship with school adjustment? To answer this question, a systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 protocol. After searching the WoS, Scopus, ERIC, PsycINFO and PubMed databases and selecting the articles according to the inclusion criteria (1st Positive Youth Development programmes, 2nd targeted at adolescents, 3rd implemented in schools, 4th evaluated), the main findings of 15 articles (between 2008-2020) are presented. It has been found that Positive Youth Development programmes applied in the educational context are in line with the theoretical approach. The most widespread model being the 5Cs. Despite being well-founded, not all of them consider relevant aspects for schools to become positive environments (involving the whole educational community or guaranteeing loyalty to the programme). In the standards of evidence, most of them show shortcomings in reporting on the implementation process. In conclusion, it is relevant to consider the results of this review to design, implement and evaluate Positive Youth Development programmes that promote school continuity in schools.