Developmental Assets and Resilient Outcomes
By Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, Dr. Robert Flynn and Robyn Marquis

Since 1958, the Search Institute has been investigating the best ways to promote positive development in young people. Their research has intended to incorporate the best lessons from the fields of prevention, risk reduction and resilience (Scales, 1999). The Search Institute has identified 40 Developmental Assets¹, or strengths, that contribute to positive development and outcomes. There are 20 external assets, divided into four categories (support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations and constructive use of time), and 20 internal assets, also divided into four categories (commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies and positive identity). External assets, working together with internal assets, promote protection and resilience.

Asset development is relevant for all young people, not only those at risk for negative outcomes. The developmental assets framework supports relationships, mobilizes formal and informal community networks, and engages youth in opportunities for positive development. It is strengths-based and focuses on nurturing the resources within the young person and his or her environment.

Why is asset-building important for children and youth in care?

Children and youth who have entered the child welfare system have often experienced significant adversity in the form of neglect, extreme poverty, parental substance abuse, domestic violence, abandonment or emotional, physical or sexual abuse. These negative experiences increase the young people’s risk of maladaptive behaviour, depression, mental health problems and lower educational performance, dramatically affecting development and limiting opportunities for future success. Masten’s (2006) research suggests that cumulative protection can counteract the effects of cumulative risk. Protective factors within the environment and the individual enable positive adaptation and functioning in the context of risk. Such protective factors can be found within the developmental assets framework.

Since young people living in out-of-home care have already experienced considerable disadvantage in terms of healthy development, it is especially important to provide them with as many opportunities as possible to develop positive functioning and resilient characteristics. Such capabilities can assist them in dealing with the day-to-day aspects of their lives and help them to develop into healthy adults.

What does the research say about asset-building and resilient outcomes?

Considerable research exists linking developmental assets with positive outcomes in children and youth (Scales, Benson, Leffert and Blyth, 2000). Young people with greater numbers of developmental assets are less likely to engage in risk-taking activities, such as the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, or early sexual activity. Scales (1999, p. 118) states that “the more vulnerable youth are, the more they seem to benefit from the protective impact of developmental assets.” Having more assets increases overall positive outcomes in terms of academic performance, physical and mental health, increased self-esteem and self-efficacy, better problem-solving skills and decision-making, having a sense of purpose, having more hope and optimism about the future, having better resistance skills in coping with negative peer influences and more prosocial behaviour.

Nurturing and providing opportunities for young people to acquire assets are important in the development of adolescent mental and physical heath and overall well being. The neighbourhoods where children and youth reside should take an interest in young people, engage them in positive ways, promote safe ways for them to explore their talents, interests and values, and provide opportunities for them to have a positive impact in their communities.

What was the purpose of this study?

This study explored the relationship between developmental assets and positive outcomes in at-risk children and youth involved in the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) project. We hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between the number of developmental assets that the young person possessed and his or her level of prosocial behaviour, academic performance and mental health.

What is the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) project?

Utilizing the Second Canadian Adaptation of the Assessment and Action Record (AAR-C2; Flynn, Ghazal and Legault, 2006), OnLAC annually reviews the progress of children and youth in out-of-home care in seven developmental dimensions: health, education, identity, family and social relationships, social presentation, emotional and behavioural development and self-care skills. The AAR-C2 contains child-focused, age-appropriate interactive questions, designed to encourage children and youth to engage in conversations with their caregivers and child welfare workers. Such conversations enable child welfare workers and caregivers to identify individual needs, monitor development and support positive outcomes. OnLAC, a component of the Ontario Practice Model,² is strengths-based, supported by resilience research, and outcome focused. It seeks to improve the quality of out-of-home care by incorporating good parenting and building on children’s strengths.

Who were our participants?

A sample of 713 participants, aged 10 to 17 years, was drawn from year five (2005-2006) of the OnLAC longitudinal project. The participants’ mean age was 14 years. Fifty-six percent were male, 44% female.  Eighty-five percent resided in foster homes (including kinship care), and 15% lived in group home care. Eighty-seven percent were Crown Wards of their local Children’s Aid Societies. Their mean age when first placed into care was eight years.

What did we do?

Data had been collected on all of the 713 participants using the AAR-C2. All of the measures utilized were taken from the AAR-C2. These included: (1) a summary profile of 40 assets (adapted from the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets), rated by the child welfare worker; (2) the Prosocial and Total Difficulties scores from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, 1997) and (3) academic performance, all rated by the caregiver;  (4) self-esteem, (5) relationship with the female caregiver and (6) placement satisfaction, all rated by the young person.

The measure of developmental assets was calculated as follows. For each of the 40 assets, the child welfare worker was asked to rate the young person’s possession of the asset in terms of three response options: “yes”, “uncertain” or “no”. A total score was computed for the young person by summing all the “yes” responses.

What were the study findings?³

The number of assets possessed by the young people ranged from 5 to 40. One percent had 5 to 10 assets, 18% had 11 to 20, 42% had 21 to 30, and 38% had 31 to 40. ⁴  The mean assets for the total sample (N = 713) was 27.  Females had a greater number of assets, on average (29), than did males (26).

We found statistically significant positive correlations between the young person’s number of assets and his or her prosocial behaviour, self-esteem, relationship with the female caregiver, placement satisfaction, and academic performance. That is, the more developmental assets the young person possessed, the more positive were his or her outcomes. We also found a statistically significant negative correlation between developmental assets and psychological difficulties, such that young people with a greater number of developmental assets had fewer psychological difficulties.  Overall, our results suggest that, as in the general population, the possession of a larger number of  developmental assets is beneficial for young people in care.

What can be done to promote resilient outcomes for children and youth in out-of-home care?

Caregivers and professionals in child welfare can provide many opportunities to promote resilience in young people in out-of-home care. Masten’s (2006) research indicates that a positive relationship with a caring and competent adult is the strongest protective factor in promoting resilience and buffering the negative effects of risk, especially for young children. This relationship can come, ideally, from a caregiver, but can also be developed with the child welfare worker, a biological family member, a teacher, or any other caring, prosocial member of the community. Professionals working within the child welfare system can assist young people in developing supportive social networks to foster positive and nurturing relationships with adults and peers, and encourage positive self-esteem and identity. They can also make available resources to support academic performance and opportunities for young people to participate in extracurricular activities and to volunteer in the community. Completing the summary profile of assets for young people in their care, as part of the AAR-C2, is an excellent opportunity for professionals to examine which assets the young people already possess and which ones could be developed during the next year. The latter could be included as specific targets in the plan of care.

Conclusion

Despite the adversity faced by the young people in care, they still had many assets.  The study results have many implications for practice within the child welfare system. If service interventions can build on the strengths of young people while also striving to reduce risks, and incorporate the acquisition of specific developmental assets into plans of care, young people in out-of-home care can attain more positive outcomes in physical and mental health, academic performance, and overall well being, all indicators of greater resilience.

¹ Information on the 40 Developmental Assets is available through the Search Institute website. Available online at: http://www.search-institute.org
² The Ontario Practice Model includes: Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE), Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (PRIDE), and the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) project.
³ Additional information on the study results can be obtained by contacting Cynthia Vincent at cvincent@uottawa.ca.
⁴ Percentages do not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Authors’ Note

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies and the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Special thanks are also due to the participants in the OnLAC project:  young people, child welfare workers, foster parents, group home staff, and local Children’s Aid Societies.

About the Authors

Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, Dr. Robert Flynn and Robyn Marquis are members of the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) Research Team at the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services, University of Ottawa

References

Flynn, R. J., Ghazal, H.,  Legault, L. (2006). Looking After Children: Good parenting, good outcomes, Assessment and Action Records. (Second Canadian adaptation, AAR-C2). Ottawa, ON, and London, UK: Centre for Research on Community Services, University of Ottawa and Her Majesty’s Stationary Office (HMSO).

Goodman, R. (1997). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 581-586.

Masten, A. S. (2006). Promoting resilience in development: A general framework for systems of care. In R. J. Flynn, P. M.

Dudding and J. G. Barber (Eds.), Promoting resilience in child welfare (pp. 3-17). Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press.

Scales, P. C. (1999). Reducing risks and building developmental assets: Essential actions for promoting adolescent health. Journal of School Health. 69, 113-119.

Scales, P. C., Benson, P. L., Leffert, N., and Blyth, D. A. (2000). Contribution of developmental assets to the prediction of thriving among adolescents. Applied Developmental Science. 4, (1), 27-46.

Search Institute website. Available online at:  http://www.search-institute.org

Next article: Research Update: 2008 Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect