Brian P. Leung, Ph.D.ProfessorSchool Psychology ProgramLoyola Marymount University

Building Blocks for Optimal Youth Development

Your kids and Your students…

…what goals do you have for them?…what type of adults do you want them

to grow up to become?

Fixation on negative factors

Psychology’s focus on pathology (i.e. cure or manage mental illness)

School’s focus on dealing with problems (i.e. behavioral & academic referrals)

Negative behavior gets attention

AFTER ALL THAT’S SAID AND DONE…THERE IS USUALLY MORE SAID THAN DONE!

When it comes to Promoting Positive Behaviors…

Hard to reach Positive Goals while focusing on Negative Behaviors

A beautiful garden cannot be developed from simply removing weeds, you must also plant!

Positive Psychology (the plants!)

“…the scientific study of ordinary human strengths and virtues…with an interest in finding out what works, what’s right, and what’s improving in people” (Sheldon & King, 2001, p.216)

“…the study of conditions and processes that contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning of people, groups, and institutions” (Gable & Haidt, 2005, p.105)

“The science of psychology…has revealed much about man’s shortcomings, his illnesses, his sins, but little about his potentialities, his virtues, his achievable aspirations, or his full psychological height” (Maslow, 1954, p. 354)

As cited in Furlong (2012)

Personal Assets matter!(a lot!)

So, what do we know?

Source: Power of Assets: http://www.search-institute.org/research/assets/assetpower

What are some of these assets?

CHKS: Resilience & Youth Development Module

External Assets

Family– Close, caring relationship with at least one parent or caretaker– Access to warm relationships and guidance from others (e.g.

extended family members) Community

– Access to and relationships with positive adult models in a variety of extra-familial contexts

– Opportunity to contribute School

– High expectations– Opportunity to succeed

CHKS: Resilience & Youth Development Module

Some additional Internal Assets

Good reasoning ability Language competence Positive temperament (easygoing disposition) Impulse control View of victimization as an event, not a life style

Are these Teachable?

Three of my favorite Assets

Hope Gratitude Optimism

Are these teachable?

Hope

HOPE is: A way of thinking about goals such that we see

ourselves as being able to find routes to our goals (called pathways thinking) and to motivate ourselves to use those routes (agency thinking).

(Snyder et al. 1991)

Gratitude

What is Gratitude? Talk to your neighbor

and share something that YOU are grateful for.

Think about how it makes you feel, how you respond, and how others may respond to you as a result.

Optimism

Optimism is defined as:

“As an individual difference variable that reflects the extent to which people hold generalized favorable expectancies for their future”.

(Carver et al., 2010)

A term you’re familiar with…“Wellness”

Internal and External Protective Factors

For children/youth:– Meeting “Needs” of youth to thrive– Modeling by adults

Needs of Youth (Love is not enough!)

A good list for parents to consider:Space, emotional and physicalRelationships, vertical and horizontalResponsibility/ Expectation/ AccountabilityTraditions/RitualsSecurityEducational opportunitiesRecreationValue and Beliefs (spiritual dimension) M. Levine, M.D.

The Three B’s for Optimal Survival

Being: identity, self-esteem, self-respect

Belonging: family, social system, accepted

Believing: value, spiritual

In order to see the fourth “B”: Beauty in life.M. Levine, M.D.

Modeling by adults…starting with YOU!

Nurture your vision of your career. Celebrate successes, no matter how small. Set goals and reflect on your practice. Discuss your beliefs, values and feelings with

others. Create a support network and listen to each

other’s stories. Take care of yourself.

In Closing…

A beautiful garden needs thoughtful planting. The more assets a youth has, the better outcomes

(and life satisfaction). An abundance of assets will mitigate against at-

risk factors! Assets can be intentionally developed and

taught…school-wide and small group. Use a tool to track your progress (e.g. CHKS-RYDSM

module)