Poster #122 - Developmental Change in Character Strengths across Childhood and Adolescence and in School Contexts

• In Event: 3-003 - Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Section - Moral Development

Integrative Statement

Future orientation, teamwork, and perseverance are three character strengths that enable youth to simultaneously contribute positively to themselves, others, and their contexts. Notably absent from scholarship on these character strengths is an understanding of developmental change across childhood and adolescence. The first aim of this study was to examine the normative developmental trajectories of character strengths across childhood and adolescence. Given the importance of identifying factors that promote character strengths across time, the second aim of the study was to examine how associations between school experiences and socialization practices and character strengths might change as the developmental needs and capacities of youth change across time.
Using a cohort sequential longitudinal design, a socioeconomically and ethnically diverse sample of 4,402 youth in grades 4-12 were assessed at 4 time points, each approximately 1 year apart. The temporally overlapping design allowed a common developmental trajectory from grades 4 to 12 to be identified (McArdle & Anderson, 1990). Separate linear and quadratic latent growth curve models (LGCM) were estimated for each strength; grade at time 1 was included as a covariate to account for cohort effects.
Parameter estimates for each LGCM are shown in Table 1 and a visual representation of each growth trajectory is presented in Figure 1. For future orientation, a linear model provided the best fit to the data (2(39) = 74.74, p < .001, CFI = .96, RMSEA = .01). Older youth started higher than younger youth in 9th grade future orientation, but all cohorts showed non-significant change over time in future orientation, on average (see Figure 2A). For teamwork, a quadratic model provided the best fit to the data (2(37) = 103.59, p < .001, CFI = .94, RMSEA = .02). Older youth started higher than younger youth in 9th grade teamwork and showed less of a U-shaped trend than younger cohorts over time in teamwork, on average (see Figure 2A). For perseverance, a linear model provided the best fit to the data (2(39) = 62.56, p < .01, CFI = .97, RMSEA = .01). Older youth started higher than younger youth in 9th grade perseverance, but all cohorts showed non-significant change over time in perseverance, on average (see Figure 2A). Next, ecological assets were examined as time-varying predictors of character strength trajectories. All four ecological assets positively predicted within-person change in character strengths (See Table 1). Teacher support and high quality extracurricular activities showed the largest effect sizes across all three character strengths while school climate and community service indicated smaller but significant effects.
The current study contributes to developmental theory by providing a more comprehensive understanding of age-related change in character strengths and the factors that promote character development among youth. Findings provide a comprehensive view of age-related change in character strengths across childhood and adolescence, suggesting that character development is likely strength-specific and marked by different patterns of change at different ages. Finding multiple associations between changes in character strengths and changes in school ecological assets offers clear implications for practices aimed at promoting character development.

Authors

• Jennifer Shubert, University of Rochester
  Presenting Author

• Laura Wray-Lake, University of California, Los Angeles
  Non-Presenting Author