1-094 - Focus on the Positives: Examining Positive Developmental Outcomes Within At-Risk Populations

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Adverse experiences in childhood and adolescence carry important consequences for later outcomes. Large bodies of theoretical and empirical research have identified the ways in which early challenges (e.g., maltreatment, family poverty, justice-system contact) relate to crime, academic underachievement and strained social relationships. Our knowledge of the traits, abilities, experiences and contexts that promote positive development among at-risk populations remains limited.

The present symposium considers positive developmental outcomes among diverse groups of children and adolescents, all of whom have experienced adversity. Paper 1 applies a multi-method, multi-informant research design to test whether the ability to reframe stressors and maintain a positive outlook protects youth from the consequences of adverse parenting, by buffering physiological responses to stress. Paper 2 uses a comprehensive longitudinal dataset that follows inner-city youth residing in high-crime, high-poverty communities. The author explores the individual-level and contextual predictors of successful development in academic, behavioral and social domains. Papers 3 and 4 consider the development of psychological well-being among a sample of justice-involved adolescents. Paper 3 models changes in well-being in the years following an adolescent’s first arrest, and considers whether continued justice system intervention (re-arrests, probation status, police contact) promotes or hinders positive development. Paper 4 builds on this topic, and examines whether normative and risky sexual experiences relate to indicators of well-being, and whether romantic relationship status moderates this association. Together, these studies inform our understanding of factors that promote successful development among youth experiencing varied forms of adversity, and provide feasible targets for future interventions.

Sub Unit

• Health, Growth, Injury

Chair

• Alissa Knowles, University of California, Irvine

Individual Presentations

• Adverse Parenting, HRV Reactivity, and Decision Making: The Moderating Role of Shift and Persist Traits - Presenting Author: Erinn B. Duprey, University of Georgia; Non-Presenting Author: Sihong Liu, University of Georgia; Non-Presenting Author: Zehua Cui, University of Georgia; Non-Presenting Author: Landry Goodgame, University of Georgia; Non-Presenting Author: Assaf Oshri, University of Georgia

• Pathways to Positive Development of Inner-City Youth - Presenting Author: Patrick H. Tolan, University of Virginia; Youth-Nex Center to Promote Effective Youth Development

• The Impact of Justice System Involvement on Adolescent Well-Being - Presenting Author: Cortney Simmons, University of California, Irvine; Non-Presenting Author: Alissa Knowles, University of California, Irvine; Non-Presenting Author: Natasha Duell, UNC Chapel Hill; Non-Presenting Author: Adam Fine, Arizona State University; Non-Presenting Author: Laurence D. Steinberg, Temple University; Non-Presenting Author: Paul J. Frick, Louisiana State University and Australian Catholic University; Non-Presenting Author: Elizabeth Cauffman, University of California, Irvine

• Sexual Behavior Among Justice-Involved Youth: Links to Positive Youth Development - Presenting Author: Alissa Knowles, University of California, Irvine; Non-Presenting Author: Paul J. Frick, Louisiana State University and Australian Catholic University; Non-Presenting Author: Laurence D. Steinberg, Temple University; Non-Presenting Author: Elizabeth Cauffman, University of California, Irvine