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40 Developmental Assets

Copyright © 1997, 2007 by Search Institute. All rights reserved.
For more information on the Developmental Assets, go to Search Institute.

  1. Family Support | Family life provides high levels of love and support.
  2. Positive Family Communication | Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents.
  3. Other Adult Relationships | Young person receives support from three or more non-parent adults.
  4. Caring Neighborhood | Young person experiences caring neighbors.
  5. Caring School Climate | School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
  6. Parent Involvement in Schooling | Parent(s) are actively involved in helping the child succeed in school
  7. Community Values Youth | Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
  8. Youth as Resources | Young people are given useful roles in the community.
  9. Service to Others | Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
  10. Safety | Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
  11. Family Boundaries | Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young persons whereabouts.
  12. School Boundaries | School provides clear rules and consequences.
  13. Neighborhood Boundaries | Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.
  14. Adult Role Models | Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
  15. Positive Peer Influence | Young person’s best friends model responsible behavior.
  16. High Expectations | Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
  17. Creative Activities | Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
  18. Youth Programs | Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in community organizations.
  19. Religious Community | Young person spends one hour or more per week in activities in a religious institution.
  20. Time at Home | Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.
  21. Achievement Motivation | Young person is motivated to do well in school.
  22. School Engagement | Young person is actively engaged in learning.
  23. Homework | Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
  24. Bonding to School | Young person cares about her or his school.
  25. Reading for Pleasure | Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
  26. Caring | Young Person places high value on helping other people.
  27. Equality and Social Justice | Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
  28. Integrity | Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
  29. Honesty | Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”
  30. Responsibility | Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
  31. Restraint | Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.
  32. Planning and Decision Making | Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
  33. Interpersonal Competence | Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
  34. Cultural Competence | Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
  35. Resistance Skills | Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
  36. Peaceful Conflict Resolution | Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
  37. Personal Power | Young person feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me.”
  38. Self-Esteem | Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
  39. Sense of Purpose | Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”
  40. Positive View of Personal Future | Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future.