What Are the 40 Developmental Assets?

Support

• Family Support- Family life provides high levels of love and support.
• Positive family communication-Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek parent(s) advice and counsel.
• Other adult relationships- Young person receives support from three or more non-parent adults.
• Caring neighborhood- Young person experiences caring neighbors.
• Caring school climate- School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
• Parent involvement in schooling- Parent(s) are actively involved in helping a young person succeed in school.

Empowerment

• Community values youth-Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
• Youth as resources- Young people are given useful roles in the community.
• Service to others- Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
• Safety- Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.

Boundaries & Expectations

• Family boundaries- Family has clear rules and consequences, and monitors the young person's whereabouts.
• School boundaries- School provides clear rules and consequences.
• Neighborhood boundaries- Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young peoples behavior.
• Adult role models- Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
• Positive peer influence- Young person's best friends model responsible behavior.
• High expectations- Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.

Constructive Use of Time

• Creative activities- Young person spends three or more hours a week in lessons or practice in music, theatre, or other arts.
• Youth programs- Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs or organizations at school and/or in community organizations.
• Religious community- Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.
• Time at home- Young person is out with friends "with nothing special to do," two or fewer nights per week.

Committment to Learning

• Achievement motivation- Young person is motivated to do well in school.
• School engagement- Young person is actively engaged in learning.
• Homework- Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
• Bonding to school- Young person cares about her or his school.
• Reading for pleasure- Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.

Positive Values

• Caring- Young person places high value on helping other people.
• Equitable & social justice- Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
• Integrity- Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
• Honesty- Young person "tells the truth even when it is not easy."
• Responsibility- Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
• Restraint- Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or use alcohol or other drugs.

Social Competencies

• Planning & decision making- Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
• Interpersonal competence- Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
• Cultural competence- Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
• Resistance skills- Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
• Peaceful conflict resolution- Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.

Positive Identity

• Personal control- Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me."
• Self-esteem- Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
• Sense of purpose- Young person reports that "my life has purpose."
• Positive view of personal future- Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future.