The Role of Empowerment in Youth Development: A Study of Sociopolitical Control as Mediator of Ecological Systems' Influence on Developmental Outcomes

Autor/inn/en	Christens, Brian D.; Peterson, N. Andrew
Titel	The Role of Empowerment in Youth Development: A Study of Sociopolitical Control as Mediator of Ecological Systems' Influence on Developmental Outcomes
Quelle	In: Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41 (2012) 5, S.623-635 (13 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0047-2891
DOI	10.1007/s10964-011-9724-9
Schlagwörter	Empowerment; Risk; Adolescent Development; Adolescents; Path Analysis; Individual Development; Role; High School Students; Social Support Groups; Family Relationship; Prediction; Self Esteem; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Violence; Substance Abuse + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Risiko; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Pfadanalyse; Individuelle Entwicklung; Rollen; High school; High schools; Student; Students; Oberschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Social support; Soziale Unterstützung; Vorhersage; Self-esteem; Selbstaufmerksamkeit; Psychiatrische Symptomatik; Gewalt; Drug use; Drug consomption; Drogenkonsum
Abstract	Empowerment has become an influential concept and theoretical framework for social policy and practice. Still, relatively little is known about the roles that empowerment plays in the ecology of human development, particularly among young people. This article reports results of a study of psychological empowerment among young people, using data from 629 high school students (65.8% female; 96.5% non-white). Using a path analysis, we examined the role of perceived sociopolitical control--an indicator of the intrapersonal component of psychological empowerment--as a mediator between ecological support systems and developmental outcomes. Findings confirmed that social support in family, peer, and school settings, and family cohesion positively predict self-esteem and perceived school importance, which, in turn, have protective effects on psychological symptoms, violent behaviors and substance use. Sociopolitical control was found to mediate the relationships between ecological supports and risk factors and developmental outcomes, leading to the conclusion that perceived efficacy in the sociopolitical domain, and youth empowerment, more generally, should be considered as core elements of the ecology of human development. Policy and practice aimed at promoting positive developmental outcomes and preventing risk behaviors should take their relationship to sociopolitical control into account. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10