40 Developmental Assets

Search Institute has identified the following building blocks of healthy development that help young people grow up healthy, caring and responsible. Percentages of young people who experience each asset represent almost 100,000 6th- to 12th- grade youth surveyed in 213 towns and cities in the United States.

40 Developmental ASSETS
Asset Type
Asset Name
Definition
Percentage
SUPPORT
1. Family support
Family life provides high levels of love and support.
64%
 
2. Positive family communication
Young person and her/his parent(s) communicate positively and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parent(s).
26%
 
3. Other adult relationships
Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults.
41%
 
4. Caring neighborhood
Young person experiences caring neighbors.
40%
 
5. Caring school climate
School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
24%
 
6. Parent involvement in schooling
Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.
29%
EMPOWERMENT
7. Community values youth
Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
20%
 
8. Youth as resources
Young people are given useful roles in the community.
24%
 
9. Service to others
Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
50%
10. Safety
Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood.
55%
BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS
11. Family boundaries
Family has clear rules and consequences, and monitors the young person's whereabouts.
43%
12. School boundaries
School provides clear rules and consequences.
46%
13. Neighborhood boundaries
Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people's behavior.
46%
14. Adult role models
Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
27%
15. Positive peer influence
Young person's best friends model responsible behavior.
60%
16. High expectations
Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
41%
CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME
17. Creative activities
Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
19%
18. Youth programs
Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.
59%
19. Religious community
Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution .
64%
20. Time at home
Young person is out with friends "with nothing special to do" two or fewer nights per week.
50%
COMMITMENT TO LEARNING
21. Achievement motivation
Young person is motivated to do well in school.
63%
22. School engagement
Young person is actively engaged in learning.
64%
23. Homework
young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day .
45%
24. Bonding to school
Young person cares about his or her school.
51%
25. Reading for pleasure
Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
24%
POSITIVE VALUES
26. Caring
Young person places high value on helping other people.
43%
27. Equality and social justice
young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
45%
28. Integrity
Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her/his beliefs.
63%
29. Honesty
Young person "tells the truth even when it is not easy".
63%
30. Responsibility
Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
60%
31. Restraint
Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.
42%
SOCIAL COMPETENCIES
32. Planning and decision making
Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
29%
33. Interpersonal competence
Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
43%
34. Cultural competence
Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
35%
35. Resistance skills
Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
37%
36. Peaceful conflict resolution
Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
44%
POSITIVE IDENTITY
37. Personal power
Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me."
45%
38. Self-esteem
Young person reports having high self-esteem.
47%
39. Sense of purpose
Young person reports that "my life has a purpose."
55%
40. Positive view of personal future
Young person is optimistic about his/her personal future.
70%

Permission to reproduce this chart is granted for educational, noncommercial purposes only. Copyrighted 1997 by Search Institute, 700 S Third Street, Suite 210, Minneapolis, MN 55415. For information on asset building and Search Institute's national Healthy Communities - Healthy Youth initiative, call 1-800-888-7828