Thesis advisor: Paul Poteat / Research examining the health of sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth has expanded recently from a focus on how social contexts are linked to health risk to ways they promote wellbeing. The positive youth development (PYD) framework has been increasingly used to conceptualize how various social contexts may promote SGM youth wellbeing, as well as help them engage in community-level change through contribution efforts. There is limited research examining how the family context may promote PYD outcomes and contribution for SGM youth, despite the setting’s association with positive development for heterosexual/cisgender youth. Furthermore, there is a paucity of literature contextualizing family support for SGM identities alongside other measures of family relationships.Parent-child attachment and family cohesion are two measures of family-child relationships that have historically been linked to positive development in youth. They have been linked to various markers of positive development in youth, including confidence, care for others, hope, and gratitude, which in turn may promote greater advocacy and community engagement. This study examined a structural model testing the role of several measures of family relationships in predicting PYD qualities and contribution behaviors for SGM youth. Among 270 SGM youth, structural equation modeling analyses tested the relationship between family relationships with SGM youth (parent-child attachment, family cohesion, and SGM-specific support) and PYD qualities (confidence, care for others, hope, and gratitude) as well as contribution behaviors (advocacy beliefs and community engagement), as mediated by PYD qualities over a six month period. Results indicated that each measure of family relationships was uniquely associated with various PYD qualities and contribution in participants. Furthermore, care for others acted as an indirect pathway through which parent-child attachment was associated with greater advocacy and community engagement for participants. These findings position families as having a role in promoting SGM youth wellbeing within the larger community and contextualize how various markers of family relationships promote select PYD qualities and behaviors. Future research should continue to investigate the longitudinal role of positive family relationships in SGM youth development and how a more nuanced understanding of these relationships may have clinical applications for practitioners and youth wellbeing. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

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Thriving youth have the capacity to contribute to greater society and develop independence, mastery, generosity, and a sense of belonging. This development is frequently enhanced through youth programming as ability expansion rather than capacity for authority and community engagement. In Virginia 4-H teen-leadership initiatives infused with positive youth development provide opportunities to bolster active and engaged citizenship (AEC). The purpose of this study was to explain AEC through the examination of ethical factors, demographics, and problem-solving disposition of youth participating in leadership-development programs. This study utilized both person- and variable-centered analyses to develop youth profiles and determine the impact of ethical factors, demographics, and problem-solving disposition on AEC for participants in long-term 4-H teen-leadership programs and short-term 4-H leadership trainings. An ex post facto survey design was used to develop clusters of youth and explain the relationship between problem-solving disposition, demographics, ethical factors, and AEC. The findings indicated that both ethical factors and problem-solving disposition significantly explained AEC for both treatments. Additionally, findings indicated significant differences between clusters for AEC, civic duty, and civic skills. These differences were predominately observed through membership in long-term or short-term leadership programs as well as enrollment in honors/AP courses, gender, ethical views, and problem-solving disposition. Findings informed the incorporation of community problem-solving in the youth's AEC model. A conceptual model for Youth in Community Problem Solving (YCPS) was developed based on theory and findings. Sociocultural theory and reasoned actioned approach, situated within relational developmental systems metatheory, provided a foundation for the YCPS model. Additional literature on positive youth development, youth-leadership development, self-consciousness, sense of community, and problem-solving disposition was utilized in support of the model. Evidence for the inclusion of problem-solving disposition in the model was found through a recent study with youth in leadership programs. If youth are to engage in YCPS partnerships, both youth and adults should be equipped with the necessary tools and resources for equal partnership, so they can overcome power dynamics and inner team conflicts. Additionally, Youth leadership practitioners should consider avenues for infusing character and problem-solving development in gender inclusive program curriculum to increase likelihood for contribution. / Ph. D. / Youth are often not viewed as resources for community development. However, when equipped with the right skills, youth are able to contribute meaningfully as citizens. In Virginia 4-H, there are a variety of programs, clubs, and trainings that focus on citizenship and leadership development. Youth leadership programs are often used to prepare youth as future, rather than current, leaders. Character and problem-solving skills are pathways for increasing citizenship and civic participation. This study sought to examine how character, problem-solving views, and demographics relate to civic engagement of youth. I surveyed 4-H youth participating in year-round teen-leadership programs and camp-counselor or weekend-long leadership trainings. I found that positive views related to character and problem solving influenced youth citizenship regardless of participation in a year-round or weekend-long leadership program. I also found females in year-round programs and youth enrolled in honors/AP courses were more likely to contribute and engage in their communities. These findings led to the development of a model for engaging youth in community problem solving. This model includes relationships, personal development, leadership development, character, and problem-solving views as important elements for preparing youth to engage with community leaders on community issues. Youth leadership practitioners and Extension agents should consider ways to include character and problem-solving education in teen-leadership programs in order to prepare youth for community engagement. Further, youth must be provided opportunities for reflection and mentorship in civic engagement and community problem solving. By equipping youth with the tools necessary to participate in their communities, we can increase the diversity of ideas and solutions to community-based problems

A 4-H impact evaluation study, conducted in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Utah, was replicated in the Nevada public schools. The purpose was to measure the impact of the 4-H experience on the lives of Nevada youth, and to provide impact data for accountability and improvement for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension 4- H Programs. The 1,492 respondents were; 47.6% male and 52.4% female; 34.6% 5th grade, 28.1% 7th grade, and 37.3% 9th grade; 63.1% urban and 36.9% rural; and 11.7% 4-H and 88.3% non 4-H youth. Eight youth development constructs were measured including; extracurricular activity involvement; school leadership positions held; close relationship with adults; caring for others; amount of negative behavior; personal identity; positive identity; and self-confidence, character and empowerment. ANOVA for constructs by independent variables, age groups gender, 4-H participation, and population density revealed that 4-H participation significantly contributed to the variance in extracurricular activity involvement (p = .000), school leadership positions held (p = .025), caring for others (p = .000), and self-confidence, character and empowerment (p = .004).

A 4-H impact evaluation study, conducted in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Utah, was replicated in the Nevada public schools. The purpose was to measure the impact of the 4-H experience on the lives of Nevada youth, and to provide impact data for accountability and improvement for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension 4- H Programs. The 1,492 respondents were; 47.6% male and 52.4% female; 34.6% 5th grade, 28.1% 7th grade, and 37.3% 9th grade; 63.1% urban and 36.9% rural; and 11.7% 4-H and 88.3% non 4-H youth. Eight youth development constructs were measured including; extracurricular activity involvement; school leadership positions held; close relationship with adults; caring for others; amount of negative behavior; personal identity; positive identity; and self-confidence, character and empowerment. ANOVA for constructs by independent variables, age groups gender, 4-H participation, and population density revealed that 4-H participation significantly contributed to the variance in extracurricular activity involvement (p = .000), school leadership positions held (p = .025), caring for others (p = .000), and self-confidence, character and empowerment (p = .004).

This thesis explores the impacts of afterschool programs on youths’ feelings of inclusion and exclusion in small communities. A case study of the Fusion Youth Activity and Technology Centre in Ingersoll, Ontario was conducted to learn from youth about their experiences growing up, about the challenges they faced and the benefits they gained from participating in Fusion’s programs. This project focused on the youths’ perspectives, and employed various task-centered activities such as visualization and narrative techniques to engage youth and gather data. It also highlighted different tensions between youth and the community and how youth navigate these tensions while growing up. The study found that the space, staff and programs offered by the Fusion Youth Centre do change youths’ feelings of inclusion and exclusion in Ingersoll. However, there remains work to be done to change the systems of exclusions that make youth feel disconnected from their community.

Character education assumes responsibility for influencing and educating youth on morals, values, beliefs and positive character attributes in order to influence them into being positive and contributing members of society. Character education is most often taught in the home, schools and community. One community organization that integrates character education into its programming is 4-H Youth Development. The purpose of this research is to view the relationships between character education and 4-H, and more so whether Kentucky 4-H programs influence the knowledge, attitudes and practices of positive character among youth leaders. This study also looked at length of 4-H involvement and gender in order to determine influence. It was found that Kentucky 4-H programs do influence positive character among youth leaders, as youth indicated that they had gained character knowledge from 4-H involvement, as well as the program had made them a better person. It was also found that the gender of youth or their length of involvement in 4-H programs does not affect the character knowledge, attitudes and practices gained from involvement. The author recommends using these positive findings to continue to expand Kentucky programs and recruit adults and youth.

Despite the growing number of organizations that classify themselves as youth development organizations in the country, we know very little about them, particularly as hosts of positive youth development (PYD) programming (Roholt, Baizerman, Rana & Korum, 2013). Absent from the literature is an understanding of how youth development organizations are responding to environmental shifts that have occurred over the past 20 years as the PYD movement has gained ground and legitimacy. Out of this movement has emerged an asset-based framework for working with young people. This framework is starkly different from the traditional view of youth, which historically has treated this age group as deficient and as passive recipients of services. PYD, on the other hand, sees youth as active contributors to society. PYD’s focus is on helping youth gain the skills and competencies necessary to transition successfully into adulthood. This study explored how PYD is influencing the work of community based youth development organizations. In addition, this study looked at how institutional pressures are influencing the way organizations are responding to PYD. The following research questions grounded the study: 1) How is PYD influencing community-based youth development organizations? 2) Are community-based youth development organizations responding similarly to the PYD logic? 3) How are isomorphic pressures influencing the adoption of PYD in community-based youth development organizations? 4) What is the relationship between the isomorphic pressures organizations face and the degree to which PYD strategies are implemented in daily practice? This study used a qualitative multiple case study method to examine three community-based youth organizations in a northeastern city of the United States. This study yielded three main findings: 1) PYD is influencing the work of community-based youth organizations; 2) implementation of PYD varies across organizations; and 3) institutional pressures explain some, but not entirely how PYD is being adopted in community-based youth development organizations. The findings from this study provide important insights on how PYD is influencing community-based organizations by describing how organizations are translating PYD into practice and how this relates to institutional pressures faced by these organizations.