Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


miami1218840610.pdf (3.04 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Developmental Assets in Urban Youths’ Mentoring Networks: Relationships with Important Adults

McLaughlin, Marc D.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1218840610

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Psychology.
This research involved the school-based, internet-administered assessment of external developmental assets among 197 urban ninth-grade students. Through a generalized survey and a series of daily-log surveys, students reported on the growth-enhancing resources and experiences – i.e., “external” assets – provided to them by the six “most important” adults in their lives. Four research questions were addressed: (1) Who are the important adults in urban early adolescents’ lives? (2) Do different types of adults provide assets differently? (3) What is the connection between external assets and youth outcomes? (4) What is the usefulness of this type of methodology and is it feasible? In regard to Question 1, youth nominated important adults who occupied a wide variety of relational roles, parents and other kin were prominently nominated as important adults, and most of the important adults in the six-adult networks were non-residential figures. Whereas girls were more likely to nominate important adults of their own gender, boys’ important adults were about equally likely to be female as male. In regard to Questions 2 and 4, analyses revealed substantial differences in both the patterns and intensity of asset provision between residential adults and non-residential adults. Also, biological/adoptive mothers differed from biological/adoptive fathers in the intensity and outcome-predictive potency of asset provision. Question 3 was addressed with analyses of the depth of asset provision by adults in the mentoring networks. Results of these analyses suggested that for a variety of assets the depth of provision significantly predicted youth outcomes. Questions 2 and 3 also were addressed with regression analyses on asset-factor scores, and results indicated that certain asset-factors combined to predict outcomes in multivariate models. In regard to Question 4, there was a trend for daily-log-based measures of asset-provision to predict outcomes better than generalized-survey-based measures, but differentials rarely were statistically significant. Findings also suggested that the methodology could be useful in developing normative daily-dosage correlates of the provision levels indicated on generalized-survey assessments, but that these correlates would be more accurately produced for residential, as opposed to non-residential, important adults. It was concluded that the methodology, overall, may be a useful and feasible approach for future, school-based applied asset research, given sufficient infrastructure for management and analysis of the data. Recommendations are made for further development of the method, and implications are discussed for applied research in schools and communities.
Carl E. Paternite, PhD (Committee Chair)
Karen M. Schilling, PhD (Committee Member)
Paul D. Flaspohler, PhD (Committee Member)
Patricia K. Kerig, PhD (Committee Member)
Rose M. Ward, PhD (Committee Member)
Keith J. Zullig, PhD (Committee Member)
216 p.
Behaviorial Sciences; Gender; Personal Relationships; Psychology; School Administration; Social Work
developmental assets; external assets; adjustment; early adolescence; urban, African American youth; important adults; non-related adults; parent figures; kinship networks; social networks; support systems; mentoring/mentors; protective factors

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • McLaughlin, M. D. (2008). Developmental Assets in Urban Youths’ Mentoring Networks: Relationships with Important Adults [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1218840610

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • McLaughlin, Marc. Developmental Assets in Urban Youths’ Mentoring Networks: Relationships with Important Adults. 2008. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1218840610.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • McLaughlin, Marc. "Developmental Assets in Urban Youths’ Mentoring Networks: Relationships with Important Adults." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1218840610

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami1218840610
685
© 2008, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.