UC Santa Barbara

The current study examined the association between quantity, variety, and configuration of developmental assets with risk behaviors (tobacco and alcohol use) and developing emotional problems (depressive feelings and suicidal thoughts). A sample of 12,040 high school students completed surveys investigating youth health and risk behaviors, and developmental assets. Independent one-step logistic regression analyses showed that adolescents reporting a higher quantity of assets, and possessing them in multiple domains, tended to have a lower likelihood of experiencing behavioral and emotional problems. The negative association between developmental assets and negative outcomes was more consistent when quantity and variety were taken into account simultaneously, thus supporting the configuration protective model. A sufficient amount of strengths, in an adequate number of different domains, seems to provide the strongest protection against negative developmental outcomes. The research and clinical implications of findings are discussed.