Promotive and Risk Factors for Positive Youth Development Among Emerging Adults in Brazil

BackgroundThe dynamics between risk and promotive factors within ecological contexts of development in emerging adulthood may influence the self-concepts and involvement in problem behaviors of young individuals.ObjectiveTo investigate associations of risk (exposure to domestic and community violence; prejudice) and promotive factors (family, college, and community connectedness) with self-concepts (self-esteem, self-efficacy) and problem behaviors (licit drug use, sex risk behavior, and antisocial behavior).MethodsA total of 547 socioeconomically diverse emerging adults from a Brazilian urban context (64% female) aged 18-29years filled in the Brazilian Youth Questionnaire (Dell'Aglio et al. 2011) as part of a national investigation developed by the group Youth and Resilience of the National Association of Post-Graduation in Psychology.ResultsStructural equation modeling analysis indicated that family connectedness was associated with increased self-esteem, and college connectedness with self-esteem and self-efficacy, whereas community connectedness was associated with decreased levels of antisocial behavior.ConclusionA combination of programs and policies that engage schools, families and communities are the most promising to yield long-term beneficial effects in interventions towards positive development of emerging adults in Brazil.