Seeking and Finding Positive Youth Development Among Zulu Youth in South African Townships

A cross-sectional study explored the presence and power of developmental assets in a sample of youth from rural South African townships. Learners (female=58%; M-age=17.1; N=505) attending three township high schools completed self-report measures of developmental assets and thriving outcomes. Participants reported contextual assets (e.g., family, school, community) in the vulnerable ranges, with gender, family structure, and school type accounting for some differences. Correlation and regression analyses revealed that five asset contexts (family, school, community, personal, social) were uniquely predictive of thriving outcomes. Discussion focuses on contextual expressions of positive youth development among Zulu township youth in challenging environments. The title for this Special Section is Positive Youth Development in Diverse and Global Contexts, edited by Emilie Phillips Smith, Anne C. Petersen, and Patrick Leman