Developmental Assets framework revisited: Confirmatory analysis and invariance testing to create a new generation of assets measures for applied research

Abstract

Over five million young people have taken surveys, based on the Developmental Assets framework, aimed at understanding the internal strengths and external supports they have in their lives. These data have been effectively used to mobilize schools and community coalitions around the world to integrate a positive youth development lens into their applied work. The purpose of this article is to subject these asset measures to rigorous confirmatory factor analysis and multiple group measurement invariance testing, and share them for broader use. The analyses yielded measures of eight asset categories (and 18 individual assets) that are robust and parsimonious. Substantial evidence emerged for the measurement invariance of these new assets measures across grades, gender identity, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and parent education diversities. With the addition of these measures, applied developmental researchers and practitioners now have a more comprehensive and empirically robust measurement toolkit for studying and enhancing youth and their contexts in order to promote positive youth development.

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to all of the young people who participated in this study, and the community champions who collected and are using this data to improve the lives of young people. We thank Stephen T. Russell who provided feedback on an earlier version of this manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by SRG-1-146-14 from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Support for this project was also provided by a Loan Repayment Award by the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (L60 MD008862; Toomey).

Notes

1 Available from the authors.