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40 Developmental Assets
Building blocks that help young childrengrow up healthy, caring and
responsible.
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Where does the 40 Developmental
Assets framework come from?
Search Institute, located in Minnesota, hasbeen researching and developing assets for
40 years. It first published a list of 30developmental assets in 1990. Furtherresearch and refinement has led to thecurrent list of 40 Developmental Assets.
For more information visit: search-institute.org
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What are the
Developmental Assets?According to Search Institute:
The Developmental Assets are 40 research-based, positivequalities that influence young peoples development, helping
them become caring, responsible, and productive adults.
Based on youth development, resiliency, and preventionresearch, the Developmental Assets framework has proven to beeffective and has become the most widely used approach topositive youth development in the United States and,
increasingly, around the world.
The framework has been adapted to be developmentallyrelevant from early childhood through adolescence.
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Why are they important?According to Search Institute:
Over time, studies of more than 4 million young people
consistently show that the more assets that young people have,the less likely they are to engage in a wide range of high-riskbehaviors and the more likely they are to thrive.
Research shows that youth with the most assets are least likelyto engage in four different patterns of high-risk behavior,
including problem alcohol use, violence, illicit drug use, andsexual activity.
When children have higher levels of assets, they are more likelyto do well in school, be civically engaged, and value diversity.
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Breaking down the assets by
categories!First four categories-External Assets: Support
Empowerment Boundaries and expectations Constructive use of time
These assets revolve around formingpositive relationships, and exposingyoung children to high quality
environments and activities.
These assets are built through families,preschools, friends, neighborhoods,congregations, and communityorganizations.
Last four categories-Internal assets: Commitment to learning Positive values Social competencies Positive identity
These are the commitments,passions, and values you as aparent want to instill in your
children.
These assets are built throughpositive modeling and teachingand providing opportunities foryoung children to develop theircharacter.
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Lets take a closer look by breaking
down the categories!The Support Assets:Children grow up well when they feelsupported and cared for by their parentsand other people around them.
Assets 1-61. Family support2. Positive family communication3. Other adult relationships4. Caring neighbors5. Caring climate in child-care and
educational settings6. Parent involvement in child care and
education
The Empowerment Assets:Children who feel valued and valuableare empowered to help others and todevelop in ways that help thembecome well rounded, healthyindividuals.Assets 7-107. Community cherishes and values
young children8. Children seen as resource9. Service to others10. Safety
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The Boundaries & Expectation Assets:
Giving children clear, appropriate
guidelines and expectations helps them
know what to expect and how to act.Assets 11-16
11. Family boundaries
12. Boundaries in child-care andeducational settings
13. Neighborhood boundaries14. Adult role models
15. Positive peer relationships
16.Positive expectations
The Constructive Use of Time Assets:
What children do with their time
makes a difference. Children needdevelopmentally appropriate and
enticing programs.
Assets 17-20
17. Play and creative activities
18. Out of home and communityprograms
19. Religious community
20. Time at home
Breaking down the categories
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The Commitment to Learning Assets:Children need many opportunities toengage in learning activities andexperiences.
Assets 21-2521. Motivation to mastery22. Engagement in learning experiences23.Home-program connection
24. Bonding to programs25. Early literacy
The Positive Values Assets:Building character involves teachingchildren important internal compassesthat guide them in making choices.
Assets 26-3126. Caring27. Equality and social justice28. Integrity
29. Honesty30. Responsibility31. Self- regulation
Breaking down the categories (cont.)
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The Social Competencies Assets:
Skills that young children need when
They encounter problems and other
Life situations. The specific skills helpThem deal with the choices,
challenges and opportunities they
face in building and maintaining
relationships with others.
Assets 32-3632. Planning and decision making
33. Interpersonal skills
34. Cultural awareness and sensitivity
35. Resistance skills
36. Peaceful conflict resolution
The Positive Identity Assets:
A strong personal identity is more than
positive self esteem. These assets
focus on helping young children figure
out who they are, what they can do,
and who they want to become.
Assets 37-40
37. Personal power
38. Self-esteem
39. Sense of purpose
40. Positive view of personal future
Breaking down the categories
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Using the Developmental Assets
Framework to Parent with a PurposeBasic Asset Building:If this is your first time examining the Developmental Assets,think of the list of items as essential nutrients. While your child may notexperience EVERY asset ALL the time, you want to provide a consistentbalance of as many different nutrients as possible. When you areintentional about giving your children these experiences, you are assetbuilding.
There are 40 Developmental assetsbut dont panic!
Avoid working on more than one asset at a time and avoid making too large achange all at once.
Check out theAsset-Building Parenting Ideas on your handout
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Become an Asset Building ParentBecome an asset building parent with these ideas:
Learn more about the Developmental Assets framework. Analyze thelist of the Developmental Assets for Early Childhood. Post a copy inyour home. Carry another copy around with you and periodically read itwhenever you have a free moment.
Scan the list of 40 Developmental Assets and focus on one asset thatyou can begin building in your child. (However, remember that whileyou may be trying to build one specific asset, youre often buildingother assets at the same time.)
Periodically consult the list of 40 Developmental Assets and choose anew asset (from another category) to use in your parenting.
Connect with other parents about what works. Compare parentingideas and strategies.
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Parenting With a PurposeALL parents face challenges when parenting their children, therefore the 40
Developmental Assets provide a practical parenting framework that can help
you as a parent to be intentionalLook at them like a road map thathelps you clarify what you need to do in order to raise healthy, caring
children.
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Resources
Focus on the forty. (2010). Retrieved from http://focusontheforty.ca/?page_id=2
Roehlkepartain, J. (2006). Parenting preschoolers with a purpose: caring for yourkids and yourself. Search Institute Press.
Search institute. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.searchinstitute.org/research/
developmental-assets
http://www.searchinstitute.org/research/http://www.searchinstitute.org/research/
