Latest Youth development Stories

Study shows 4-H'ers more likely to contribute to their communities CHEVY CHASE, Md., April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Recent findings from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development from the Institute of Applied Research at Tufts University indicate that young people in 4-H are three times more likely to contribute to their communities than youth not participating in 4-H. Notably, the Tufts research discovered that the structured learning, encouragement and adult...

Underserved youth athletes report more life skill and character development when their coaches place greater emphasis on creating caring climates instead of focusing on competition, according to research from Michigan State University's Institute for the Study of Youth Sports. Playing in an atmosphere that focuses on player self-improvement versus player competition creates a sense of teamwork and develops initiative, social skills and a sense of identity, report the authors of the study...

Adolescents with a sunny outlook on life may have better health in their adult yearsTeenagers are known for their angst-ridden ways, but those who remain happy and positive during the tumultuous teenage years report better general health when they are adults, according to a new Northwestern University study.Researchers also found that teens with high positive well-being had a reduced risk of engaging in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, binge drinking, using drugs and eating unhealthy...