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Youth Development and Neighborhood Influences Challenges and Opportunities (1996) / Chapter Skim
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The Influence of Social Settings on Youth Development
Pages 9-15

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From page 9...
... Over the past two decades, as the major settings of adolescent life have become increasingly beleaguered, the NRC panel observed that "increasing numbers of youths are falling into the juvenile justice system, the child welfare system, and other even more problematic settings" (National Research Council, 1993:2~. But understanding and demonstrating the impact of social settings on youth development are difficult tasks that require theory-building and instrumentation.
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From page 10...
... that foster positive and negative developments for adolescents. Recognizing the dynamic, interactive, and multicontextual nature of youth experiences, workshop participants commented that the new conceptual frameworks emphasize the need for multiple lines of inquiry in this field and multiple levels of analysis (see Figure 1 for one example of a multilevel interactive framework presented in the workshop)
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From page 11...
... Participants observed that prevailing views of adolescent development and conceptual frameworks derived from white, middle-class adolescent populations may not reflect the experiences or unique challenges that confront youth who are influenced by other cultural traditions or by disadvantaged conditions. Recent ethnographic research has alerted social scientists to the possibility that traditional theories of normative development do not necessarily provide the appropriate conceptual frameworks for studying the lives of inner-city teens.
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From page 12...
... As a result, uncertainty remains as to whether a developmental approach that stresses the importance of adult support and guidance during critical transition periods has the power to influence youth perceptions of life goals, decision-making skills, and outcomes. Social settings that consistently provide negative messages about adolescent abilities and a limited range of desirable life options are thought to lead youth to make poor choices regarding the use of their time and resources.
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From page 13...
... Lacking this exposure, youth in at-risk neighborhoods may have limited opportunities to learn about strategies that involve family financial planning, balancing work and child care responsibilities, and the identification of educational and career opportunities across the life span. Workshop participants indicated that the movement of many middle- and upper-class individuals out of poor communities, along with the loss of many minority males because of early death or incarceration, has diminished the network of human resources within the community and reduced the opportunity for youth to interact with adults who can offer advice, support, perspective, and experience in negotiating school-to-work transitions, the initiation of sexual relations, and other key challenges during adolescence.
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From page 14...
... . These contextual factors contribute to the absence of adult supervision and monitoring, a dearth of safe places to gather, the absence of constructive activities during idle periods, increased exposure to law enforcement and prison settings, and diminished opportunities for interaction between disadvantaged youth and middle- or upper-class professionals who can provide positive role models and institutional resources.
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From page 15...
... Police patrols within disadvantaged communities may be regarded as assets or threats, for example, depending on the level of trust and confidence in law enforcement systems within the community. School systems may be regarded as negative factors if buildings are deteriorating and the quality of instruction is poor, or they may be seen as vital parts of the community if they provide important links to necessary services (such as health care and community resources)
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Key Terms

  • youth development
  • influence youth
  • participants observed
  • life course
  • african american

  • conceptual frameworks
  • adolescent development
  • key developmental
  • ethnographic research
  • social context

  • american teenagers
  • changing social
  • negative messages
  • youth perceptions
  • disadvantaged communities

  • role models
  • developmental tasks
  • participants indicated
  • accelerated life
  • caregiving strategies

  • social circumstances
  • development policies
  • academic performance
  • neighborhood improvement
  • balancing work

  • significant opportunities
  • normative development
  • mixed results
  • nrc panel
  • adult support


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