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Longitudinal Description Of Developmental Youth Assets And Substance Use: A Cohort Study Of Rural Youth, Michael P. Vimont

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Rural communities seeking strategies to enhance the well-being of their youth must have local data for guidance. As a concept, developmental youth assets is increasingly used in measuring the psycho-social health of adolescents. This longitudinal study focuses on a cohort of over 200 youths residing in a rural community located in northeast Ohio. This five-year study observes trends of eight assets and the use of three substances. Results show that a decrease in asset scores took place between the sixth and eighth grade while the use of substances increased between the eighth and tenth grades. Additionally, outcomes show that youths …