PART ONE: INTRODUCTION
PART TWO: MODELS OF POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD - Rainer K Silbereisen and Richard M Lerner
Developmental Assets - Peter Benson
An Overview of Theory, Research and Practice
Civic Engagement as an Expression of Positive Youth Development - Lonnie Sherrod
Empathy-related Responding - Nancy Eisenberg
Its Role in Positive Development and Socialization Correlates
Soci(et)al Scaffolding of Individual Growth Across the Life Span - Jutta Heckhausen
PART THREE: MULTIPLE CONTEXTS OF POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Perceived Social Inequity and Responses to Conflict among Diverse Youth of Color - Davido Dupree et al
The Effects of Social and Physical Context on Youth Behavior and Attitudes
Not You! Not Here! Not Now! - Jacquelynne S Eccles and Corinne Alfeld
Life Chances and Opportunities in Times of Social Change - Ingrid Schoon
Evidence from Two British Birth Cohorts
Social Control and Adolescent Development - John H Laub et al
A View from Life-Course Criminology
Social Support and Positive Development - Karen S Mooney et al
Looking on the Bright Side of Adolescent Close Relationships
The Long Way to Entrepreneurship - Eva Schmitt-Rodermund
Personality, Parenting, Early Interests and Competencies as Precursors for Entrepreneurial Activity among the `Termites¿
PART FOUR: INTERVENTIONS AND SOCIAL POLICY
Adolescent Spirituality and Positive Youth Development - Pamela Ebstyne King
A Look at Religion, Social Capital and Moral Functioning
Youth Political Activism - Constance Flanagan et al
Sources of Public Hope in the Context of Globalization
Macrosocial Worries as a Source of Positive Youth Development - Klaus Boehnke et al
Results of a 20-Year Longitudinal Study and Policy Implications
From `I¿ to `We¿ - Reed Larson
Development of the Capacity for Teamwork in Youth Programs
Prevention Against Substance Use - Karina Weichold
Life-skills and Positive Youth Development
Building Resources in the Context of Socio-Economic Disadvantage - Cigdem Kagitcibasi
Lessons from Research for Social Policies

Scientific research and science-guided practice based on the promotion of an individual's strengths constitutes a radical shift in a new and growing area of study within the field of human development. Its trademark term is `positive youth development'. This approach to human development is based on the idea that, in addition to preventing problems, science and practice should promote the development of competencies, skills, and motivation in order to enhance individuals' developmental pathways.

Approaches to Positive Youth Development, is based on this concept and brings together authors from across Europe and America who are leaders in their respective fields. The main focus of the book, beyond a clarification of the paradigmatic foundations, concerns the major contexts of adolescents and young adults, namely, neighbourhoods and leisure locales, school and family, and the major themes of healthy psychosocial development, namely, competences and knowledge, prosocial behaviour, transcending problems of delinquency, civic engagement, identity, agency, and spirituality.