Observed Ecological Assets in Families, Schools, and Neighborhoods: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Relations With Positive and Negative Developmental Outcomes

Abstract

The relations among observed ecological assets in youth's families, schools, and neighborhoods with positive and negative developmental outcomes were assessed with a sample of 646 fifth-grade youth. The majority of participants were Latino (37.5%) or European American (35.5%) and lived in 2-parent families. Ecological asset indicators were categorized into 4 dimensions: human, physical or institutional, collective activity, and accessibility and were measured equivalently across the three contexts. Different dimensions of the family, school, and neighborhood settings had the most comprehensive impact on the different developmental outcomes, specifically collective activity in the family, accessibility in school, and human resources in the neighborhood. This research establishes a baseline for the empirical inquiry into the impact of observed resources present within families, school, and neighborhoods.