service providers and researchers and for improving the evaluation of prevention and treatment services.

Youth Development and Neighborhood Influences: Challenges and Opportunities (1996)

Committee on Youth Development

Today’s youth live and develop in a society that offers tremendous choices and challenges during the formative period of adolescence. The adolescent’s environment is shaped profoundly by the presence or absence of many different factors, including family resources, community services, and educational and employment opportunities. This book examines the strengths and limitations of research on social settings and adolescence and identifies important research questions that deserve further study in developing this field. Also, it explores alternative methods by which the findings of research on social settings could be better integrated into the development of youth programs and services. Specific themes include the impact of social settings on differences in developmental pathways, role expectations, and youth identity and decision-making skills, as well as factors that contribute to variations in community context.