The Use of the Developmental Assets Profile at a Residential Treatment Center

Abstract

Strengths based approaches are at the forefront of developmental frameworks in the social sciences. The Developmental Assets Framework is an evidence-based practice that focuses on youths’ internal strengths and external supports. This study uses the Developmental Assets Profile to identify which types of assets that thirty-five youth at a Residential Treatment Center are thriving in and which assets they are challenged in. The study looked at the mean overall, internal, and external developmental asset scores from the RTC sample to gain understanding of where the youth scored on a scale of Challenged, Vulnerable, Adequate, Thriving. The study also looked at mean scores for the eight categories of assets and mean scores for the five asset-building contexts. The purpose of this study is to identify strengths and needs of these adolescents and provide treatment and program recommendations for the Residential Treatment Center.