Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth

Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth empirically explores the connections between spirituality and positive youth development through the research of a set of scholars from the wide array of scientific fields including biology, sociology, and theology. This unique handbook shows how to foster positive development during adolescence, including youth contributions to families and communities in civil society. The material draws on research conducted with various populations including immigrant Hispanic, Chinese, Israeli, and Muslim-American youth. Social workers and mental health professionals will find a new, developmentally rigorous data base for a science of "adolescent spirituality."

“" Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth is an important book. The research described in the current book combines qualitative and quantitative multimethod approached applies toward understanding of positive youth development that features spirituality in relation to a number of diverse types of variables. This is a timely yet sparsely explored subject in studies of youth development. Apart from the importance of the topic of positive human development in youths in contrast to the huge number of studies on negative development leading to violence and risk behavior, this book documents the first stages of scholarly exploration based on the roles of spirituality and religion in youths' lives that are potentially promising for the prevention of risk behavior." (P sycCRITIQUES , November 2012)”

"Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth is an important book. The research described in the current book combines qualitative and quantitative multimethod approached applies toward understanding of positive youth development that features spirituality in relation to a number of diverse types of variables. This is a timely yet sparsely explored subject in studies of youth development. Apart from the importance of the topic of positive human development in youths in contrast to the huge number of studies on negative development leading to violence and risk behavior, this book documents the first stages of scholarly exploration based on the roles of spirituality and religion in youths’ lives that are potentially promising for the prevention of risk behavior." (PsycCRITIQUES, November 2012)

AMY EVA ALBERTS WARREN, PhD, is a Research Scientist at the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, Tufts University.

RICHARD M. LERNER, PhD, is the Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science and the Director of the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University. He has edited or coedited many publications, including The Handbook of Life-Span Development (Wiley), and was the founding editor of both the Journal of Research on Adolescence and Applied Developmental Science.

ERIN PHELPS, EdD, is a Research Scientist at the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, Tufts University.

Praise for Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth "The editors and their colleagues have helped us to think about ways to promote positive youth development and, more specifically, how to support young people in contributing to the development of a more civil society . . . Such work will provide practitioners and policymakers and young people themselves with the evidence they need to improve programs and policies and enhance the positive development of all young people." -- From the Foreword by Rick Little , founder, International Youth Foundation; President and CEO, ImagineNations Group Making a contribution to the greater good is a hallmark of positive youth development (PYD). This first work to explore authentic, empirical connections between spirituality, generosity, and PYD, Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth features a vibrant and diverse collection of chapters based on research from scholars representing a wide array of fields--including biology, sociology, and theology. This groundbreaking resource draws on cutting-edge theory, methodology, and technology to provide recommendations for implementing practices that support youth success in both their private and public lives. Drawing on research conducted with diverse groups, including immigrants to the U.S. (for example, Hispanic youth), youth from different nations (for instance China and Israel), and youth of different religions (for example, Christians, Muslim, and Jews), this book integrates qualitative data, physiological and brain imaging data, and a variety of quantitative information to shed light on PYD, including: The neuronal and physiological dimensions of spirituality and PYD Associations between meditation and emotion regulation The dynamic developmental processes involved in Great Love-Compassion Developmental trajectories of religious conversion Religious adolescents' views of success and spirituality The relationship between ethnic and religious identity The interplay of self-transcendence and psychological maturity The role of religion and religious organizations in adaptation Religious belief systems and their relationship to PYD Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth launches a new and exciting empirical phase in the study of spiritual development within the social and behavioral sciences that sets a baseline in how spiritual development in youth will be measured.

Praise for Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth "The editors and their colleagues have helped us to think about ways to promote positive youth development and, more specifically, how to support young people in contributing to the development of a more civil society . . . Such work will provide practitioners and policymakers and young people themselves with the evidence they need to improve programs and policies and enhance the positive development of all young people." From the Foreword by Rick Little , founder, International Youth Foundation; President and CEO, ImagineNations Group Making a contribution to the greater good is a hallmark of positive youth development (PYD). This first work to explore authentic, empirical connections between spirituality, generosity, and PYD, Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth features a vibrant and diverse collection of chapters based on research from scholars representing a wide array of fields including biology, sociology, and theology. This groundbreaking resource draws on cutting-edge theory, methodology, and technology to provide recommendations for implementing practices that support youth success in both their private and public lives. Drawing on research conducted with diverse groups, including immigrants to the U.S. (for example, Hispanic youth), youth from different nations (for instance China and Israel), and youth of different religions (for example, Christians, Muslim, and Jews), this book integrates qualitative data, physiological and brain imaging data, and a variety of quantitative information to shed light on PYD, including: The neuronal and physiological dimensions of spirituality and PYD Associations between meditation and emotion regulation The dynamic developmental processes involved in Great Love-Compassion Developmental trajectories of religious conversion Religious adolescents views of success and spirituality The relationship between ethnic and religious identity The interplay of self-transcendence and psychological maturity The role of religion and religious organizations in adaptation Religious belief systems and their relationship to PYD Thriving and Spirituality Among Youth launches a new and exciting empirical phase in the study of spiritual development within the social and behavioral sciences that sets a baseline in how spiritual development in youth will be measured.

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