Positive Youth Development in Portugal: A Tool towards Gender Equity?

Abstract

Positive Youth Development - PYD pointed out the need to strengthen internal/external developmental assets in youth’s contexts. Literature suggests gender differences concerning health outcomes, with girls reporting poorer health outcomes, but higher quality in peer relationships, than boys. This chapter examines the associations of PYD and its dimensions with psychosocial variables, according to gender. Through an online survey, 2700 Portuguese college students (73.3% females), with a mean age of 21.3±2.79 years old were included. For both genders, the results showed significant differences and similarities with the PYD’s total score and its dimensions. Such results reinforce the importance to study positive indicators for PYD, but taking into account gender issues. More knowledge in this area can help health/education professionals and policy-makers to better plan interventions/policies. It is aimed to improve an integral and gender-sensitive healthy perspective for youths, based on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work.