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40 Developmental Assets What are the 40 Developmental Assets? They are building blocks for raising healthy children and youth.   The Power of Assets—Studies of more than 2.2 million young people in the United States consistently show that the more assets young people have, the less likely they are to engage in a wide range of high-risk behaviors (see table below) and the more likely they are to thrive. Assets have power for all young people, regardless of their gender, economic status, family, or race/ethnicity. The average young person experiences fewer than half of the 40 Assets (boys 17.2 vs. girls 19.9). Furthermore, levels of assets are better predictors of high-risk involvement and thriving than poverty or being from a single-parent family.   Percentage of 6th- to 12th-Grade Youth Reporting Selected High-Risk Behavior Patterns By Level of Developmental Assets*   High-Risk Behaviors                                                                 Assets:   0-10   11-20    21-30  31-40   Problem Alcohol Use — Has used alcohol three or                                    45%     26%     11%    3% more times in the past month or got drunk once or more in the past two weeks Violence — Has engaged in three or more acts of                                      62%     38%     18%     6% fighting, hitting, injuring a person, carrying or using a weapon, or threatening physical harm in the past year School Problems — Has skipped school two or more                                44%     23%    10%     4% days in the past month and/or has below a C average Sexual Activity — Has had sexual intercourse three                                  34%     23%    11%      3% or more times in lifetime Illicit Drugs – Has used illicit drugs three or more                                     38%      18%      6%       1% times in the last 12 months   Positive Behaviors                                                                     Assets:   0-10   11-20   21-30     31-40   School Success – Gets mostly As on report card                                          9%     19%      34%    54% Values Diversity – Places high importance on                                              39%     60%     76%    89% getting to know people of other racial/ethnic Groups Maintains Good Health – Pays attention to healthy                                      27%    48%     69%     88% nutrition and exercise Exhibits Leadership – Has been a leader of a group                                    48%    66%     78%     87% or organization in the last 12 months * Data based on aggregate Search Institute sample of 148,189 students across the United States For more information on the 40 Developmental Assets please visit THE SEARCH INSTITUTE online.

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