Behavioral Health Minute

April 2008 - Looking at children’s strengths and resources: The 40 Assets

The short summary

40 Assets is a practical, empirically-derived framework for looking at children’s strengths and resources, which can be used by parents and health care professionals to focus and support children’s positive development.

The modestly longer reflection

40 Assets is a research-based paradigm for thinking about the development and well-being of children from the vantage point of strengths and resources.  It grows out of interviews with over 350,000 children in 600 communities across the country.

You may see the list of these assets here.  There is also a link on this page to translations into Chinese, Farsi and other languages.

As you will see, the Assets include “external” resources such as

• “Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults” and
• “Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week”

and “internal” resources such as

• “Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week” and
• “Young person reports that ‘my life has a purpose.’”  

The data are that there is a very strong relationship between the number of assets present and the protection of youth from high risk behaviors (problem alcohol use, violence, illicit drug use and sexual activity) and the presence of positive attitudes and behaviors (leadership, good health, school success). 

Why is this important?  This gives you as a health professional a practical framework for helping parents to cultivate positive influences and qualities in their children’s lives.  Look at the 40 Assets yourself; direct parents to the 40 Assets, with the questions

• Which of these assets are present already in this child’s life?
• Which of these assets could parents focus on and put energy into in the coming months?

Follow-up 

Review the 40 Assets.  Consider the assets that you see in your child or a child that you know.  Bookmark the asset list on your exam room computer and show it to a parent in a well-child check.

Fred Craigie, PhD, 4/2/08