Youth Strengths

This domain describes the assets of the youth that can be used to advance healthy development. It is important to remember that strengths are NOT the opposite of needs. Increasing a youth’s strengths while also addressing his or her behavioral/emotional needs leads to better functioning, and better outcomes, than does focusing just on the youth’s needs. Identifying areas where strengths can be built is a significant element of service planning.  In these items the ‘best’ assets and resources available to the youth are rated based on how accessible and useful those strengths are. These are the only items that use the Strength Rating Scale with action levels.

Question to consider for this domain:  What are the youth’s assets that can be used in treatment planning to support healthy development?

Basic Design for Rating Strengths

Rating Level of Strength Appropriate Action
0 Centerpiece strength Central to planning
1 Strength present Useful in planning
2 Identified strength Build or develop strength
3 No strength identified Strength creation or identification may be indicated

FAMILY STRENGTHS

This item refers to the presence of a sense of family identity as well as love and communication among family members. Even families who are struggling often have a firm foundation that consists of a positive sense of family and strong underlying love and commitment to each other.  These are the constructs this strength is intended to identify. As with Family Functioning, the definition of family comes from the youth’s perspective (i.e., who the youth describes as family). If this information is not known, then we recommend a definition of family that includes biological/adoptive relatives and their significant others with whom the youth is still in contact.

Questions to Consider

  • Does the youth have good relationships with any family member?
  • Is there potential to develop positive family relationships?
  • Is there a family member that the youth can go to in time of need for support? That can advocate for the youth?

INTERPERSONAL/SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS

This item is used to identify a youth’s social and relationship skills.  Interpersonal skills are rated independently of Social Functioning because a youth can have social skills but still struggle in his or her relationships at a particular point in time. This strength indicates an ability to make and maintain long-standing relationships.

Questions to Consider

  • Does the youth have the trait ability to make friends?
  • Do you feel that the youth is pleasant and likable?
  • Do adults or other children like them?

EDUCATIONAL SETTING

This item is used to identify a youth’s social and relationship skills.  Interpersonal skills are rated independently of Social Functioning because a youth can have social skills but still struggle in his or her relationships at a particular point in time. This strength indicates an ability to make and maintain long-standing relationships.

Questions to Consider

  • Is the school an active partner in the youth’s education?
  • Is the youth’s school an active partner in figuring out how to best meet the youth’s needs?
  • When has the youth been at their best in school?

Supplemental Information:  This rating refers to the strengths of the school system or the youth’s preschool setting, and may or may not reflect any specific educational skills possessed by the child or youth.  A rating of ‘0’ would be given if the school is an active participant with the youth and family.  A rating of ‘2’ would be given if the school is not able to address the youth’s needs despite an IEP, etc.  Issues related to school attendance, behavior, and achievement are rated in the School Attendance, School Behavior and School Achievement items.

VOCATIONAL

Generally this rating is reserved for adolescents and is not applicable for children under 14. Computer skills would be rated here. Scoring of this item supplements Ansell-Casey assessment.

Questions to Consider

  • Does the youth know what he/she wants to ‘be when he/she grows up?’
  • Has the youth ever worked or is the youth developing prevocational skills?
  • Does the youth have plans to go to college or vocational school, for a career?

Supplemental Information: Vocational strengths are rated independently of functioning (i.e. a youth can have considerable strengths but not be doing well at the moment).  Developing vocational skills and having a job is a significant indicator of positive outcomes in adult life.  A rating of ‘1’ would indicate that the youth has some vocational skills or work experience.  A rating of ‘3’ would indicate that the youth needs significant assistance in developing those skills.

OPTIMISM

This rating should be based on the youth’s or adolescent’s sense of themselves in their own future.  This rates the youth’s future orientation.

Questions to Consider

  • Does the youth have a generally positive outlook on things; have things to look forward to?
  • How does the youth see themselves in the future?

Supplemental Information:  The literature indicates that kids with a solid sense of themselves and their future have better outcomes than youth who do not.  A rating of ‘1’ would be a youth who is generally optimistic.  A rating of ‘3’ would be a youth who has difficulty seeing any positives about themselves or their future.

TALENTS AND INTERESTS

This item refers to hobbies, skills, artistic interests and talents that are positive ways that young people can spend their time, and also give them pleasure and a positive sense of self.

Questions to Consider

  • What does the youth do with free time?
  • What does the youth enjoy doing?
  • Is the youth engaged in any pro-social activities?
  • What are the things that the youth does particularly well?

SPIRITUAL/RELIGIOUS

This item refers to the youth’s experience of receiving comfort and support from religious or spiritual involvement. This item rates the presence of beliefs that could be useful to the youth; however an absence of spiritual/religious beliefs does not represent a need for the family.

Questions to Consider

  • Does the youth have spiritual beliefs that provide comfort?
  • Is the family involved with any religious community? Is the youth involved?
  • Is youth interested in exploring spirituality?

CULTURAL IDENTITY

Cultural identify refers to the youth’s view of self as belonging to a specific cultural group. This cultural group may be defined by a number of factors including race, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation or gender identity and expression (SOGIE).

Questions to Consider

  • Does the youth identify with any racial/ ethnic/cultural group? Does the youth find this group a source of support?
  • Does the youth ever feel conflicted about her/his SOGIE/racial/ethnic/ cultural identity?
  • Does the youth openly denigrate members of her/his own group?

COMMUNITY LIFE

This item reflects the youth’s connection to people, places or institutions in the community. This connection is measured by the degree to which the youth is involved with institutions of that community which might include (but are not limited to) community centers, little league teams, jobs, after-school activities, religious groups, etc. Connections through specific people (e.g., friends and family) could be considered an important community connection, if many people who are important to the youth live in the same neighborhood.

Questions to Consider

  • Does the youth feel like she or he is part of a community?
  • Are there activities that the youth does in the community?
  • Is the youth a member of a community organization or group?

Supplemental Information:  Community connections are different from how the youth functions in the community. Youth who have moved a lot or who have been in multiple foster care settings may have lost this sense of connection to community life and could be rated a ‘3’.

RELATIONSHIP PERMANENCE

This rating refers to the stability and consistency of significant relationships in the youth’s life. This likely includes family members but may also include other adults and/or peers.

Questions to Consider

  • Has anyone consistently been in the youth’s life since birth?
  • Are there other significant adults in the youth’s life?
  • Has the youth been in multiple home placements?

RESILIENCY

This rating should be based on the youth’s ability to identify and use internal strengths in managing their lives and in times of need or to support their own development.  This rating assesses a child/youth’s ability to “bounce back” from or overcome adversity in their life.

Questions to Consider

  • Is the youth able to recognize their skills as strengths?
  • Is the youth able to use their strengths to problem solve and address difficulties or challenges?

NATURAL SUPPORTS

Refers to unpaid helpers in the youth’s natural environment. These include individuals who provide social support to the target youth and family. All family members and paid caregivers are excluded.

Questions to Consider

  • Who does the youth consider to be a support?
  • Does the youth have non-family members in their life that are positive influences?