Barriers to Success, Moving Toward a Deeper Understanding of Adversity’s Effects on Adolescents

In this report from the Center for Promise, three different data sets are examined to research and uncover how adversity affects the lives of young people and what practitioners can to do help them overcome barriers to success. The report summarizes findings collected on youth in America and their caregivers. Findings outlined include that there are too many youth experiencing adversity, and that there is a large disparity in exposure to adversity in terms of income, maternal education, and race and ethnicity. Findings also indicate that the number and types of adversities that youth experience matter, and that relationships within and outside the family can buffer the effects of multiple adversities. Recommendations are outlined to help young people persevere through adversity and achieve success. They include engaging schools as a first line of defense, adopting two-generation approaches to support caregivers and youth in high-adversity situations, and increasing and strengthening opportunities such as re-engagement programs and career pathway programs for young people.