Preliminary results of this pilot are available

A measure of youth exploration that takes a contextual approach was developed, the Survey of Healthy Youth Experimentation (SHYE). This measure was developed from the individual interviews with college students, focus groups with adolescents, focus groups with parents of adolescents, and a thorough review of the literature on exploration and risk-taking.

To truly understand youth exploration, a more comprehensive measure is essential. The SHYE will provide: (1) rich descriptive information on the context in which youth exploration occurs (frequency, intensity, time of day exploration occurs, with whom exploration occurs, where exploration occurs, influence of family, influence of peers, risk involved, outcomes, etc.), and (2) begin to identify the factors that determine whether exploration is healthy and functional (i.e. promotes positive development) or whether it is simply dangerous (i.e. prevents or interferes with positive development). The SHYE has been pilot tested in one rural community.

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