The assets of Positive Youth Development were explored in relation to youth civic behaviors
among a total of 7656 Finnish sixth and ninth graders (mean age 12 and 15 years, respectively).
The assets of positive global self-esteem, societal interests, competence orientation, connectedness
with peers and family, and caring for school were expected to be positively related to
adolescents’ civic behaviors, but the opportunities to participate in the decision-making at school
were hypothesized to moderate these links. As hypothesized, opportunities for decision-making
at school decreased the effects of global self-esteem and future orientation on adolescents’ civic
behaviors and strengthened the positive influence of connectedness with peers. The pattern of
the results highlight a need for a systematic exploration of various influences on adolescents’
civic behaviors, and, most