Assessing Positive Youth Development in Colombia: Cultural Adaptation and Validation of a Positive Youth Development Scale

Abstract As the Positive Youth Development (PYD) perspective is adopted in more youth programs, the need for valid and reliable measurement tools suitable for different contexts becomes vital. The Positive Youth Development Short-Form (PYD-SF) is a 34-item measure that reflects the Five Cs of PYD. This study aimed to adapt and examine the psychometric properties of the PYD-SF for Colombian adolescents. The factor structure (Confirmatory Factor Analysis), measurement invariance, and reliability (internal consistency) were examined. Participants were 1,189 adolescents aged 9–17 years old. The CFA supported a five correlated factors model of the PYD-SF, which was factorially invariant across gender and age groups. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency with omega coefficients ranging from 0.61 to 0.85 for the five factors. Findings indicate that the PYD-SF is a suitable tool for evaluating youth outcomes in program contexts in Colombia.