
The researchers—who reported on their findings in the February 2007 issue of The Journal of Early Adolescence—found that teens who demonstrated competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring (the so-called "5 C's") in various areas of their lives (for example, at home, at school, at their part-time jobs, during extra-curricular and volunteer activities) were less likely to struggle during the teen years than teens who did not exhibit these traits.
The researchers also found that teens who exhibited each of these traits were also likely to exhibit a sixth trait that was also positively linked to success in life: the desire to make a contribution (a sixth "C").
The study is the first published data to emerge from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development, a six-year longitudinal study that will be completed in 2008.

