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Building Adolescent Self-efficacy and Resilience Through Social Action

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Abstract

Young people face an incredible array of challenges that may be exacerbated by living in a tense political climate under a conservative presidential administration. The development of self and collective-efficacy can be a protective factor against trauma, discrimination and other stressors. Those who work with adolescents—particularly adolescents who are members of racial and sexual minority groups—should support them in developing self-efficacy in order to build their resilience. School social workers are in a prime position to do so, given both their clinical expertise and familiarity with how systems of oppression operate. To increase their effectiveness in this task, school social workers can support self-efficacy in adolescents by utilizing aspects of positive youth development, connecting them with opportunities to self-advocate and make change around issues that impact their lives.

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  1. New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Dayna Sedillo-Hamann

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  1. Dayna Sedillo-Hamann
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Correspondence to Dayna Sedillo-Hamann.

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Sedillo-Hamann, D. Building Adolescent Self-efficacy and Resilience Through Social Action. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 40, 409–417 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-021-00788-3

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