ABSTRACT
The latter part of the twentieth century was marked by public anxiety about a myriad of social problems, some old, some new, but all affecting the lives of vulnerable children, adolescents, adults, families, and communities (Fisher & Murray, 1996; Lerner, 1995; Lerner & Galambos, 1998; Lerner, Sparks, & McCubbin, 1999). For instance, in America, a set of problems of historically unprecedented scope and severity emerged. These included issues of economic development, environmental quality, health and health care delivery, and, ultimately, of people-of children, youths, and families (e.g., involving poverty, crime, and violence; drug and alcohol use and abuse; unsafe sex; and school failure and dropout).
