Reciprocal associations of positive youth development and AI literacy : longitudinal evidence from Filipino adolescents

Abstract

Amid growing concerns regarding adolescents’ readiness to navigate rapidly emerging technologies, scholars have highlighted the need to understand how digital competencies intersect with core developmental assets. Beyond technical skills, non-cognitive psychosocial resources may play a critical role in cultivating artificial intelligence (AI) literacy. Guided by the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework, this study examined reciprocal longitudinal associations between the 5Cs of PYD (competence, confidence, connection, character, and compassion) and AI literacy dimensions (awareness, usage, evaluation, and ethics). Two waves of survey data from 612 Filipino secondary students were analysed using latent cross-lagged panel modelling with full longitudinal invariance. Results showed strong stability across all PYD dimensions and AI ethics. PYD attributes displayed domain-specific effects on AI literacy, while AI ethics exerted broader influences on socio-emotional Cs (connection and character). A bidirectional relationship emerged between character and AI ethics. Findings underscore the intertwined development of moral, relational, and digital competencies in youth.