this argument seeks to ascertain whether the continued membership of associative groups during infancy and adolescents is linked to greater adjustment in adolescents, and may become a factor in protecting risky behaviour such as addictive behaviour and violent behaviour. The theoretical framework is based on the study of scientific literature supporting the relationship between associations and youth participation and its effects on adolescent psychosocial adjustment and benefits for well-being and quality of life. Associations are seen as one of the new forms of social participation and mobilisation (Agudo, Martín and Tovar, 2011). From the model of positive development of young people (SMEs), adolescents are not conceived as a disruptive and storm period, but as a stage of learning and opportunities, in relation to the development of initiative, responsibility, empowerment and youth participation (Lerner et al., 2005; Larson, 2000; Position et al., 2003; Holden et al., 2004; Wong, Zimerman and Parker, 2010). The study consisted of samples of 822 adolescents attending secondary schools in the Safor district, aged between 14 and 19, from the most demographically large populations such as Gandia, Oliva and Tavernes de la Valldigna. The instruments used were items on Associationism, Psycological Adjustment Questionnaire/PAQ (Rohner, Saavedra and Granum, 1978), Self-Concept Questionnaire/AF-5 (García and Musitu, 1999), Community Social Support/ASC Questionnaire (Gracia, Musitu and Herrero, 2002), Community Social Support Questionnaire/ASC (Gracia, Musitu and Herrero, 2002), Substance Consumer Questionnaire/CS, Questionnaire on addictive conductors/R.A.F.F.T. Questionnaire on Anti-Social Conduct/CD1. The data analysis was carried out through Pearson correlations, bivariate correlations and 2 multivariated factorial designs using the sex variable as a covariate (MANCOVA, 2 × 2 × 2). The results support the achievement of the research objective. Continued membership of associative groups during childhood and adolescents was found to be a protective factor in the case of youth violence, defined in this study as school violence and pre-criminal behaviour. It did not occur in the same way in relation to addictive behaviour. In general, youth participation influences the perception (self-conception) that young people and young people have about themselves about their family, friends and their physical appearance. Membership of associations can mean having an important social support network, a factor seen as a protective factor in adolescents. Membership of an association and active participation in your neighbourhood could be seen as preventive factors for violent behaviour. The formula to be developed on the basis of youth programmes would be: Partnership + Participation = Youth Development. Perhaps in future research, taking into account as one of the limitations of our study, it should be tested in a longitudinal study that can verify the real effect of the duration and permanence in the associative world and the relationship with adjusted behaviour in young adults. In addition, in another line of study, it would be interesting to take into account the possible differences between young people of different ages and in different courses such as Baccalaureate, ESO and Formative Cycles.