Is the Scoutreach Initiative of Boy Scouts of America Linked to Character Development among Socioeconomically, Racially, and Ethnically Diverse Youth?: Initial Explorations.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Champine, Robey B; Ferris, Kaitlyn A; Hershberg, Rachel M; Warren, Daniel J; Burkhard, Brian M; Su, Shaobing; Lerner, Richard M

2017-10-01

Youth development programs represent key tools in the work of youth-serving practitioners and researchers who strive to promote character development and other attributes of youth thriving, particularly among youth who may confront structural and social challenges related to their racial, ethnic, and/or economic backgrounds. This article conducts secondary analyses of two previously reported studies of a relatively recent innovation in Boy Scouts of America (BSA) developed for youth from low-income communities, Scoutreach. Our goal is to provide descriptive and admittedly preliminary exploratory information about whether these data sets-one involving a sample of 266 youth of color from socioeconomically impoverished communities in Philadelphia (M age  = 10.54 years, SD = 1.58 years) and the other involving a pilot investigation of 32 youth of color from similar socioeconomic backgrounds in Boston (M age  = 9.97 years, SD = 2.46 years)-provide evidence for a link between program participation and a key indicator of positive development; that is, character development. Across the two data sets, quantitative and qualitative evidence suggested the presence of character development among Scoutreach participants. Limitations of both studies are discussed and implications for future longitudinal research are presented. We suggest that future longitudinal research should test the hypothesis that emotional engagement is key to creating the conditions wherein Scoutreach participation is linked to character development.

Brief Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxious Youth: Feasibility and Initial Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawley, Sarah A.; Kendall, Philip C.; Benjamin, Courtney L.; Brodman, Douglas M.; Wei, Chiaying; Beidas, Rinad S.; Podell, Jennifer L.; Mauro, Christian

2013-01-01

We developed and evaluated a brief (8-session) version of cognitive-behavioral therapy (BCBT) for anxiety disorders in youth ages 6 to 13. This report describes the design and development of the BCBT program and intervention materials (therapist treatment manual and child treatment workbook) and an initial evaluation of child treatment outcomes.…

When to initiate integrative neuromuscular training to reduce sports-related injuries in youth?

PubMed Central

Myer, Gregory D.; Faigenbaum, Avery D.; Ford, Kevin R.; Best, Thomas M.; Bergeron, Michael F.; Hewett, Timothy E.

2011-01-01

Regular participation in organized youth sports does not ensure adequate exposure to skill- and health-related fitness activities; and sport training without preparatory conditioning does not appear to reduce risk of injury in young athletes. Recent trends indicate that widespread participation in organized youth sports is occurring at a younger age, especially in girls. Current public health recommendations developed to promote muscle strengthening and bone building activities for youth aged 6 and older, along with increased involvement in competitive sport activities at younger ages, has increased interest and concern from parents, clinicians, coaches and teachers regarding the optimal age to encourage and integrate more specialized physical training into youth development programs. This review synthesizes the latest literature and expert opinion regarding when to initiate neuromuscular conditioning in youth and presents a how to integrative training conceptual model that could maximize the potential health-related benefits for children by reducing sports-related injury risk and encouraging lifelong regular physical activity. PMID:21623307

"It's All about Developing the Whole Child": An Examination of the "Legacy" Benefits of Youth Sport Trust's School-Based Inclusion Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Alison; Costello, Rebecca; Craft, Anna; Katene, Will

2015-01-01

Between 2011 and 2013, the Department for Education (DfE) in England made £3.3 million available to support the development of opportunities for young disabled people to access high-quality physical education and school sport. The DfE with the Youth Sport Trust (YST) developed a range of initiatives to help meet this aim, including Project…

Evidence of Program Quality and Youth Outcomes in the DYCD Out-of-School Time Initiative: Report on the Initiative's First Three Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Christina A.; Mielke, Monica B.; Reisner, Elizabeth R.

2009-01-01

In September 2005, the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) launched the Out-of-School Time Programs for Youth (OST) initiative to provide young people throughout New York City with access to high-quality programming after school, on holidays, and during the summer at no cost to their families. Working closely with…

Modeling Initiation into Drug Injection among Street Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, Elise; Godin, Gaston; Boudreau, Jean-Francois; Cote, Philippe-Benoit; Denis, Veronique; Haley, Nancy; Leclerc, Pascale; Boivin, Jean-Francois

2011-01-01

This study aimed at examining the predictors of initiation into drug injection among street youth using social cognitive theory framework. A prospective cohort study based on semi-annual interviews was carried out. Psychosocial determinants referred to avoidance of initiation. Other potential predictors were: sociodemographic characteristics,…

Initial Characteristics and Mentoring Satisfaction of College Women Mentoring Youth: Implications for Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foukal, Martha D.; Lawrence, Edith C.; Williams, Joanna L.

2016-01-01

Being a youth mentor is popular among college students, yet little is known about how their initial characteristics are related to mentoring satisfaction. Survey data from college women enrolled in a youth mentoring program (n = 158) and a comparison group (n = 136) were analyzed to determine how initial characteristics of youth mentors (a) differ…

National Evaluation of the Youth Firearms Violence Initiative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunworth, Terence

Between 1985 and 1994 the rate of violent criminal acts committed by juveniles rose sharply. Juvenile homicides committed with a handgun more than doubled. This bulletin discusses the national evaluation of the Youth Firearms Violence Initiative (YFVI), a program initiated by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to fund…

Recreation as a component of the community youth development system.

PubMed

Outley, Corliss; Bocarro, Jason N; Boleman, Chris T

2011-01-01

In an era of fragmented school systems and budget cuts, many educators and youth leaders seeking to solve the problems that youth face are turning to out-of-school-time programs. In many communities, these programs are seen as essential in the development of youth into fully functioning adults. One such area of the out-of-school-time sector is the provision of recreation services. Recreational services have a vital role in connecting youth to their communities, as well as enabling youth and adult allies to improve challenging conditions. This chapter outlines the historical role that recreation has played in community youth development programs and shows how community youth development has evolved. It then looks at how organizations in three communities--the Youthline Outreach Mentorship program in Minneapolis, a 4-H initiative in Parker City, Texas, and the Hockey Is for Everyone program--have successfully applied the theoretical knowledge. Best practices from these programs illustrate that the role of recreation in community youth development is changing. No longer are recreation programs about providing just "fun and games." Recreation organizations are now placing more value on the development of the community as a whole, in addition to the individual well-being of young people. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

The relationship between local clean indoor air policies and smoking initiation in Minnesota youth

PubMed Central

Forster, Jean L.; Erickson, Darin J.; Lytle, Leslie A.; Schillo, Barbara

2009-01-01

Background While clean indoor air (CIA) policies are intended to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace, restrictions in public workplaces have the potential to discourage youth smoking. There is growing evidence from cross-sectional and ecologic studies, but limited evidence from longitudinal studies that this is so. Objective To evaluate the association between local clean indoor air (CIA) policies and smoking initiation among Minnesota youth over time. Design, setting, and subjects A cohort of 4233 Minnesota youths, ages 11 to 16 at baseline, was interviewed via telephone for six years (2000 – 2006). Individual, family, and community level variables were collected from participants every six months. A generalized linear mixed model was used to assess the relationship between smoking initiation and CIA policies over time. The analysis was controlled for potential confounders at the individual- and community-level. Results Youth living in an area without a CIA policy were 8% more likely to initiate smoking (OR=1.08 CI: 1.00 – 1.16) compared to youth living in an area with a local CIA policy, after adjustment for multilevel covariates. Conclusion Local CIA policies accounted for a small, but significant, reduction in youth smoking initiation among Minnesota youth in this cohort. This study provides additional support for use of CIA policies to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke and smoking initiation in youth. PMID:19103639

Promoting Positive Youth Development: The Miami Youth Development Project (YDP)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurtines, William M.; Ferrer-Wreder, Laura; Berman, Steven L.; Lorente, Carolyn Cass; Briones, Ervin; Montgomery, Marilyn J.; Albrecht, Richard; Garcia, Arlen J.; Arrufat, Ondina

2008-01-01

The Miami Youth Development Project (YDP) had its beginnings in the early 1990s as a grassroots response to the needs of troubled (multiproblem) young people in the community (Arnett, Kurtines, & Montgomery, 2008, this issue). YDP is an important outcome of efforts to create positive youth development interventions that draw on the strengths…

Evidence of Program Quality and Youth Outcomes in the DYCD Out-of-School Time Initiative: Report on the Initiative's First Three Years. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Christina A.; Mielke, Monia B.; Reisner, Elizabeth R.

2009-01-01

In September 2005, the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) launched the Out-of-School Time Programs for Youth (OST) initiative to provide young people throughout New York City with access to high-quality programming after school, on holidays, and during the summer at no cost to their families. Working closely with…

Development of a Health Survey Instrument for 5- to 8-Year-Old Youths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neelon, Marisa; Brian, Kelley; Iaccopucci, Anne M.; Lewis, Kendra M.; Worker, Steven M.

2017-01-01

Measuring program outcomes is required for documenting effectiveness of interventions with youths participating in programs funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) initiative. The California CYFAR program provided programming for youths aged 5-8, which necessitated the development of an…

Extension Youth Educators' Technology Use in Youth Development Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Carli; Buquoi, Brittany; Kotrlik, Joe W.; Machtmes, Krisanna; Bunch, J. C.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive-correlational study was to determine the use of technology in youth programming by Extension youth development educators in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Data were collected via e-mail and a SurveyMonkey© questionnaire. Extension educators are using some technology in youth development programming. More…

Characteristics of sports-based youth development programs.

PubMed

Perkins, Daniel F; Noam, Gil G

2007-01-01

The term "sports-based youth development programs" is coined and defined in the context of the community youth development framework. Sports-based youth development programs are out-of-school-time programs that use a particular sport to facilitate learning and life skill development in youth. Community youth development programs use a community youth development approach to create opportunities for youth to connect to others, develop skills, and use those skills to contribute to their communities. This, in turn, increases their ability to succeed. The authors describe how sports-based youth development programs can be contexts that promote positive youth development. The features of positive developmental settings for youth from the work of the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine, as well as the features identified by other researchers, are presented in the context of sports-based youth development programs. For example, a sports program that provides appropriate structure has delineated clear rules, expectations, and responsibilities for youth, parents, coaches, officials, and other organizers.

Smoking initiation among youth: The role of cigarette excise taxes and prices by race/ethnicity and gender

PubMed Central

Nonnemaker, James M.; Farrelly, Matthew

2011-01-01

Existing evidence for the role of cigarette excise taxes and prices as significant determinants of youth smoking initiation is mixed. A few studies have considered the possibility that the impact of cigarette taxes and prices might differ by gender or race/ethnicity. In this paper, we address the role of cigarette taxes and prices on youth smoking initiation using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 cohort and discrete-time survival methods. We present results overall and by gender, race/ethnicity, and gender by race/ethnicity. We examine initiation over the age range during which youth are most at risk of initiation and over a period in which substantial changes have occurred in tax and price. The result for cigarette excise taxes is small and mixed across alternative specifications, with the effect strongest for black youth. Cigarette prices are more consistently a significant determinant of youth smoking initiation, especially for black youth. PMID:21477875

Smoking initiation among youth: the role of cigarette excise taxes and prices by race/ethnicity and gender.

PubMed

Nonnemaker, James M; Farrelly, Matthew C

2011-05-01

Existing evidence for the role of cigarette excise taxes and prices as significant determinants of youth smoking initiation is mixed. A few studies have considered the possibility that the impact of cigarette taxes and prices might differ by gender or race/ethnicity. In this paper, we address the role of cigarette taxes and prices on youth smoking initiation using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 cohort and discrete-time survival methods. We present results overall and by gender, race/ethnicity, and gender by race/ethnicity. We examine initiation over the age range during which youth are most at risk of initiation and over a period in which substantial changes have occurred in tax and price. The result for cigarette excise taxes is small and mixed across alternative specifications, with the effect strongest for black youth. Cigarette prices are more consistently a significant determinant of youth smoking initiation, especially for black youth. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk for incident diabetes mellitus following initiation of second-generation antipsychotics among Medicaid-enrolled youths.

PubMed

Rubin, David M; Kreider, Amanda R; Matone, Meredith; Huang, Yuan-Shung; Feudtner, Chris; Ross, Michelle E; Localio, A Russell

2015-04-01

Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have increasingly been prescribed to Medicaid-enrolled children, either singly or in a medication combination. Although metabolic adverse effects have been linked to SGA use in youths, estimating the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, a rarer outcome, has been challenging. To determine whether SGA initiation was associated with an increased risk for incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. Secondary analyses examined the risk associated with multiple-drug regimens, including stimulants and antidepressants, as well as individual SGAs. Retrospective national cohort study of Medicaid-enrolled youths between January 2003 and December 2007. In this observational study using national Medicaid Analytic eXtract data files, initiators and noninitiators of SGAs were identified in each month. Included in this study were US youths aged 10 to 18 years with a mental health diagnosis and enrolled in a Medicaid fee-for-service arrangement during the study. Those with chronic steroid exposure, a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, or SGA use during a 1-year look-back period were ineligible. The mean follow-up time for all participants was 17.2 months. Youths were followed up until diagnosis of diabetes mellitus or end of follow-up owing to censoring caused by the transition into a Medicaid managed care arrangement or Medicaid ineligibility (the end of available data). Propensity weights were developed to balance observed demographic and clinical characteristics between exposure groups. Discrete failure time models were fitted using weighted logistic regression to estimate the risk for incident diabetes mellitus between initiators and noninitiators. A filled SGA prescription. Incident type 2 diabetes mellitus identified through visit and pharmacy claims during the observation period. Among 107,551 SGA initiators and 1,221,434 noninitiators, the risk for incident diabetes mellitus was increased among initiators (odds ratio [OR], 1.51; 95% CI, 1

Helping At-Risk Youth: Lessons from Community-Based Initiatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morley, Elaine; Rossman, Shelli B.

This report is designed to assist communities engaged in or contemplating initiatives focused on at-risk youth. Much of the information comes from evaluations of the Communities in Schools, SafeFeatures, and Children at Risk initiatives. Brief descriptions of experiences or practices of the community programs are used to illustrate points made or…

Community Youth Engagement in East Palo Alto: A Study of the Youth Arts and Music Center Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Jamila; Biscocho, Francine; Gerstein, Amy

2016-01-01

The Youth Arts and Music Center Initiative is a community-wide effort to design and build an arts center in East Palo Alto. The six-year process, supported by the Goldman Foundation, centered on youth leadership and the arts, and engaged a cross-sector collaborative of partner organizations in an attempt to address the city's shortage of existing…

Youth Organizing: From Youth Development to School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warren, Mark R.; Mira, Meredith; Nikundiwe, Thomas

2008-01-01

Over the past twenty years, youth organizing has grown across the country. Through organizing, young people identify issues of concern and mobilize their peers to build action campaigns to achieve their objectives. Youth organizing has been appreciated for its contributions to youth and community development. The authors use two case studies to…

Characteristics of Sports-Based Youth Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, Daniel F.; Noam, Gil G.

2007-01-01

The term "sports-based youth development programs" is coined and defined in the context of the community youth development framework. Sports-based youth development programs are out-of-school-time programs that use a particular sport to facilitate learning and life skill development in youth. Community youth development programs use a community…

Interweaving Youth Development, Community Development, and Social Change through Youth Organizing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christens, Brian D.; Dolan, Tom

2011-01-01

Community organizing groups that have built coalitions for local change over the past few decades are now involving young people as leaders in efforts to improve quality of life. The current study explores a particularly effective youth organizing initiative through review of organizational documents and collection and analysis of qualitative…

Smoking Initiation and Cessation among Youths in Vietnam: A Longitudinal Study Using the Chi Linh Demographic—Epidemiological Surveillance System (CHILILAB DESS)

PubMed Central

Duc, Duong Minh; Vui, Le Thi; Son, Hoang Ngoc; Minh, Hoang Van

2016-01-01

Study of smoking initiation and cessation is particularly important in adolescent population because smoking prevention and cessation at this time may prevent several health consequences later in life. There is a very limited knowledge about the determinants of smoking initiation and cessation among youths in Vietnam. This limits the development and implementation of appropriately targeted anti-smoking prevention interventions. This study applied pooled data from 3 rounds of a longitudinal survey in the Chi Linh Demographic—Epidemiological Surveillance System (CHILILAB DESS) in a northern province in Vietnam to analyse the determinants of smoking initiation and cessation among youths. The total of youths in the first round, second, and third rounds was 12,406, 10,211, and 7,654, respectively. The random-effects logit model controlling for both time-variant and time-invariant variables was conducted to explore the associated factors with new smokers and quitters. We found an increase trend of new smokers (7.0% to 9.6%) and quitters (27.5% to 31.4%) during 2009–2013. Smoking initiation and cessation are the result of multifactorial influences of demographic and health behaviours and status. Demographic background (older youths, male, unmarried youths, and youths having informal work) and health behaviours and status (youths who had smoking family members and/or smoking close friends, and had harmful drinking) were more likely to initiate smoking and more difficult to quit smoking. Among these variables, youths who had smoking close-friends had the highest likelihood of both initiating smoking and failed quitting. Our results could represent the similar health problems among youths in peri-urban areas in Vietnam. Further, our findings suggested that anti-smoking interventions should involve peer intervention, integrated with the reduction of other unhealthy behaviours such as alcohol consumption, and to focus on adolescents in their very early age (10–14 years

Development of a Tool to Measure Youths' Food Allergy Management Facilitators and Barriers.

PubMed

Herbert, Linda Jones; Lin, Adora; Matsui, Elizabeth; Wood, Robert A; Sharma, Hemant

2016-04-01

This study's aims are to identify factors related to allergen avoidance and epinephrine carriage among youth with food allergy, develop a tool to measure food allergy management facilitators and barriers, and investigate its initial reliability and validity.  The Food Allergy Management Perceptions Questionnaire (FAMPQ) was developed based on focus groups with 19 adolescents and young adults with food allergy. Additional youth with food allergy (N = 92; ages: 13-21 years) completed food allergy clinical history and management questionnaires and the FAMPQ.  Internal reliability estimates for the FAMPQ Facilitators and Barriers subscales were acceptable to good. Youth who were adherent to allergen avoidance and epinephrine carriage had higher Facilitator scores. Poor adherence was more likely among youth with higher Barrier scores.  Initial FAMPQ reliability and validity is promising. Additional research is needed to develop FAMPQ clinical guidelines. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Association Between The Real Cost Media Campaign and Smoking Initiation Among Youths - United States, 2014-2016.

PubMed

Farrelly, Matthew C; Duke, Jennifer C; Nonnemaker, James; MacMonegle, Anna J; Alexander, Tesfa N; Zhao, Xiaoquan; Delahanty, Janine C; Rao, Pamela; Allen, Jane A

2017-01-20

In the United States, approximately 900,000 youths smoke their first cigarette each year (1). Health communication interventions are evidence-based strategies for preventing the initiation of tobacco use, promoting and facilitating cessation, and changing beliefs and attitudes about tobacco use (2,3). This report describes the association between the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) first national tobacco public education campaign, The Real Cost, and rates of smoking initiation among youths in the United States from 2014 to 2016. A nationally representative cohort study of youths (N = 5,185) was conducted during November 2013-March 2016. Results from a discrete-time survival model indicate that, among youths who reported never having smoked a cigarette in the baseline survey, the odds of reporting smoking initiation at follow-up were lower among youths with frequent exposure to campaign advertisements than among those with little or no exposure (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.55-0.91). Based on the results of the model, The Real Cost is associated with an estimated 348,398 U.S. youths aged 11-18 years who did not initiate smoking during February 2014-March 2016. Sustained youth-focused tobacco education campaigns, such as The Real Cost, can help speed progress toward preventing tobacco use among youths in the United States.

Indian Youth Leadership Development Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, McClellan

The Indian Youth Leadership Program and the Indian Youth Leadership Camp (IYLC) were created in 1981 in response to the need to develop specific skills in Indian youth who will assume leadership positions in the future at the family, school, community, tribal, and national level. Patterned after the National Youth Leadership Camp, the IYLC emerged…

Psychosocial Processes and Sexual Initiation among Ghanaian Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McQuestion, Michael; Ahiadeke, Clement; Posner, Jessica; Williams, Timothy

2012-01-01

This study models primary abstinence and age at first sex in a cross-sectional sample of Ghanaian youth aged 17 to 22 years. The aim is to examine how reproductive knowledge and social cognitive factors jointly affect the choice to initiate sex. Among males, the authors find that reproductive knowledge is negatively associated with abstinence. Its…

Youth's Initiations of Civic and Political Discussions in Class: Do Youth's Perceptions of Teachers' Behaviors Matter and Why?

PubMed

Bayram Özdemir, Sevgi; Stattin, Håkan; Özdemir, Metin

2016-11-01

Teachers are thought to play an important role in fostering youth civic engagement; however, the current literature is limited with regard to providing concrete suggestions as to what teachers can do to promote youth civic engagement and why teachers have an impact on youth. To address these limitations, we simultaneously tested three alternative explanations to identify the critical way(s) in which perceived teachers' behaviors might contribute to youth civic engagement in school. We also investigated the underlying processes that may explain why youth's perceptions of teachers' behaviors matter, by focusing on the mediating roles of young people's feelings about politics and their political efficacy beliefs. The sample included 7th (n = 876, M age  = 13.42, SD = .71; 51 % girls) and 10th grade students (n = 857, M age  = 16.62, SD = .71; 51 % girls) residing in Sweden. Among the different aspects of perceived teacher behaviors, only an engaged and inspiring teaching style fostered youth's initiations of civic and political discussions in class over time among both early and late adolescents. Moreover, youth's feelings about politics significantly mediated the effect of perceived teachers' behaviors on youth civic engagement in class. Contrary to our expectation, youth's political efficacy did not act as a mediator. The present study sheds light on what teachers can do to promote youth civic and political engagement in a school setting.

Coach-initiated motivational climate and cohesion in youth sport.

PubMed

Eys, Mark A; Jewitt, Eryn; Evans, M Blair; Wolf, Svenja; Bruner, Mark W; Loughead, Todd M

2013-09-01

The general purpose of the present study was to examine the link between cohesion and motivational climate in youth sport. The first specific objective was to determine if relationships demonstrated in previous research with adult basketball and handball participants would be replicated in a younger sample and with a more heterogeneous set of sports. The second specific objective was to examine whether sources of athlete enjoyment moderate the relationships between motivational climate and cohesion. Athletes (N = 997; 532 girls and 465 boys; Mage = 15.26 +/- 1.20 years) completed measures pertaining to coach-initiated motivational climate, cohesion, and sources of enjoyment. Bivariate and canonical correlations revealed positive correlations between perceptions of a task-involving motivational climate and both task and social cohesion, while ego-involving motivational climate was negatively related. Cluster analyses suggested that individuals perceiving a low task-involving climate and high ego-involving climate perceived their teams as less cohesive. Finally, the degree to which participants derived enjoyment through other-referenced competency served as a moderator in the motivational climate-task cohesion relationship. Specifically, the relationship between task cohesion and motivational climate was more pronounced for those individuals who were less likely to derive enjoyment through other-referenced competency. Youth athletes' perceptions of coach-initiated motivational climate are related to cohesion. This relationship is, however, moderated by the degree to which athletes derive enjoyment through other-referenced competency. Motivational climate is an important variable to consider within team-building protocols intent on developing cohesion.

SaludableOmaha: development of a youth advocacy initiative to increase community readiness for obesity prevention, 2011-2012.

PubMed

Frerichs, Leah; Brittin, Jeri; Stewart, Catherine; Robbins, Regina; Riggs, Cara; Mayberger, Susan; Cervantes, Alberto; Huang, Terry T-K

2012-01-01

Childhood obesity rates in minority populations continue to rise despite leveling national trends. Although interventions that address social and environmental factors exist, processes that create demand for policy and environmental change within communities have not been identified. We developed a pilot program in South Omaha, a Nebraska Latino community, based on the community readiness model (CRM), called SaludableOmaha. We used CRM to explore the potential of youth advocacy to shift individual and community norms regarding obesity prevention in South Omaha and to advocate for health-promoting community environments. We used CRM to assess supply and demand for health programs, engage the community, determine the community's baseline readiness to address childhood obesity, and guide youth advocacy program development. We conducted our project in 2 phases. In the first, we trained a cohort of youth. In the second, the youth cohort created and launched a Latino health movement, branded as SaludableOmaha. A third phase, which is currently under way, is directed at institutionalizing youth advocacy in communities. At baseline, the community studied was at a low stage of readiness for change. Our program generated infrastructure and materials to support the growth and institutionalization of youth advocacy as a means of increasing community readiness for addressing obesity prevention. CRM is an important tool for addressing issues such as childhood obesity in underserved communities because it provides a framework for matching interventions to the community. Community partnerships such as SaludableOmaha can aid the adoption of obesity prevention programs.

Evaluating Youth Development Programs: Progress and Promise

PubMed Central

Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

2016-01-01

Advances in theories of adolescent development and positive youth development have greatly increased our understanding of how programs and practices with adolescents can impede or enhance their development. In this paper the authors reflect on the progress in research on youth development programs in the last two decades, since possibly the first review of empirical evaluations by Roth, Brooks-Gunn, Murray, and Foster (1998). The authors use the terms Version 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 to refer to changes in youth development research and programs over time. They argue that advances in theory and descriptive accounts of youth development programs (Version 2.0) need to be coupled with progress in definitions of youth development programs, measurement of inputs and outputs that incorporate an understanding of programs as contexts for development, and stronger design and evaluation of programs (Version 3.0). The authors also advocate for an integration of prevention and promotion research, and for use of the term youth development rather than positive youth development. PMID:28077922

The Multiple Roles that Youth Development Program Leaders Adopt with Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Kathrin C.

2011-01-01

The roles that program leaders establish in their relationships with youth structure how leaders are able to foster youth development. This article examines the complex roles program leaders create in youth programs and investigates how they balanced multiple roles to most effectively respond to the youth they serve. Analyses of qualitative data…

Risk and Protective Factors for Early Substance Use Initiation: A Longitudinal Study of Mexican-Origin Youth

PubMed Central

Atherton, Olivia E.; Conger, Rand D.; Ferrer, Emilio; Robins, Richard W.

2015-01-01

Substance use initiation in adolescence is a critical issue, given its association with substance dependency and associated problems in adulthood. However, due to the dearth of fine-grained, longitudinal studies, the factors associated with early initiation are poorly understood, especially in minority youth. The present study examined substance use initiation in a sample of Mexican-origin youth (N=674) assessed annually from age 10 to 16. Using discrete-time survival analyses, we found that initiation escalated rapidly from late childhood to adolescence, and we identified a wide range of factors, from the individual to the cultural level of analysis, that significantly increased or decreased risk for early initiation. These findings have important implications for programs aimed at preventing early substance use by Mexican-origin youth. PMID:27990071

Youth Participation in Youth Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kothari, Roshani

Frequently, adults organize and implement youth projects without involving youth in the process. However, youth should be involved in problem identification and program design because they understand the needs of their peers and how to reach them effectively. This paper examines youth participation as a process for bringing about effective youth…

Building knowledge development and exchange capacity in Canada: lessons from Youth Excel.

PubMed

Riley, B; Wong, K; Manske, S

2014-07-01

Youth Excel was a 3-year pan-Canadian initiative to advance youth health through improving knowledge development and exchange (KDE) capacity. KDE capacity refers to an improvement cycle linking evidence and action. Capacities include local surveillance of youth behaviours; knowledge exchange; skills, resources and a supportive environment to use knowledge; and evaluation. Interviews were conducted with Youth Excel members, including 7 provincial teams and 2 national organizations. Interviews explored participant experiences with building KDE capacity. Local surveillance systems were considered the backbone to KDE capacity, strengthened by co-ordinating surveys within and across jurisdictions and using common indicators and measures. The most effective knowledge exchange included tailored products and opportunities for dialogue and action planning. Evaluation is the least developed KDE component. Building KDE capacity requires frequent dialogue, mutually beneficial partnerships and trust. It also requires attention to language, vision, strategic leadership and funding. Youth Excel reinforces the need for a KDE system to improve youth health that will require new perspectives and sustained commitment from individual champions and relevant organizations.

How cigarette design can affect youth initiation into smoking: Camel cigarettes 1983-93

PubMed Central

Wayne, G; Connolly, G

2002-01-01

Objective: To determine changes in the design of Camel cigarettes in the period surrounding the "Smooth Character" advertising campaign and to assess the impact of these changes on youth smoking. Data sources: Internal documents made available through the document website maintained by RJ Reynolds, manufacturer of Camel cigarettes. Study selection: Electronic searches using keywords to identify relevant data. Data extraction: A web based index search of documents targeting "smoothness" or "harshness" and "younger adult smokers" ("YAS") or "first usual brand younger adult smokers" ("FUBYAS") in the 10 year period surrounding the introduction of the "Smooth Character" campaign was used to identify Camel related product design research projects. A snowball methodology was used: initial documents were identified by focusing on key words, codes, researchers, committees, meetings, and gaps in overall chronology; a second set of documents was culled from these initial documents, and so on. Data synthesis: Product design research led to the introduction of redesigned Camel cigarettes targeted to younger adult males coinciding with the "Smooth Character" campaign. Further refinements in Camel cigarettes during the following five year period continued to emphasise the smoothness of the cigarette, utilising additives and blends which reduced throat irritation but increased or retained nicotine impact. Conclusions: Industry competition for market share among younger adult smokers may have contributed to the reversal of a decline in youth smoking rates during the late 1980s through development of products which were more appealing to youth smokers and which aided in initiation by reducing harshness and irritation. PMID:11893812

Collaborating With Youth in School Health Promotion Initiatives With Photovoice.

PubMed

Lofton, Saria; Bergren, Martha Dewey

2018-06-01

Photovoice, a community-based approach that is being embraced in school settings, can help to nurture collaborations with youth, particularly adolescents, and engage them in the development of social policy and health promotion projects. Photovoice is an approach that positions school nurses to inspire youth to take ownership of health promotion issues that directly affect them in the school and in their communities. Engaging youth in Photovoice not only allows advocates to directly work with youth but also promotes critical thinking and the exploration of topics that may not otherwise be considered. Photovoice raises awareness about issues through critical dialogue and is well suited to engage youth and provide a channel for youth to assert their voices.

Availability of and Access to Career Development Activities for Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Erik W.; Trainor, Audrey A.; Cakiroglu, Orhan; Swedeen, Beth; Owens, Laura A.

2010-01-01

Equipping youth with and without disabilities for the world of work has been the focus of ongoing legislative and policy initiatives. The authors examined the extent to which career development and vocational activities were available to and accessed by youth with severe disabilities or emotional and behavioral disorders attending 34 urban,…

Educating Future Leaders of the Sport-Based Youth Development Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitley, Meredith A.; McGarry, Jennifer Bruening; Martinek, Thomas; Mercier, Kevin; Quinlan, Melissa

2017-01-01

In recent years, a substantial surge has occurred in the number of initiatives, events and organizations focused on using sport as a tool for development, peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts. This has created a growing need for educated leaders in the sport-based youth development field as the job market in this field continues to expand. The…

Inability to access addiction treatment predicts injection initiation among street-involved youth in a Canadian setting.

PubMed

DeBeck, Kora; Kerr, Thomas; Nolan, Seonaid; Dong, Huiru; Montaner, Julio; Wood, Evan

2016-01-06

Preventing injection drug use among vulnerable youth is critical for reducing serious drug-related harms. Addiction treatment is one evidence-based intervention to decrease problematic substance use; however, youth frequently report being unable to access treatment services and the impact of this on drug use trajectories remains largely unexplored. This study examines the relationship between being unable to access addiction treatment and injection initiation among street-involved youth. Data were derived from the At-Risk Youth Study (ARYS), a prospective cohort of street-involved youth aged 14-26 who use illicit drugs, from September 2005 to May 2014. An extended Cox model with time-dependent variables was used to identify factors independently associated with injection initiation. Among 462 participants who were injection naïve at baseline, 97 (21 %) initiated injection drug use over study follow-up and 129 (28 %) reported trying but being unable to access addiction treatment in the previous 6 months at some point during the study period. The most frequently reported reason for being unable to access treatment was being put on a wait list. In a multivariable Cox regression analysis, being unable to access addiction treatment remained independently associated with a more rapid rate of injection initiation (Adjusted Hazard Ratio =2.02; 95 % Confidence Interval: 1.12-3.62), after adjusting for potential confounders. Inability to access addiction treatment was common among our sample and associated with injection initiation. Findings highlight the need for easily accessible, evidence-based addiction treatment for high-risk youth as a means to prevent injection initiation and subsequent serious drug-related harms.

The Baltimore Youth Ammunition Initiative: a model application of local public health authority in preventing gun violence.

PubMed

Lewin, Nancy L; Vernick, Jon S; Beilenson, Peter L; Mair, Julie S; Lindamood, Melisa M; Teret, Stephen P; Webster, Daniel W

2005-05-01

In 2002, the Baltimore City Health Department, in collaboration with the Baltimore Police Department and the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, launched the Youth Ammunition Initiative. The initiative addressed Baltimore's problem of youth gun violence by targeting illegal firearm ammunition sales to the city's young people. The initiative included undercover "sting" investigations of local businesses and issuance of health department violation and abatement notices. Intermediate results included the passage of 2 Baltimore city council ordinances regulating ammunition sales and reducing the number of outlets eligible to sell ammunition. Although it is too early to assess effects on violent crime, the intervention could theoretically reduce youth violence by interrupting one source of ammunition to youths. More important, the initiative can serve as a policy model for health commissioners seeking to become more active in gun violence prevention efforts.

Perspectives on Smoking Initiation and Maintenance: A Qualitative Exploration among Singapore Youth.

PubMed

Subramaniam, Mythily; Shahwan, Shazana; Fauziana, Restria; Satghare, Pratika; Picco, Louisa; Vaingankar, Janhavi Ajit; Chong, Siow Ann

2015-07-31

Studies among adolescents have shown that several important interpersonal, intrapersonal and environmental factors are associated with smoking behaviour. The current qualitative research project aimed to explore the determinants of smoking initiation and maintenance, from a youth perspective, among young people who smoked, living in a multi-ethnic Asian country. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with youths in Singapore in youth-friendly and accessible locations. Young people, from a variety of social contexts-varying on age, gender, ethnicity and educational level, were included in the study. All FGDs were conducted in English and participants were recruited using a mix of network and purposive sampling. All FGDs were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, allowing themes to emerge from the data with the goal of answering the research question. Ninety-one youth smokers (54 males, 37 females), aged between 14 to 29 years, participated in the study. The majority were males (59%) and of Chinese ethnicity (52%). Participants identified multiple personal, social, and familial influences on young adults' smoking behaviors. Peer and family influences, as well as risk minimization, played a key role in smoking initiation and maintenance. While young people were aware of policies that restricted smoking, these did not directly affect their decision to start smoking. The theory of triadic influence provided a promising theoretical framework to understand smoking initiation and maintenance in a sample of young adult smokers from a multi-ethnic Asian country. It also provides actionable information for initiatives to prevent smoking in young people, which includes their perspectives and emphasizes an inclusive approach without stigmatizing those who smoke.

The Initiation of Homeless Youth into the Street Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gwadz, Marya Viorst; Gostnell, Karla; Smolenski, Carol; Willis, Brian; Nish, David; Nolan, Theresa C.; Tharaken, Maya; Ritchie, Amanda S.

2009-01-01

Homeless youth (HY) who lack employment in the formal economy typically turn to the street economy (e.g., prostitution, drug selling) for survival. Guided by the theory of social control, the present paper explores factors influencing HY's initiation into the street economy. Eighty HY (ages 15-23) were recruited from four community-based…

Ties That Bond: Youth Sport as a Vehicle for Social Identity and Positive Youth Development.

PubMed

Bruner, Mark W; Balish, Shea M; Forrest, Christopher; Brown, Sarah; Webber, Kristine; Gray, Emily; McGuckin, Matthew; Keats, Melanie R; Rehman, Laurene; Shields, Christopher A

2017-06-01

An emerging area of research has focused on understanding how the group dynamics of a sport team influence positive youth development (PYD). The identities that youth form through their membership in sport teams (i.e., social identities) have been found to influence teammate behavior and team performance. Yet, minimal work exists on social identity and PYD in youth sport. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between social identity and PYD in sport. Youth engaged in recreational sport (N = 219; M age  = 11.61 years, SD = 1.39 years) completed measures of social identity and PYD in sport. The social identity measure assessed 3 dimensions including ingroup ties (IGT; perceptions of similarity, bonding, belongingness), cognitive centrality (importance of being a team member), and ingroup affect (IGA; feelings associated with group membership). A regression analysis was performed separately for 4 PYD outcomes (personal and social skills, goal setting, initiative, negative experiences) with the 3 dimensions of social identity entered as predictors. Regression analyses revealed that IGT and IGA were positively associated with personal and social skills (R 2 Adj. = .29). Further, IGT predicted initiative (R 2 Adj. = .16), whereas IGA was positively associated with goal setting (R 2 Adj. = .17) and negatively associated with negative experiences (R 2 Adj. = .08). The findings extend previous research highlighting the benefits of social identity on teammate behavior and team performance and demonstrate how social identity may contribute to PYD through sport.

Crystal methamphetamine and initiation of injection drug use among street-involved youth in a Canadian setting.

PubMed

Werb, Dan; Kerr, Thomas; Buxton, Jane; Shoveller, Jeannie; Richardson, Chris; Montaner, Julio; Wood, Evan

2013-12-10

Although injection drug use is known to result in a range of health-related harms, including transmission of HIV and fatal overdose, little is known about the possible role of synthetic drugs in injection initiation. We sought to determine the effect of crystal methamphetamine use on risk of injection initiation among street-involved youth in a Canadian setting. We used Cox regression analyses to identify predictors of injection initiation among injection-naive street-involved youth enrolled in the At-Risk Youth Study, a prospective cohort study of street-involved youth in Vancouver, British Columbia. Data on circumstances of first injection were also obtained. Between October 2005 and November 2010, a total of 395 drug injection-naive, street-involved youth provided 1434 observations, with 64 (16.2%) participants initiating injection drug use during the follow-up period, for a cumulative incidence of 21.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-41.7) per 100 person-years. In multivariable analysis, recent noninjection use of crystal methamphetamine was positively associated with subsequent injection initiation (adjusted hazard ratio 1.93, 95% CI 1.31-2.85). The drug of first injection was most commonly reported as crystal methamphetamine (14/31 [45%]). Noninjection use of crystal methamphetamine predicted subsequent injection initiation, and crystal methamphetamine was the most commonly used drug at the time of first injection. Evidence-based strategies to prevent transition to injection drug use among crystal methamphetamine users are urgently needed.

Youth Sport Programs: An Avenue to Foster Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser-Thomas, Jessica L.; Cote, Jean; Deakin, Janice

2005-01-01

Concern about the growth in adolescent problem behaviours (e.g. delinquency, drug use) has led to increased interest in positive youth development, and a surge in funding for "after school programs." We evaluate the potential of youth sport programs to foster positive development, while decreasing the risk of problem behaviours.…

The Baltimore Youth Ammunition Initiative: A Model Application of Local Public Health Authority in Preventing Gun Violence

PubMed Central

Lewin, Nancy L.; Vernick, Jon S.; Beilenson, Peter L.; Mair, Julie S.; Lindamood, Melisa M.; Teret, Stephen P.; Webster, Daniel W.

2005-01-01

In 2002, the Baltimore City Health Department, in collaboration with the Baltimore Police Department and the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, launched the Youth Ammunition Initiative. The initiative addressed Baltimore’s problem of youth gun violence by targeting illegal firearm ammunition sales to the city’s young people. The initiative included undercover “sting” investigations of local businesses and issuance of health department violation and abatement notices. Intermediate results included the passage of 2 Baltimore city council ordinances regulating ammunition sales and reducing the number of outlets eligible to sell ammunition. Although it is too early to assess effects on violent crime, the intervention could theoretically reduce youth violence by interrupting one source of ammunition to youths. More important, the initiative can serve as a policy model for health commissioners seeking to become more active in gun violence prevention efforts. PMID:15855448

Initial Training and Labour-Market Entry among French Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Training & Employment: French Dimensions, 1991

1991-01-01

Over the past 15 years, the level of initial training among French youth has shown a rapid rise, with one of the highest rates of full-time school attendance in Europe. This sharp increase in school attendance clearly improves the training capital. In their hiring policies, employers have become more and more selective, with the result that…

Youth voices: connections between history, enacted culture and identity in a digital divide initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degennaro, Donna; Brown, Tiffany L.

2009-03-01

The design of educational experiences is often mediated by historical, institutional, and social conceptions. Although these influences can initially shape the way that educational opportunities are created and implemented, this preliminary form has the potential to reorganize. In this paper, we illustrate how history shows its presence in the ways that instructors systematically arrange a technology course for urban youth. This original approach to the course inhibits youth participation. Incrementally, however, the cultural enactments of instructors and students lead to a reorganization of activity. Through highlighting history and examining the intersection of culture, we provide insight into the ways in which adolescents of color become successfully engaged in learning technology. We focus our study by asking how co-existence and the dialectic of structure and agency play a role as youth develop an identity as a technology user. Further, this emergent learning design affords outsiders a unique view of the educational and contextual experiences of these youth. Our illustration of how history, enacted culture and identity mediate the emergent learning design stems from a grounded theory approach to analyzing video, interview and artifact data in this after-school technology course.

Toward Making Good on All Youth: Engaging Underrepresented Youth Populations in Community Youth Development. REACH Issue Brief Series. Number Six

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erbstein, Nancy

2010-01-01

Youth who are most vulnerable to challenging community conditions, more limited opportunities and poor health, educational and economic trajectories derive especially strong benefits from engagement in community youth development efforts (Gambone, Yu, et al. 2004). Like many community youth development efforts, the REACH Youth Program called upon…

Smoking initiation, tobacco product use, and secondhand smoke exposure among general population and sexual minority youth, Missouri, 2011-2012.

PubMed

Jordan, Jenna N; McElroy, Jane A; Everett, Kevin D

2014-07-03

Research indicates disparities in risky health behaviors between heterosexual and sexual minority (referred to as LGBQ; also known as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning) youth. Limited data are available for tobacco-use-related behaviors beyond smoking status. We compared data on tobacco age of initiation, product use, and secondhand smoke exposure between general population and LGBQ youth. Data for general population youth were from the statewide, representative 2011 Missouri Youth Tobacco Survey, and data for LGBQ youth were from the 2012 Out, Proud and Healthy survey (collected at Missouri Pride Festivals). Age-adjusted Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests were used to examine differences between general population (N = 1,547) and LGBQ (N = 410) youth, aged 14 to 18 years. Logistic regression models identified variables associated with current smoking. The 2 groups differed significantly on many tobacco-use-related factors. General population youth initiated smoking at a younger age, and LGBQ youth did not catch up in smoking initiation until age 15 or 16. LGBQ youth (41.0%) soon surpassed general population youth (11.2%) in initiation and proportion of current smokers. LGBQ youth were more likely to use cigars/cigarillos, be poly-tobacco users, and be exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) in a vehicle (for never smokers). Older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.18-1.62), female sex (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.13-2.37), LGBQ identity (OR = 3.86, 95% CI = 2.50-5.94), other tobacco product use (OR = 8.67, 95% CI = 6.01-12.51), and SHS exposure in a vehicle (OR = 5.97, 95% CI = 3.83-9.31) all significantly increased the odds of being a current smoker. This study highlights a need for the collection of data on sexual orientation on youth tobacco surveys to address health disparities among LGBQ youth.

SaludableOmaha: Development of a Youth Advocacy Initiative to Increase Community Readiness for Obesity Prevention, 2011–2012

PubMed Central

Frerichs, Leah; Brittin, Jeri; Stewart, Catherine; Robbins, Regina; Riggs, Cara; Mayberger, Susan; Cervantes, Alberto

2012-01-01

Background Childhood obesity rates in minority populations continue to rise despite leveling national trends. Although interventions that address social and environmental factors exist, processes that create demand for policy and environmental change within communities have not been identified. Community Context We developed a pilot program in South Omaha, a Nebraska Latino community, based on the community readiness model (CRM), called SaludableOmaha. We used CRM to explore the potential of youth advocacy to shift individual and community norms regarding obesity prevention in South Omaha and to advocate for health-promoting community environments. Methods We used CRM to assess supply and demand for health programs, engage the community, determine the community’s baseline readiness to address childhood obesity, and guide youth advocacy program development. We conducted our project in 2 phases. In the first, we trained a cohort of youth. In the second, the youth cohort created and launched a Latino health movement, branded as SaludableOmaha. A third phase, which is currently under way, is directed at institutionalizing youth advocacy in communities. Outcome At baseline, the community studied was at a low stage of readiness for change. Our program generated infrastructure and materials to support the growth and institutionalization of youth advocacy as a means of increasing community readiness for addressing obesity prevention. Interpretation CRM is an important tool for addressing issues such as childhood obesity in underserved communities because it provides a framework for matching interventions to the community. Community partnerships such as SaludableOmaha can aid the adoption of obesity prevention programs. PMID:23217590

The Rise of Creative Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, Denise

2017-01-01

Creative youth development (CYD) is a dynamic area of community arts education that successfully bridges youth development and arts education. CYD is an intentional, holistic practice that combines hands-on artmaking and skill building in the arts with development of life skills to support young people in successfully participating in adolescence…

Conceptualizing Youth Empowerment within Tobacco Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holden, Debra J.; Messeri, Peter; Evans, W. Douglas; Crankshaw, Erik; Ben-Davies, Maureen

2004-01-01

This article presents a conceptual framework that was developed to guide a national evaluation of the American Legacy Foundation's (Legacy) Statewide Youth Movement Against Tobacco Use (SYMATU) program. This program was designed to develop youth-led, youth-directed initiatives within local communities. Two evaluation studies were designed and…

Implementing Evidence-Based Teen Pregnancy-Prevention Interventions in a Community-Wide Initiative: Building Capacity and Reaching Youth.

PubMed

House, L Duane; Tevendale, Heather D; Martinez-Garcia, Genevieve

2017-03-01

To describe efforts to implement evidence-based interventions (EBIs) within multicomponent, community-wide initiatives to reduce teen pregnancy. During 2011-2014, we collected information about the capacity (i.e., knowledge, confidence, training, and experience) of state and community-based organizations to support implementation of the following: EBIs, number and characteristics of youth served by EBIs, type of EBIs implemented, EBI settings, hours of training, and technical assistance provided. State and community-based organizations reported these data annually; however, training and technical assistance was reported monthly. We used aggregated data from these annual and monthly reports to describe the implementation of EBIs in the community-wide initiative project. From baseline in 2011-2014, state and community-based organizations increased their capacities to support program partners in delivering EBIs. They provided 5,015 hours of technical assistance and training on topics, including ensuring adequate capacity, process and outcome evaluation, program planning, and continuous quality improvement. Program partners increased the number of youth reached by an EBI in targeted communities by 349%, from 4,304 in the first year of implementation in 2012 to 19,344 in 2014. Most youth in 2014 received sexuality education programs (59%), whereas smaller percentages received abstinence-based, youth development, and clinic-based programs. Most youth were reached through schools (72%) and community-based organizations (16%), and smaller numbers were reached in other settings (e.g., faith-based organizations, health centers). Building and monitoring the capacity of program partners to deliver EBIs through technical assistance and training is important. In addition, partnering with schools leads to reaching more youth. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development, risk, and resilience of transgender youth.

PubMed

Stieglitz, Kimberly A

2010-01-01

Transgender youth face unique and complex issues as they confront cultural expectations of gender expression and how these fit with what is natural for them. Striving for balance, learning to cope, questioning, and eventually becoming comfortable with one's gender identity and sexual orientation are of paramount importance for healthy growth and development. Ineffective management of intense challenges over time without adequate social support places youth at risk for a number of unhealthy behaviors, including risk behaviors associated with acquiring HIV. This article explores early foundations of gender identity development, challenges in the development of transgender youth, and the limited data that exist on transgender youth and HIV risks. The concept of resilience is introduced as a counterbalancing area for assessment and intervention in practice and future research with transgender youth.

Youth-Adult Partnership and Youth Civic Development: Cross-National Analyses for Scholars and Field Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeldin, Shepherd; Gauley, Josset; Krauss, Steven Eric; Kornbluh, Mariah; Collura, Jessica

2017-01-01

Across the world, community-based youth organizations are engaging youth as partners with adults to promote youth civic development. A sample of 528 youth from the United States, Portugal, and Malaysia were surveyed to explore associations between youth-adult partnership (youth voice in decision making; supportive adult relationships) and two key…

Shisha (waterpipe) smoking initiation among youth in Malaysia and global perspective: a scoping review (2006-2015).

PubMed

Singh, S K; Enzhong, L; Reidpath, D D; Allotey, P

2017-03-01

To explore the initiating factors of waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) among youth. The analytic framework for this scoping review was performed using the methodology outlined by Arksey and O'Malley, which includes identification of the research question, study selection, charting the data, collating, summarizing and reporting the results that were primarily guided by the research question; 'what is known about the initiation of shisha smoking among youth?' Electronic databases such as Cochrane, MEDLINE and PsycINFO were used to search for relevant articles. Articles included were all in English and published within the year of 2006 to 2015. Inclusion criteria; i) age range of 10 to 29 years; ii) examined the reasons why youth started or tried WTS; iii) in full text. Therefore, 26 articles were included in this scoping review. This review has identified and classified the initiating factors of WTS among youth in four subtopics: individual factors, interpersonal influences, cigarettes and alcohol use, and media influences. Individual factors and interpersonal influences played an important role in initiation factors of WTS among youth. This study concludes that public health professionals within the Southeast Asia region need to promote innovative preventive measures through peer-to-peer led interventions that are also easily assessable on social media platforms. The public health messages need to address the misconceptions of risk associated to WTS use. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How youth get engaged: grounded-theory research on motivational development in organized youth programs.

PubMed

Dawes, Nickki Pearce; Larson, Reed

2011-01-01

For youth to benefit from many of the developmental opportunities provided by organized programs, they need to not only attend but become psychologically engaged in program activities. This research was aimed at formulating empirically based grounded theory on the processes through which this engagement develops. Longitudinal interviews were conducted with 100 ethnically diverse youth (ages 14–21) in 10 urban and rural arts and leadership programs. Qualitative analysis focused on narrative accounts from the 44 youth who reported experiencing a positive turning point in their motivation or engagement. For 38 of these youth, this change process involved forming a personal connection. Similar to processes suggested by self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), forming a personal connection involved youth's progressive integration of personal goals with the goals of program activities. Youth reported developing a connection to 3 personal goals that linked the self with the activity: learning for the future, developing competence, and pursuing a purpose. The role of purpose for many youth suggests that motivational change can be driven by goals that transcend self-needs. These findings suggest that youth need not enter programs intrinsically engaged--motivation can be fostered--and that programs should be creative in helping youth explore ways to form authentic connections to program activities.

The Voice of Youth: Atmosphere in Positive Youth Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Stefan; Parker, Melissa

2013-01-01

Background: Positive youth development (PYD) programs adhere to the notion that all children have strengths and assets to be promoted and nurtured rather than deficits that require "fixing." The study of PYD programs indicates three aspects which set them apart from other programs for youth: activities, goals, and atmosphere. Of these,…

Feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of an online sexual health promotion program for LGBT youth: the Queer Sex Ed intervention.

PubMed

Mustanski, Brian; Greene, George J; Ryan, Daniel; Whitton, Sarah W

2015-01-01

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth experience multiple sexual health inequities driven, in part, by deficits in parental and peer support, school-based sex education programs, and community services. Research suggests that the Internet may be an important resource in the development of sexual health among LGBT youth. We examined the feasibility of recruiting youth in same-sex relationships into an online sexual health intervention, evaluated intervention acceptability, and obtained initial estimates of intervention efficacy. LGBT youth (16 to 20 years old) completed Queer Sex Ed (QSE), an online, multimedia sexual health intervention consisting of five modules. The final sample (N = 202) completed the pretest, intervention, and posttest assessments. The primary study outcomes were sexual orientation identity and self-acceptance (e.g., coming-out self-efficacy), sexual health knowledge (e.g., sexual functioning), relationship variables (e.g., communication skills), and safer sex (e.g., sexual assertiveness). Analyses indicated that 15 of the 17 outcomes were found to be significant (p < .05). Effect sizes ranged from small for sexual orientation (e.g., internalized homophobia) and relationship variables (e.g., communication skills) to moderate for safer sex (e.g., contraceptive knowledge) outcomes. This study demonstrated the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of QSE, an innovative online comprehensive sexual health program for LGBT youth.

Developing a charter of physical activity and sport for children and youth.

PubMed

Parker, Robert J; Elliott, Elizabeth J; Georga, Adeli; Booth, Michael

2003-10-01

The purpose of this project was to develop a Charter of Physical Activity and Sport for Children and Youth. Its primary purpose is to provide a philosophical framework to support participation, enjoyment and safety in physical activity and sport for all Australian children and youth. The development of the charter was initiated by The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales (NSW) and was developed in consultation with 60 parent and community groups, sporting and recreational clubs and organisations, professional associations, schools, local and state government organisations and national sporting bodies. The charter emphasises that physical activity and sport should be a fundamental right of all children and youth; be enjoyable; enhance health and well-being; be available for children and youth with disabilities and chronic illness; include those who are geographically isolated; be safe and free from physical and psychological abuse; be free from exploitation for political, commercial or financial gain; avoid elitism; and be encouraged by a wide cross section of the community. Broad consensus has been reached by most organisations with a role or interest in child and youth sport and physical activity on the foundations for participation in these activities by young people living in NSW. Research and evaluation of practice in Australia is essential and will allow development of evidence-based guidelines for participation in physical activity and sport for young Australians, based on the philosophy of the charter.

Using media exposure to predict the initiation and persistence of youth alcohol use in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Fong-ching; Lee, Ching-mei; Chen, Ping-hung; Chiu, Chiung-hui; Miao, Nae-fang; Pan, Yun-chieh; Huang, Tzu-fu; Lee, Shu-ching

2014-05-01

Youth consumption of alcohol is a major public health problem in Taiwan, yet little research has been conducted to examine the potential influence of exposure to alcohol advertising. The present study examined the prospective influence that exposure to alcohol advertising has on the initiation and persistence of youthful drinking in Taiwan. A total of 2315 students from 26 high schools in Taipei, Taiwan were assessed in the 10th grade with follow-up conducted in the 11th grade. Self-administered questionnaires were collected in 2010 and 2011 to assess the patterns of change in youth alcohol drinking behaviors, media exposure to alcohol, and risk and protective factors. Of the 1712 non-drinking students in the 10th grade, 285 (16.6%) had initiated drinking by the 11th grade. Of the 590 drinkers in the 10th grade, 396 (67.1%) were persistently drinking by the 11th grade. Multivariate analysis results indicated that when other potential confounders were accounted for, greater media exposure to alcohol advertising in the 10th grade was found to be significantly associated with the initiation of alcohol use and when combined with an increase in media exposure from grades 10 to 11, this was significantly associated with the persistence of alcohol use. Exposure to alcohol advertising in the media was associated with both the initiation and the persistence of alcohol use by youth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Examining How Model Youth Sport Coaches Learn to Facilitate Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camiré, Martin; Trudel, Pierre; Forneris, Tanya

2014-01-01

Background: Research indicates that some youth sport coaches have specific strategies in their coaching plan to facilitate positive youth development (PYD) while others struggle in articulating how they promote the development of their athletes in actual practice. These variations can be largely attributed to the fact that coaching is a complex…

Youth Development: Issues, Challenges and Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaffe, Natalie, Ed.

The Youth Development Project was established in 1998 as a vehicle for taking stock of and charting the issues involved in healthy youth development. This volume summarizes the project's work through papers prepared for discussions in May and October 1998 and edited for this collection. The essays in this volume are organized by three theme…

Summer Camp and Positive Youth Development: Program with Romanian Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feenstra, Jennifer S.

2015-01-01

A variety of activities are used in camps to help promote positive youth development, improving social skills and self-esteem in campers. I expanded on previous camp research in this study to address the influence camps have on trust, belief in the honesty of others, empowerment, and care for others in youth in Eastern Europe. Since 1999, New…

Evaluating Youth Development Programs: Progress and Promise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Jodie L.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

2016-01-01

Advances in theories of adolescent development and positive youth development have greatly increased our understanding of how programs and practices with adolescents can impede or enhance their development. In this article the authors reflect on the progress in research on youth development programs in the last two decades, since possibly the…

Physical activity problem-solving inventory for adolescents: development and initial validation.

PubMed

Thompson, Debbe; Bhatt, Riddhi; Watson, Kathy

2013-08-01

Youth encounter physical activity barriers, often called problems. The purpose of problem solving is to generate solutions to overcome the barriers. Enhancing problem-solving ability may enable youth to be more physically active. Therefore, a method for reliably assessing physical activity problem-solving ability is needed. The purpose of this research was to report the development and initial validation of the physical activity problem-solving inventory for adolescents (PAPSIA). Qualitative and quantitative procedures were used. The social problem-solving inventory for adolescents guided the development of the PAPSIA scale. Youth (14- to 17-year-olds) were recruited using standard procedures, such as distributing flyers in the community and to organizations likely to be attended by adolescents. Cognitive interviews were conducted in person. Adolescents completed pen and paper versions of the questionnaire and/or scales assessing social desirability, self-reported physical activity, and physical activity self-efficacy. An expert panel review, cognitive interviews, and a pilot study (n = 129) established content validity. Construct, concurrent, and predictive validity were also established (n = 520 youth). PAPSIA is a promising measure for assessing youth physical activity problem-solving ability. Future research will assess its validity with objectively measured physical activity.

Finding Funding: A Guide to Federal Sources for Workforce Development Initiatives. Finding Funding Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Relave, Nannette

2005-01-01

This guide provides an overview of strategies for gaining access to and using federal funds, as well as a catalog of 87 funding sources that can potentially support workforce development initiatives for adults and youth. It is intended to help program developers, policy makers, and initiative leaders identify federal funding sources to support…

Net Generation of Youth: A Case Study of Students in a Technology-Based Youth Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Coran

2013-01-01

The purpose of this interpretive study was to understand how students made sense of their experiences in a technology-based youth development program. This study was framed by James P. Connell and Michelle A. Gambone's, Community Action Framework for Youth Development, conceptual model for understanding youth development that identifies the…

Intermediaries Supporting Sports-Based Youth Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wicks, Anne; Beedy, Jeffrey P.; Spangler, Kathy J.; Perkins, Daniel F.

2007-01-01

The authors describe intermediary organizations whose aim is to provide technical assistance to sports organizations about infusing a youth development emphasis into their programming. Team-Up for Youth, Sports PLUS Global, and the National Recreation and Park Association are the three organizations highlighted in this article. Team-Up for Youth's…

New on the Shelf: Teens in the Library--Summary of Key Findings from the Evaluation of Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development, A Wallace Foundation Initiative. Chapin Hall Discussion Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spielberger, Julie; Horton, Carol; Michels, Lisa

2004-01-01

Public libraries that engage and employ teenagers can realize mutual benefits, including meaningful activities for young people and strengthened ties between libraries and their communities. This report summarizes both the potential benefits and challenges learned from Wallace's Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development initiative. The…

Generational status and social factors predicting initiation of partnered sexual activity among Latino/a youth.

PubMed

Cabral, Patricia; Wallander, Jan L; Song, Anna V; Elliott, Marc N; Tortolero, Susan R; Reisner, Sari L; Schuster, Mark A

2017-02-01

Examine the longitudinal association of generational status (first = child and parent born outside the United States; second = child born in the United States, parent born outside the United States; third = child and parent born in the United States) and parent and peer social factors considered in 5th grade with subsequent oral, vaginal, and anal intercourse initiation by 7th and 10th grade among Latino/a youth. Using data from Latino/a participants (N = 1,790) in the Healthy Passages™ study, the authors measured generational status (first = 18.4%, second = 57.3%, third-generation = 24.3%) and parental (i.e., monitoring, involvement, nurturance) and peer (i.e., friendship quality, social interaction, peer norms) influences in 5th grade and oral, vaginal, and anal intercourse initiation by 7th and 10th (retention = 89%) grade. Among girls, parental monitoring, social interaction, friendship quality, and peer norms predicted sexual initiation. Among boys, parental involvement, social interaction, and peer norms predicted sexual initiation (ps < .05). When ≥1 friend was perceived to have initiated sexual intercourse, third-generation Latinas were more than twice as likely as first- and second-generation Latinas (ps < .05) to initiate vaginal intercourse by 10th grade and almost 5 times as likely as first-generation Latinas to initiate oral intercourse by 7th grade. Among Latina youth, generational status plays a role in social influences on vaginal and oral intercourse initiation. Moreover, Latinas and Latinos differ in which social influences predict sexual intercourse initiation. Preventive efforts for Latino/a youth may need to differ by gender and generational status. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Examples of Sports-Based Youth Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berlin, Richard A.; Dworkin, Aaron; Eames, Ned; Menconi, Arn; Perkins, Daniel F.

2007-01-01

The authors provide examples of sports-based youth development programs and offer information about program mission and vision, program design and content, evaluation results, and program sustainability. The four sports-based youth development programs presented are Harlem RBI, Tenacity, Snowsports Outreach Society, and Hoops & Leaders…

Youth-Led Decision Making in Community Development Grants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanchet-Cohen, Natasha; Manolson, Sarah; Shaw, Katie

2014-01-01

This study examines youth-led decision making (YLDM) among groups of youth who are providers or recipients of community development grants. Focus groups, interviews, and participant observation with 14- to 20-year-olds and supporting adults showed youth have a preference for consensus-based decisions. Youth used due process to reach decisions…

One chip at a time: using technology to enhance youth development.

PubMed

Cohall, Alwyn; Nshom, Montsine; Nye, Andrea

2007-08-01

Youth development programs have the potential to positively impact psychosocial growth and maturation in young adults. Several youth development programs are capitalizing on youths' natural gravitation toward technology as well. Research has shown that youth view technology and technologic literacy as positive and empowering, and that youth who master technology have increased self-esteem and better socioeconomic prospects than their counterparts. Technology-centered youth development programs offer a unique opportunity to engage youth, thereby extending their social networks, enhancing their access to information, building their self-esteem, and improving their self-efficacy. This article provides an overview of the intersection between youth development and technology and illustrates the ways technology can be used as a cutting-edge tool for youth development.

Positive Youth Development within a Family Leisure Context: Youth Perspectives of Family Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Peter J.; Zabriskie, Ramon B.

2011-01-01

Family leisure involvement may provide the first and most essential context for positive youth development in today's society. Similar to the broader ecological perspective used in the youth development literature, family systems theory suggests that each individual in the family influences the whole, while the whole family also influences each…

Incorporating the Performing Arts and Museum Exhibit Development in a Multidisciplinary Approach to Science Learning for Teenage Youth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porro, I.; Dussault, M.; Barros-Smith, R.; Wise, D.; LeBlanc, D.

2012-08-01

It is not unusual for science educators to experience frustration in implementing learning initiatives for teenage youth who are not already hooked with science. Such frustration may lead them to focus their attention on different audiences, missing an opportunity to break the chain of science apathy among these youth. Youth's apparent lack of interest in science is associated with behavior typical of adolescence and the inadequacy of many science programs to adapt to meet the need of this audience. Teenage youth identify effective programs as those that engage them in challenging but fun activities and that contribute to their social development. Youth are looking for opportunities for skills and knowledge development that are otherwise unavailable to them in or out of school, and for positive relationships with adults with unique expertise in science and other fields. The Youth Astronomy Apprenticeship (YAA) has been successful in reaching out to teenage youth through the implementation of a model that incorporates principles of positive youth development in a multidisciplinary approach to science education. The project-based outcome of YAA participation is the creation and implementation of artistic performances, planetarium shows, museum exhibits, and even entertaining PowerPoint presentations.

An Ecological Perspective on the Media and Youth Development.

PubMed

McHale, Susan M; Dotterer, Aryn; Kim, Ji-Yeon

2009-04-01

From an ecological perspective, daily activities are both a cause and a consequence of youth development. Research on youth activities directs attention to the processes through which daily activities may have an impact on youth, including: (a) providing chances to learn and practice skills; (b) serving as a forum for identity development; (c) affording opportunities to build social ties; (d) connecting youth to social institutions; and (e) keeping youth from engaging in other kinds of activities. Youth's daily activities, in turn, both influence and are influenced by the multi-layered ecology within which their lives are embedded, an ecology that ranges from the proximal contexts of everyday life (e.g., family, peer group) to the larger political, economic, legal and cultural contexts of the larger society. The paper concludes with consideration of methodological issues and directions for research on the media and youth development.

Rethinking sexual initiation: pathways to identity formation among gay and bisexual Mexican male youth.

PubMed

Carrillo, Héctor; Fontdevila, Jorge

2011-12-01

The topic of same-sex sexual initiation has generally remained understudied in the literature on sexual identity formation among sexual minority youth. This article analyzes the narratives of same-sex sexual initiation provided by 76 gay and bisexual Mexican immigrant men who participated in interviews for the Trayectos Study, an ethnographic study of sexuality and HIV risk. These participants were raised in a variety of locations throughout Mexico, where they also realized their same-sex attraction and initiated their sexual lives with men. We argue that Mexican male same-sex sexuality is characterized by three distinct patterns of sexual initiation--one heavily-based on gender roles, one based on homosociality, and one based on object choice--which inform the men's interpretations regarding sexual roles, partner preferences, and sexual behaviors. We analyzed the social factors and forms of cultural/sexual socialization that lead sexual minority youth specifically to each of these three patterns of sexual initiation. Our findings confirm the importance of studying same-sex sexual initiation as a topic in its own right, particularly as a tool to gain a greater understanding of the diversity of same-sex sexual experiences and sexual identities within and among ethnic/cultural groups.

Youth Monitoring and Self-Evaluation Services. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenton, Calvin W.

Youth monitoring and self evaluation services were developed for fourteen youth programs in the Eastern Region, the mid-Western Region and the Western Region of the United States. The concept of youth involvement is central to these fourteen projects. Youth involvement is defined as "initial participation by project beneficiaries in the…

Incidence and Risk Factors for Developing Diabetic Retinopathy Among Youth with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Throughout the United States

PubMed Central

Wang, Sophia Y.; Andrews, Chris A.; Herman, William H.; Gardner, Thomas W.; Stein, Joshua D.

2017-01-01

Objectives Despite the increasing prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among children and adolescents, little is known about their risk of developing diabetic retinopathy (DR). We sought to identify risk factors for DR in youth with DM, to compare DR rates for youth with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and T2DM, and to assess whether adherence to DR screening guidelines promoted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Diabetes Association adequately capture youth with DR. Design Retrospective observational longitudinal cohort study. Participants Youth aged ≤ 21 years with newly diagnosed T1DM or T2DM enrolled in a large U.S. managed care network. Main Outcome Measure Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for developing DR. Methods In this study of youth aged ≤ 21 years with newly diagnosed T1DM or T2DM enrolled in a large U.S. managed care network who were under ophthalmic surveillance, we identified the incidence and timing of DR onset for youth with T1DM and T2DM. Kaplan-Meier survival curves assessed the timing of initial diagnosis of DR for youth with each type of diabetes. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression modeling identified factors associated with the hazard of developing DR. Model predictors were age and calendar year at initial diabetes mellitus diagnosis, sex, race/ethnicity, net worth, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Results Among the 2240 youth with T1DM and 1768 youth with T2DM, 20.1% and 7.2% developed DR, over a median follow-up of 3.2 and 3.1 years, respectively. Survival curves demonstrated that youth with T1DM developed DR faster than youth with T2DM (P<0.0001). For every one-point increase in HbA1c, the hazard for DR increased by 20% (HR=1.20, CI 1.06–1.35) and 30% (HR=1.30, CI 1.08–1.56) among youth with T1DM and T2DM, respectively. Current guidelines suggest ophthalmic screening begin 3–5 years after initial DM diagnosis, at which point in our

Recreation as a Component of the Community Youth Development System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Outley, Corliss; Bocarro, Jason N.; Boleman, Chris T.

2011-01-01

Youth today develop within nested systems that either positively or negatively influence their development. Recent research shows that American youth have made tremendous progress: fewer teen births, fewer youth who are heavy drinkers or smokers, and more students completing high school. However, data also indicate that the number of youth living…

Inner-City Youth Development Organizations: Strengthening Programs for Adolescent Girls

PubMed Central

Hirsch, Barton J.; Roffman, Jennifer G.; Deutsch, Nancy L.; Flynn, Cathy A.; Loder, Tondra L.; Pagano, Maria E.

2012-01-01

The challenges of early adolescence are intensified for girls of color who live in disadvantaged urban communities. One response to the needs of these girls comes from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), a youth development organization that has a long-standing presence in inner-city neighborhoods. A gender equity initiative designed to strengthen programming for minority girls at a BGCA affiliate in a major urban center was examined. Drawing on initial qualitative findings, a conceptual framework is presented for understanding the ways in which the clubs can affect urban early adolescent girls’ self-esteem. Several strategic choices confronting this initiative then are considered. The authors emphasize the creation of a “home place” that enables the development of self via organizational responsiveness to girls’ voices, strong bonds between girls and staff, adaptive peer friendship cliques, and the development of programs that fuse the interests of girls and adult staff. PMID:23565020

"Stay away from them until you're old enough to make a decision": tobacco company testimony about youth smoking initiation.

PubMed

Wakefield, Melanie; McLeod, Kim; Perry, Cheryl L

2006-12-01

To determine common themes used by US tobacco industry witnesses pertaining to youth smoking initiation during litigation in the United States. Qualitative thematic analysis of transcripts from 29 tobacco litigation cases dating from 1992 to 2002. Youth smoking is portrayed by the tobacco industry as a source of great concern to them. Youth smoking prevention programmes developed by US tobacco companies are supposedly intended to delay decision-making about smoking until age 18, when individuals are then seen to be of an age where they are able to "choose to smoke". Tobacco industry media campaigns, youth access, community and school-based programmes are predicated on peer influence, parental factors, and commercial access being the primary influences on youth smoking uptake, rather than tobacco marketing, inaccurate risk appraisal, price and other factors known to influence youth smoking. Despite substantial financial investment in tobacco industry programmes, their witnesses were able to describe only weak evaluation methods, being preoccupied with measures of message comprehension, programme reach and uptake, and the associated costs of their efforts, rather than any evaluation designed to assess effects on youth smoking behaviour. Stated concerns about youth smoking and youth smoking prevention programmes are put forward in litigation as evidence that the tobacco industry is "serious" about tackling youth smoking, and serve as a primary strategy to improve the tobacco industry's public image. The tobacco industry's evaluation of the effectiveness of their youth smoking prevention programmes is demonstrably insufficient under current public health evaluation standards. Public health and welfare agencies should avoid engagement with tobacco industry-sponsored programmes.

Seeking and Finding Positive Youth Development Among Zulu Youth in South African Townships.

PubMed

Schwartz, Kelly D; Theron, Linda C; Scales, Peter C

2017-07-01

A cross-sectional study explored the presence and power of developmental assets in a sample of youth from rural South African townships. Learners (female = 58%; M age  = 17.1; N = 505) attending three township high schools completed self-report measures of developmental assets and thriving outcomes. Participants reported contextual assets (e.g., family, school, community) in the vulnerable ranges, with gender, family structure, and school type accounting for some differences. Correlation and regression analyses revealed that five asset contexts (family, school, community, personal, social) were uniquely predictive of thriving outcomes. Discussion focuses on contextual expressions of positive youth development among Zulu township youth in challenging environments. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

An Ecological Perspective on the Media and Youth Development

PubMed Central

McHale, Susan M.; Dotterer, Aryn; Kim, Ji-Yeon

2011-01-01

From an ecological perspective, daily activities are both a cause and a consequence of youth development. Research on youth activities directs attention to the processes through which daily activities may have an impact on youth, including: (a) providing chances to learn and practice skills; (b) serving as a forum for identity development; (c) affording opportunities to build social ties; (d) connecting youth to social institutions; and (e) keeping youth from engaging in other kinds of activities. Youth’s daily activities, in turn, both influence and are influenced by the multi-layered ecology within which their lives are embedded, an ecology that ranges from the proximal contexts of everyday life (e.g., family, peer group) to the larger political, economic, legal and cultural contexts of the larger society. The paper concludes with consideration of methodological issues and directions for research on the media and youth development. PMID:22247564

Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development: Lessons and Voices from the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yohalem, Nicole; Pittman, Karen

2003-01-01

"Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development: Lessons and Voices from the Field," published by the Forum in partnership with the Urban Libraries Council, captures key challenges and lessons learned from an innovative, four-year initiative sponsored by the Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds that awarded six million dollars to nine…

Rethinking Sexual Initiation: Pathways to Identity Formation among Gay and Bisexual Mexican Male Youth

PubMed Central

Carrillo, Héctor; Fontdevila, Jorge

2010-01-01

The topic of same-sex sexual initiation has generally remained understudied in the literature on sexual identity formation among sexual minority youth. This article analyzed the narratives of same-sex sexual initiation provided by 76 gay and bisexual Mexican immigrant men who participated in interviews for the Trayectos Study, an ethnographic study of sexuality and HIV risk. These participants were raised in a variety of locations throughout Mexico, where they also realized their same-sex attraction and initiated their sexual lives with men. We argue that Mexican male same-sex sexuality is characterized by three distinct patterns of sexual initiation-- one heavily-based on gender roles, one based on homosociality, and one based on object choice-- which inform the men’s interpretations regarding sexual roles, partner preferences, and sexual behaviors. We analyzed the social factors and forms of cultural/sexual socialization that lead sexual minority youth specifically to each of these three patterns of sexual initiation. Our findings confirm the importance of studying same-sex sexual initiation as a topic in its own right, particularly as a tool to gain a greater understanding of the diversity of same-sex sexual experiences and sexual identities within and among ethnic/cultural groups. PMID:20838869

Is Exposure to Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship Associated with Initiation of Tobacco Use among Current Tobacco Users in Youth in India?

PubMed

Sardana, Mohini; Goel, Sonu; Gupta, Madhu; Sardana, Veera; Singh, B S

2015-01-01

The rise in consumption of tobacco products among youth is a public health concern in India. Several studies have shown that advertisements promoting tobacco products influence decisions and behaviour of youth towards smoking. To ascertain which method of Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) was more influential for initiating tobacco use in youth in India. The secondary data of youth (15-24 years) from nationally representative Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) conducted in 2009-2010 was analyzed. Odds ratio and p-value were used to know the association between TAPS and initiation of use of tobacco products among youth. Logistic regression was used to determine the most significant means of TAPS altering the youth's behaviour towards tobacco products. Out of 13,383 youths, 1,982 (14.7%) used smokeless forms of tobacco and 860 (6.38%) used smoke forms. Logistic regression reveals that promotional activities mainly through cinemas (p<0.05) and providing free samples of tobacco products (p<=.001) were most influential means of initiating consumption of tobacco products among youth. The smoking in youth is associated with watching advertisements particularly in cinema and promotional activities like distribution of free samples, coupons and sales on the price of tobacco products. Stronger legislative measures should be enforced to curb promotional advertisements in cinemas and distribution of free samples.

Development of measures to evaluate youth advocacy for obesity prevention.

PubMed

Millstein, Rachel A; Woodruff, Susan I; Linton, Leslie S; Edwards, Christine C; Sallis, James F

2016-07-26

Youth advocacy has been successfully used in substance use prevention but is a novel strategy in obesity prevention. As a precondition for building an evidence base for youth advocacy for obesity prevention, the present study aimed to develop and evaluate measures of youth advocacy mediator, process, and outcome variables. The Youth Engagement and Action for Health (YEAH!) program (San Diego County, CA) engaged youth and adult group leaders in advocacy for school and neighborhood improvements to nutrition and physical activity environments. Based on a model of youth advocacy, scales were developed to assess mediators, intervention processes, and proximal outcomes of youth advocacy for obesity prevention. Youth (baseline n = 136) and adult group leaders (baseline n = 47) completed surveys before and after advocacy projects. With baseline data, we created youth advocacy and adult leadership subscales using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and described their psychometric properties. Youth came from 21 groups, were ages 9-22, and most were female. Most youth were non-White, and the largest ethnic group was Hispanic/Latino (35.6%). The proposed factor structure held for most (14/20 youth and 1/2 adult) subscales. Modifications were necessary for 6 of the originally proposed 20 youth and 1 of the 2 adult multi-item subscales, which involved splitting larger subscales into two components and dropping low-performing items. Internally consistent scales to assess mediators, intervention processes, and proximal outcomes of youth advocacy for obesity prevention were developed. The resulting scales can be used in future studies to evaluate youth advocacy programs.

[Identification of Positive Youth Development Interventions].

PubMed

Sardiñas, Lili M; Padilla, Viviana; Aponte, Mari; Boscio, Ana Morales; Pedrogo, Coralee Pérez; Santiago, Betzaida; Morales, Ángela Pérez; Dávila, Paloma Torres; Cesáreo, Marizaida Sánchez

2017-01-01

There are more people in the world in the youth stage of development than in any other stage of development. The youth in Puerto Rico faces many situations that affect their development and readiness for adulthood. Therefore, it's imperative to identify evidence-based positive youth development interventions to develop practices that help young people prevent adverse situations, promote positive experiences and encourage children and young people to be involved and committed. One hundred and forty seven interventions were identified through a traditional scientific literature review. The results reflect that the interventions mainly focused on reducing risk factors and increasing of protection factors. However, no intervention focus on fully engaging children and young people to be involved and committed to their optimal development and to their communities. Nevertheless, all identified interventions providDe tools that could be useful to foster such practices in the context of Puerto Rico. Of the 147 interventions identified, six are designed for the Puerto Rican population residing on the island. In order to make information accessible to professionals and the community, the collection of the Archivo de Programas y Prácticas Basadas en Evidencia para la Prevención has been expanded.

Growth-promoting relationships with children and youth.

PubMed

Spencer, Renée; Rhodes, Jean E

2014-12-01

At the heart of afterschool programs are the relationships that form between the children and youth who participate in these programs and the adults who lead them. To be effective, adults working in afterschool settings must be able to engage youth in growth-promoting relationships. This article identifies and describes four foundational ways of interacting with youth that foster the development of such relationships-engaging in warm and emotionally supportive connections, providing developmentally appropriate structure and support, cultivating and responding to youth initiative, and scaffolding and propelling youth learning and skill development. © 2014 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Eco-Transactional Influences on Sociopolitical Youth Development Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Ira E.

2017-01-01

An emerging and growing body of research has clearly established the importance of youth building sociopolitical consciousness in order to be more democratically engaged citizens. An overwhelming amount of sociopolitical youth development work occurs outside of school. Much of the research on this work has focused on youth outcomes, and we know…

Missing in the youth development literature: the organization as host, cage, and promise.

PubMed

Roholt, Ross VeLure; Baizerman, Michael; Rana, Sheetal; Korum, Kathy

2013-01-01

Good, high-quality youth development programs require effective youth organizations. While youth organizations are commonly understood as valuable and supportive of healthy youth development, attention and focus on youth organizations in both scholarship and practice are missing within the youth development field. The authors advocate for a more distinct and clearer focus on youth organizations to foster positive youth development. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Ambulatory Physical Activity Performance in Youth With Cerebral Palsy and Youth Who Are Developing Typically

PubMed Central

Bjornson, Kristie F; Belza, Basia; Kartin, Deborah; Logsdon, Rebecca; McLaughlin, John F

2007-01-01

Background and Purpose Assessment of walking activity in youth with cerebral palsy (CP) has traditionally been “capacity-based.” The purpose of this study was to describe the day-to-day ambulatory activity “performance” of youth with CP compared with youth who were developing typically. Subjects Eighty-one youth with CP, aged 10 to 13 years, who were categorized as being in Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I to III and 30 age-matched youth who were developing typically were recruited. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, participants wore the StepWatch monitor for 7 days while documenting average daily total step counts, percentage of all time active, ratio of medium to low activity levels, and percentage of time at high activity levels. Results The youth with CP demonstrated significantly lower levels of all outcomes than the comparison group. Discussion and Conclusion Daily walking activity and variability decreased as functional walking level (GMFCS level) decreased. Ambulatory activity performance within the context of the daily life for youth with CP appears valid and feasible as an outcome for mobility interventions in CP. PMID:17244693

Social Capital and Youth Development: Toward a Typology of Program Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emery, Mary

2013-01-01

As part of our inquiry into how youth development and 4-H programming can affect the development of social capital for youth and for the community, we engaged youth in ripple mapping. Based on this information, we provide a typology of participation structures in youth development activities and the expected bridging and bonding social capital…

Incidence and Risk Factors for Developing Diabetic Retinopathy among Youths with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes throughout the United States.

PubMed

Wang, Sophia Y; Andrews, Chris A; Herman, William H; Gardner, Thomas W; Stein, Joshua D

2017-04-01

Despite the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among children and adolescents, little is known about their risk of developing diabetic retinopathy (DR). We sought to identify risk factors for DR in youths with diabetes mellitus, to compare DR rates for youths with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and those with T2DM, and to assess whether adherence to DR screening guidelines promoted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Diabetes Association adequately capture youths with DR. Retrospective observational longitudinal cohort study. Youths aged ≤21 years with newly diagnosed T1DM or T2DM who were enrolled in a large US managed-care network. In this study of youths aged ≤21 years with newly diagnosed T1DM or T2DM who were under ophthalmic surveillance, we identified the incidence and timing of DR onset. Kaplan-Meier survival curves assessed the timing of initial diagnosis of DR for participants. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression modeling identified factors associated with the hazard of developing DR. Model predictors were age and calendar year at initial diabetes mellitus diagnosis, sex, race/ethnicity, net worth, and glycated hemoglobin A 1c fraction (HbA 1c ). Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for developing DR. Among the 2240 youths with T1DM and 1768 youths with T2DM, 20.1% and 7.2% developed DR over a median follow-up time of 3.2 and 3.1 years, respectively. Survival curves demonstrated that youths with T1DM developed DR faster than youths with T2DM (P < 0.0001). For every 1-point increase in HbA 1c , the hazard for DR increased by 20% (HR = 1.20; 95% CI 1.06-1.35) and 30% (HR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.08-1.56) among youths with T1DM and T2DM, respectively. Current guidelines suggest that ophthalmic screening begin 3 to 5 years after initial diabetes mellitus diagnosis, at which point in our study, >18% of youths with T1DM had already received ≥1 DR diagnosis

Do Video Games Promote Positive Youth Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adachi, Paul J. C.; Willoughby, Teena

2013-01-01

We argue that video game play may meet Larson's (2000) criteria for fostering initiative in youth, and thus, may be related to positive outcomes such as flow, cooperation, problem solving, and reduced in-group bias. However, developmental and social psychologists examining adolescent video game use have focused heavily on how video games are…

Episodic Life Stress and the Development of Overgeneral Autobiographical Memory to Positive Cues in Youth.

PubMed

Feurer, Cope; Woody, Mary L; Tsypes, Aliona; Burkhouse, Katie L; Champagne, Katelynn; Gibb, Brandon E

2018-02-15

Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) has been established as a risk factor for depression in both youth and adults, but questions remain as to how OGM develops. Although theorists have proposed that the experience of stressful life events may contribute to the development of OGM, no studies have examined the impact of negative life events on prospective changes in OGM. The goal of the current study was to address this gap in the literature. Participants included 251 mothers and their biological children (aged 8-14 years old at the initial assessment). Using a multi-wave prospective design with assessments every 6 months for 2 years, we found that episodic life stress predicted prospective decreases in youths' autobiographical memory specificity to positive, but not negative, cues. This study supports theories proposing that negative life events may contribute to the development of OGM, but suggest that, in youth, the impact of life stress on OGM may be specific to positive rather than negative memories.

Youth-Initiated HIV Risk and Substance Use Prevention Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goggin, K.; Metcalf, K.; Wise, D.; Kennedy, S.; Murray, T.; Burgess, D.; Reese-Smith, J.; Terhune, N.; Broadus, K.; Downes, A.; Buckendahl, H.

This study evaluates the first year of a novel HIV and substance use prevention program for inner city youth (Offering New Youth eXperiences--ONYX). Baseline and follow-up measures of knowledge, attitudes, and risk behaviors were administered seven months apart to 441 youth participating in the ONYX program. Youth (n=71) who provided data at both…

Effects of the "Positive Action" Program on Indicators of Positive Youth Development among Urban Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Kendra M.; Vuchinich, Samuel; Ji, Peter; DuBois, David L.; Acock, Alan; Bavarian, Niloofar; Day, Joseph; Silverthorn, Naida; Flay, Brian R.

2016-01-01

This study evaluated effects of "Positive Action," a school-based social-emotional and character development intervention, on indicators of positive youth development (PYD) among a sample of low-income, ethnic minority youth attending 14 urban schools. The study used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled design at the school…

Missing in the Youth Development Literature: The Organization as Host, Cage, and Promise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roholt, Ross VeLure; Baizerman, Michael; Rana, Sheetal; Korum, Kathy

2013-01-01

Good, high-quality youth development programs require effective youth organizations. While youth organizations are commonly understood as valuable and supportive of healthy youth development, attention and focus on youth organizations in both scholarship and practice are missing within the youth development field. The authors advocate for a more…

Autonomic arousal in anxious and typically developing youth during a stressor involving error feedback.

PubMed

Rozenman, Michelle; Sturm, Alexandra; McCracken, James T; Piacentini, John

2017-12-01

Anxiety has been proposed to influence psychophysiological reactivity in children and adolescents. However, the extant empirical literature has not always found physiological reactivity to be associated with anxiety in youth. Further, most investigations have not examined psychophysiological reactivity in real time over the course of acute stress. To test the impact of anxiety disorder status on autonomic arousal in youth, we compared youth with primary anxiety disorders (N = 24) to typically developing (TD) youth (N = 22) on heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during an acute stressor in which youth received error-related feedback. We also conducted exploratory analyses on youth performance during the task. Youth ages 9-17 participated in the arithmetic portion of the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (Buske-Kirschbaum et al., Psychosom 59:419-426, 1997), during which time they received consecutive, standardized feedback that they made calculation errors. Results indicated that, compared to their TD counterparts, the anxious group demonstrated elevated HR and suppressed HRV during initial provision of error feedback and during the recovery period. No group differences were found for RSA. Additionally, overall TD youth made a greater proportion of errors than anxious youth. Clinically, these findings may provide preliminary support for anxious youth exhibiting physiological reactivity in response to receipt of error-related feedback, and may have implications for understanding biological processes during stress. This work underscores the need for further study of when and how anxiety may influence autonomic reactivity over the course of stress.

Social capital and youth development: toward a typology of program practices.

PubMed

Emery, Mary

2013-06-01

As part of our inquiry into how youth development and 4-H programming can affect the development of social capital for youth and for the community, we engaged youth in ripple mapping. Based on this information, we provide a typology of participation structures in youth development activities and the expected bridging and bonding social capital outcomes for each type. This article outlines the key factors underlying the typology and discusses strategies for using the typology to expand the impact of youth development and 4-H programming on young people and communities. It also outlines potential implications for increasing opportunities for fostering social capital leading to a spiraling-up effect for youth, volunteers, and the community. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Problematizing Diversity Initiatives: Japanese American Youth Identities and the Politics of Representation with/in School Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Endo, Rachel

2014-01-01

This article reports on a case study that investigated how six Japanese American youth interpreted the effectiveness and relevance of extra-curricular diversity initiatives at their Midwestern middle and secondary public schools. These initiatives were intended to raise cultural awareness, but ultimately promoted cultural fetishism and racially…

Youth Development Needs and Capacities in the District of Columbia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cave, George

This report examines, ward-by-ward, indicators of need for youth development services in the District of Columbia (DC), including high school dropout rates, unemployment, poverty, involvement with the criminal justice system, teen parenting, and youth mortality. It discusses capacity to provide various youth development services to address those…

Positive Youth Development and Resilience: Growth Patterns of Social Skills Among Youth Investigated for Maltreatment.

PubMed

Oshri, Assaf; Topple, Trasie A; Carlson, Matthew W

2017-07-01

Maltreated children are a vulnerable population, yet many of these youth follow positive developmental pathways. The primary aim was to identify social skills growth trajectories among at-risk youth to understand processes underlying resilience. Nationally representative, longitudinal data from 1,179 families investigated for child maltreatment (M age  = 12.75) were obtained from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. Four trajectories were identified-stress-resistant, emergent resilience, breakdown, and unresponsive-maladaptive. Protective resources from multiple levels of the youth ecology (individual, family, school, and social service) predicted positive growth social skills trajectories. Resilience process and attendant positive outcomes in multiple domains of functioning were evident among the stress-resistant and emergent resilience trajectories. Results underscore the saliency of social skills development for resilient outcomes in youth. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

A Competency-Based Model for Youth Leadership Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seemiller, Corey

2018-01-01

Whether they are in a leadership program, participate in an organization, or engage in school-based extra-curricular activities, there does not appear to be a shortage of leadership development opportunities for youth. Despite the prominence of these experiences, the lack of youth leadership development models available for educators can pose a…

Cumulative Risk for Early Sexual Initiation among American Indian Youth: A Discrete-Time Survival Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Christina M.; Whitesell, Nancy Rumbaugh; Spicer, Paul; Beals, Janette; Kaufman, Carol E.

2007-01-01

Approximately 3 million teens are diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) annually; STDs rates for American Indian young adults are among the highest of any racial/ethnic group. An important risk factor for STDs is early initiation of sex. In this study, we examined risk for early initiation with 474 American Indian youth ages 14-18,…

Employer's Pocket Guide on Youth Employment. Youth Rules!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Labor, 2004

2004-01-01

Through the YouthRules! initiative, the U.S. Department of Labor and its strategic partners seek to promote positive and safe work experiences for young workers. YouthRules! strives to educate teens, parents, educators, employers and the public on Federal and State rules regarding young workers. Components of the initiative include a website…

Youth Development in After-School Leisure Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Denise M.; Gottfredson, Denise C.; Cross, Amanda B.; Rorie, Melissa; Connell, Nadine

2010-01-01

Leisure activities that occur outside of the school hours may facilitate positive youth development.The experiences of youth in three categories of activities (basketball and football, other sports, and nonsports) are examined in this study. Based on prior research, it is hypothesized that students participating in basketball and football will…

Comparison of Positive Youth Development for Youth With Chronic Conditions With Healthy Peers.

PubMed

Maslow, Gary R; Hill, Sherika N; Pollock, McLean D

2016-12-01

Adolescents with childhood-onset chronic condition (COCC) are at increased risk for physical and psychological problems. Despite being at greater risk and having to deal with traumatic experiences and uncertainty, most adolescents with COCC do well across many domains. The Positive Youth Development (PYD) perspective provides a framework for examining thriving in youth and has been useful in understanding positive outcomes for general populations of youth as well as at-risk youth. This study aimed to compare levels of PYD assets between youth with COCC and youth without illness. Participants with COCC were recruited from specialty pediatric clinics while healthy participants were recruited from a large pediatric primary care practice. Inclusion criteria for participants included being (1) English speaking, (2) no documented intellectual disability in electronic medical record, and (3) aged between 13 and 18 years during the recruitment period. Univariate and bivariate analyses on key variables were conducted for adolescents with and without COCC. Finally, we performed multivariable linear regressions for PYD and its subdomains. There were no significant differences between overall PYD or any of the subdomains between the two groups. Multivariable linear regression models showed no statistically significant relationship between chronic condition status and PYD or the subdomains. The findings from this study support the application of the PYD perspective to this population of youth. The results of this study suggest that approaches shown to benefit healthy youth, could be used to promote positive outcomes for youth with COCC. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring sport experiences in children and youth to better understand the impact of sport on health and positive youth development: designing a brief measure for population health surveys.

PubMed

Cairney, John; Clark, Heather J; Kwan, Matthew Y W; Bruner, Mark; Tamminen, Katherine

2018-04-03

Despite the proliferation of studies examining youth sport participation, there are significant gaps in knowledge regarding the impact of youth sport participation on health and development. These gaps are not new, but have persisted due to limitations with how sport participation is measured. Much of the research to date has measured sport participation as binary (yes/no) or count measures. This has been especially true in survey-based research. Yet, at the same time, research has investigated youths' experiences in sport such as the influence of coaches, teammates, and parents. The ability to measure these experiences is constrained by the need to use a number of measures along with gaps in the content covered in existing measures. We propose to develop and test the Sport Experiences Measure: Children and Youth (SEM:CY) as a population survey-based measure that captures the salient aspects of youths' experience in sport. The SEM:CY will be developed and tested across three phases. Phase I includes qualitative research with members of the sport community and engagement with an expert group to generate and obtain feedback on the initial item pool. In Phase II will recruit two consecutive samples of students from schools to complete the draft measure. Analysis will focus on assessing the items and factor structure of the measure. Factor structure will be assessed first with exploratory factor analysis and then confirmatory factor analysis. In phase III we will test the association between the SEM:CY with a measure of perceived competence, sport anxiety, and positive youth development to assess construct validity. We will also examine whether the structure of the measure varies by age or gender. The SEM:CY measure will provide a meaningful contribution to the measurement and understanding of youth sport participation. The SEM:CY can be used as a stand-alone measure to understand youth experiences in sport programs, or in combination with other health and development

Youth development and the camp experience.

PubMed

Garst, Barry A; Browne, Laurie P; Bialeschki, M Deborah

2011-01-01

The organized camp experience has been an important part of the lives of children, youth, and adults for over 150 years. The camp experience is a way for young people to explore and search for an authenticity often missing in other parts of their lives that contributes to their healthy transition into adulthood. Over the past decade, tremendous growth in the volume and rigor of camp-related research has occurred, facilitated by a targeted research agenda conducted by the American Camp Association. This agenda was founded on three national research projects conducted between 2003 and 2007: a study to identify the developmental outcomes of the camp experience, a benchmarking study of the youth development supports and opportunities provided through camp experiences, and a program improvement project directed toward enhancing supports and opportunities provided by camps. The findings from these research projects suggest that camp experiences promote developmental outcomes in both campers and staff and that camps provide the supports and opportunities needed for positive youth development. This article explores the developmental outcomes of the camp experience and the characteristics of the supports and opportunities afforded by camp experiences, including settings, structures, and programs and activities, as a way to provide a clearer understanding of camp as a positive youth development setting. Innovations and opportunities in research related to the provision of quality camp experiences are also considered. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Economic Development through Youth. A Program for Schools and Communities. Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nolen, Lori

This manual is designed to help teachers, businesses, Chambers of Commerce, and students start their own economic development activities and youth ventures. It describes a two-step plan to economic development through youth: development of an in-school student chamber of commerce program and development of a youth-owned venture. The first part of…

Salaries and Benefits in the Youth Development Field, 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Collaboration for Youth, Washington, DC.

The National Collaboration for Youth is a coalition of 17 of the largest national youth-serving organizations in the United States. Comparative data on community-based, youth-development organizations has been lacking. This report presents findings of a study that measured the compensation, benefits, minimum educational requirements, number of…

The development of a gender identity psychosocial clinic: treatment issues, logistical considerations, interdisciplinary cooperation, and future initiatives.

PubMed

Leibowitz, Scott F; Spack, Norman P

2011-10-01

Few interdisciplinary treatment programs that tend to the needs of youth with gender nonconforming behaviors, expressions, and identities exist in academic medical centers with formal residency training programs. Despite this, the literature provides evidence that these youth have higher rates of poor psychosocial adjustment and suicide attempts. This article explores the logistical considerations involved in developing a specialized interdisciplinary service to these gender minority youth in accordance with the existing treatment guidelines.Demographic data will be presented and treatment issues will be explored. The impact that a specialized interdisciplinary treatment program has on clinical expansion, research development, education and training, and community outreach initiatives is discussed.

Healthy & Empowered Youth: A Positive Youth Development Program for Native Youth.

PubMed

Rushing, Stephanie N Craig; Hildebrandt, Nichole L; Grimes, Carol J; Rowsell, Amanda J; Christensen, Benjamin C; Lambert, William E

2017-03-01

During 2010-2012, Oregon Health & Science University's Prevention Research Center, a Northwest Tribe, and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, collaborated to evaluate the Healthy & Empowered Youth Project, a school- and community-based positive youth development program for American Indian and Alaska Native high school students. The Native STAND (Students Together Against Negative Decisions) curriculum was enhanced with hands-on learning activities in media design to engage students in sexual and reproductive health topics covered by the curriculum. Guest speakers, field trips, and extracurricular activities were added to provide academic enrichment, engage students in cultural activities, and offer opportunities for career development. Students completed comprehensive pre- and post-surveys, and the authors conducted focus groups and key informant interviews with students and teachers. Data analysis was conducted during 2013-2014. Survey findings demonstrated improvements in student leadership and achievement, physical and mental health, and protective sexual health behaviors. The percentage of female teens reporting use of a condom the last time they had sex increased from 17% to 30%, and those who reported ever having been tested for sexually transmitted illnesses doubled from 12% to 24%. Focus group and interview findings indicated similar improvements in student self-esteem, life skills, health behavior, and engagement in community. The Healthy & Empowered Youth Project educated and empowered Native high school students on a variety of sensitive health topics. The media enhancements were central to the program's success, reinforcing and personalizing classroom lessons and generating health-related videos and posters that resonated with family and friends. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Initiation of Substance Use by Adolescents after One Year in Residential Youth Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monshouwer, Karin; Kepper, Annelies; van den Eijnden, Regina; Koning, Ina; Vollebergh, Wilma

2015-01-01

Background: Several studies have shown that substance use levels among adolescents living in residential youth care are high. However, it is not clear to what extent adolescents initiate (heavy) substance during their stay and to what extent these rates are higher than would be expected based on their risk profile. Objective: The aim of the…

Putting Youth Development into Practice: Learning from an Innovative Fellowship Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Robert L.; Craven, Monica A. G.; Heilbron, Patricia

2011-01-01

Professionals who work with youth can have a tremendous impact on the development and life trajectory of these young people. This article reports on an effort to provide support and professional development for those who work with youth during nonschool hours in a youth development fellowship program. Combining intensive residency workshops and a…

The Perceived Importance of Youth Educator's Confidence in Delivering Leadership Development Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brumbaugh, Laura; Cater, Melissa

2016-01-01

A successful component of programs designed to deliver youth leadership develop programs are youth educators who understand the importance of utilizing research-based information and seeking professional development opportunities. The purpose of this study was to determine youth educator's perceived confidence in leading youth leadership…

The initiation of homeless youth into the street economy.

PubMed

Gwadz, Marya Viorst; Gostnell, Karla; Smolenski, Carol; Willis, Brian; Nish, David; Nolan, Theresa C; Tharaken, Maya; Ritchie, Amanda S

2009-04-01

Homeless youth (HY) who lack employment in the formal economy typically turn to the street economy (e.g., prostitution, drug selling) for survival. Guided by the theory of social control, the present paper explores factors influencing HY's initiation into the street economy. Eighty HY (ages 15-23) were recruited from four community-based organizations. All participated in structured interviews and 25% participated in qualitative interviews. Almost all HY had participated in the street (81%) and formal economies (69%). Five main factors simultaneously influenced initiation into the street economy: social control/bonds, barriers to the formal economy (e.g., homelessness, educational deficits, mental health problems, incarceration, stigma), tangible and social/emotional benefits of the street economy, severe economic need, and the active recruitment of HY into the street economy by others. Qualitative and quantitative data sources were congruent. Intervention efforts are needed at multiple levels of influence to promote HY's success in the formal economy.

Meeting the needs of a community: teaching evidence-based youth violence prevention initiatives to members of strategic communities.

PubMed

Ruffolo, Daria C; Andresen, Pamela A; Winn, Keith L

2013-01-01

Youth violence is among the most serious health threats in the nation today. Violence disproportionately affects young people and people of color. Although the national rates of violent injury and homicide have shown a decline in most regions of the United States over the past 15 years, the rates of violence and related injuries among youth remain unacceptably high. The prevention of youth violence has been a priority of health departments nationwide, including the Cook County Department of Public Health. The goal of this project was to provide key community leaders, social service workers, and nurses within suburban Cook County with educational sessions on Blueprints for Violence Prevention, an initiative to promote evidence-based youth violence prevention programs.

Evaluation of "The First Tee" in Promoting Positive Youth Development: Group Comparisons and Longitudinal Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Maureen R.; Bolter, Nicole D.; Kipp, Lindsay E.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This manuscript represents the 3rd in a series of articles documenting our longitudinal evaluation of "The First Tee," a physical activity-based youth development program that uses golf as a vehicle for teaching life skills and enhancing developmental outcomes. Previous phases of our project: (a) established initial data-based…

Advertising Receptivity and Youth Initiation of Smokeless Tobacco.

PubMed

Timberlake, David S

2016-07-28

Cross-sectional data suggests that adolescents' receptivity to the advertising of smokeless tobacco is correlated with use of chewing tobacco or snuff. Lack of longitudinal data has precluded determination of whether advertising receptivity precedes or follows initiation of smokeless tobacco. The objective of this study was to test for the association between advertising receptivity and subsequent initiation of smokeless tobacco among adolescent males. Adolescent males from the 1993-1999 Teen Longitudinal California Tobacco Survey were selected at the baseline survey for never having used smokeless tobacco. Separate longitudinal analyses corresponded to two dependent variables, ever use of smokeless tobacco (1993-1996; N = 1,388) and use on 20 or more occasions (1993-1999; N = 1,014). Models were adjusted for demographic variables, risk factors for smokeless tobacco use, and exposure to users of smokeless tobacco. Advertising receptivity at baseline was predictive of ever use by late adolescence (RR(95% CI) = 2.0 (1.5, 2.8)) and regular use by young adulthood (RR(95% CI) = 3.7 (2.1, 6.7)) in models that were adjusted for covariates. Conclusions/ Importance: The findings challenge the tobacco industry's assertion that tobacco marketing does not impact youth initiation. This is particularly relevant to tobacco control in the United States because the 2009 Tobacco Control Act places fewer restrictions on smokeless tobacco products compared to cigarettes.

Discussions with adults and youth to inform the development of a community-based tobacco control programme

PubMed Central

Arora, Monika; Tewari, Abha; Dhavan, Poonam; Nazar, Gaurang P.; Stigler, Melissa H.; Juneja, Neeru S.; Perry, Cheryl L.; Reddy, K. Srinath

2013-01-01

Project Advancing Cessation of Tobacco in Vulnerable Indian Tobacco Consuming Youth (ACTIVITY) is a community-based group randomized intervention trial focused on disadvantaged youth (aged 10–19 years) residing in 14 low-income communities (slums and resettlement colonies) in Delhi, India. This article discusses the findings of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) conducted to inform the development and test the appropriateness of Project ACTIVITY’s intervention model. The findings of the FGDs facilitated the understanding of factors contributing to increased tobacco uptake and cessation (both smoking and smokeless tobacco) among youth in this setting. Twenty-two FGDs were conducted with youth (10–19 years) and adults in two urban slums in Delhi. Key findings revealed: (i) youth and adults had limited knowledge about long-term health consequences of tobacco use; (ii) socio-environmental determinants and peer pressure were important variables influencing initiation of tobacco use; (iii) lack of motivation, support and sufficient skills hinder tobacco cessation and (iv) active involvement of community, family, religious leaders, local policy makers and health professionals is important in creating and reinforcing tobacco-free norms. The results of these FGDs aided in finalizing the intervention model for Project ACTIVITY and guided its intervention development. PMID:22824533

Youth Workforce Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jobs For the Future, 2016

2016-01-01

Youth unemployment has been a cause for concern in the United States for years. Youth unemployment costs society--through the loss of talent and costs of social supports and subsidies. Jobless young people are more vulnerable to a range of challenges, including the ills already plaguing their communities: high rates of unplanned pregnancy,…

International Perspectives on Youth Leadership Development Through Community Organizing.

PubMed

Govan, Rashida H; Fernandez, Jesica Siham; Lewis, Deana G; Kirshner, Ben

2015-01-01

This chapter details the ways youth community organizing strategies can inform leadership educators' approaches to engaging marginalized youth in leadership development for social change. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Engaging Underrepresented Youth Populations in Community Youth Development: Tapping Social Capital as a Critical Resource

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erbstein, Nancy

2013-01-01

For youth who are the most vulnerable to challenging community conditions, more limited opportunities, and poor health, educational and economic trajectories derive especially strong benefits from engagement in community youth development efforts. Although communities can benefit in powerful ways from the knowledge and insight of these youth…

Sex Variations in Youth Anxiety Symptoms: Effects of Pubertal Development and Gender Role Orientation

PubMed Central

Carter, Rona; Silverman, Wendy K.; Jaccard, James

2011-01-01

This study evaluated whether pubertal development and gender role orientation (i.e., masculinity and femininity) can partially explain sex variations in youth anxiety symptoms among clinic referred anxious youth (N = 175; ages 9-13 years; 74% Hispanic; 48% female). Using youth and parent ratings of youth anxiety symptoms, structural equation modeling results indicated that youth who reported being more advanced in their pubertal development reported high levels of femininity and anxiety symptoms. Youth who reported high levels of masculinity had low levels of anxiety symptoms as reported by both youths and parents. The estimated effects of pubertal development, femininity, and masculinity on youth and parent ratings of youth anxiety symptoms were not significantly moderated by biological sex. Pubertal development and gender role orientation appear to be important in explaining levels of youth anxiety symptoms among clinic referred anxious youth. PMID:21916691

Sex variations in youth anxiety symptoms: effects of pubertal development and gender role orientation.

PubMed

Carter, Rona; Silverman, Wendy K; Jaccard, James

2011-01-01

This study evaluated whether pubertal development and gender role orientation (i.e., masculinity and femininity) can partially explain sex variations in youth anxiety symptoms among clinic-referred anxious youth (N = 175; ages 9-13 years; 74% Hispanic; 48% female). Using youth and parent ratings of youth anxiety symptoms, structural equation modeling results indicated that youth who reported being more advanced in their pubertal development reported high levels of femininity and anxiety symptoms. Youth who reported high levels of masculinity had low levels of anxiety symptoms as reported by both youths and parents. The estimated effects of pubertal development, femininity, and masculinity on youth and parent ratings of youth anxiety symptoms were not significantly moderated by biological sex. Pubertal development and gender role orientation appear to be important in explaining levels of youth anxiety symptoms among clinic-referred anxious youth.

Predicting Wanton Assault in a General Youth Sample via the HEW Youth Development Model's Community Program Impact Scales, Age and Sex.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truckenmiller, James L.

The former HEW National Strategy for Youth Development Model was a community-based planning and procedural tool designed to enhance positive youth development and prevent delinquency through a process of youth needs assessment, development of targeted programs, and program impact evaluation. A series of 12 Impact Scales most directly reflect the…

Study of New Youth Initiatives in Apprenticeship. Interim Report. Volume 1: Summary and Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CSR, Inc., Washington, DC.

This first volume of the interim report on the Study of New Youth Initiatives in Apprenticeship presents a discussion of site visit findings and implementation issues related to the United States Department of Labor's Apprenticeship-School Linkage Demonstrations. (Volume 2, site visit reports, is available separately as CE 032 792.) Chapter 1…

Blood Sugar, Your Pancreas, and Unicorns: The Development of Health Education Materials for Youth With Prediabetes.

PubMed

Yazel-Smith, Lisa G; Pike, Julie; Lynch, Dustin; Moore, Courtney; Haberlin, Kathryn; Taylor, Jennifer; Hannon, Tamara S

2018-05-01

The obesity epidemic has led to an increase in prediabetes in youth, causing a serious public health concern. Education on diabetes risk and initiation of lifestyle change are the primary treatment modalities. There are few existing age-appropriate health education tools to address diabetes prevention for high-risk youth. To develop an age-appropriate health education tool(s) to help youth better understand type 2 diabetes risk factors and the reversibility of risk. Health education tool development took place in five phases: exploration, design, analysis, refinement, and process evaluation. The project resulted in (1) booklet designed to increase knowledge of risk, (2) meme generator that mirrors the booklet graphics and allows youth to create their own meme based on their pancreas' current mood, (3) environmental posters for clinic, and (4) brief self-assessment that acts as a conversation starter for the health educators. Patients reported high likability and satisfaction with the health education tools, with the majority of patients giving the materials an "A" rating. The process evaluation indicated a high level of fidelity and related measures regarding how the health education tools were intended to be used and how they were actually used in the clinic setting.

International Youth Justice Systems: Promoting Youth Development and Alternative Approaches: A Position Paper of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.

PubMed

2016-10-01

Youth incarceration is an international public health concern among developed and developing countries. Worldwide, youth are held in incarceration, detention, and other secure settings that are inappropriate for their age and developmental stages, jeopardizing their prosocial development, and reintegration into society. Youth incarceration lacks evidence and cost-effectiveness. The well-being of youth is a key indicator of the welfare of families, communities, and society at large; therefore, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) supports a paradigm shift in the role of the justice system as it relates to treatment of youth. SAHM recommends justice systems focus greater attention and resources on identifying and reducing the antecedents of high-risk and criminal behaviors, recognizing the rights and freedom of young persons, and prioritizing the well-being of youth over punitive measures that may harm and disrupt healthy adolescent development. SAHM supports the following positions: (1) incarceration is a last option for selected offenders who have committed the most serious violent crimes and are unable to remain safely in the community; (2) youth justice policies, programs, and practices affecting youth be evidence based and trauma informed; (3) youth justice policies, programs, and practices must incorporate research and ongoing program evaluation; (4) youth justice policies shall protect the privacy and dignity of children younger than 18 years; and (5) health care professionals and media will promote positive portrayals of youth in healthy relationships within their communities and reduce representations and images of youth that are negative, violent, deviant, and threatening. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

YouthALIVE! From Enrichment to Employment: The YouthALIVE! Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Science-Technology Centers, Washington, DC.

This document introduces the national initiative YouthALIVE (Youth Achievement through Learning, Involvement, Volunteering, and Employment). The YouthALIVE program focuses on the needs of children of color from low-income communities and provides financial and technical assistance to science centers, zoos, botanical gardens, and museums for the…

Taking a Societal Sector Perspective on Youth Learning and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Milbrey; London, Rebecca A.

2013-01-01

A societal sector perspective looks to a broad array of actors and agencies responsible for creating the community contexts that affect youth learning and development. We demonstrate the efficacy of this perspective by describing the Youth Data Archive, which allows community partners to define issues affecting youth that transcend specific…

Advertising receptivity and youth initiation of smokeless tobacco

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Cross-sectional data suggests that adolescents’ receptivity to the advertising of smokeless tobacco is correlated with use of chewing tobacco or snuff. Lack of longitudinal data has precluded determination of whether advertising receptivity precedes or follows initiation of smokeless tobacco. Objectives The objective of this study was to test for the association between advertising receptivity and subsequent initiation of smokeless tobacco among adolescent males. Methods Adolescent males from the 1993–1999 Teen Longitudinal California Tobacco Survey were selected at the baseline survey for never having used smokeless tobacco. Separate longitudinal analyses corresponded to two dependent variables, ever use of smokeless tobacco (1993–1996; n=1,388) and use on 20 or more occasions (1993–1999; n=1,014). Models were adjusted for demographic variables, risk factors for smokeless tobacco use, and exposure to users of smokeless tobacco. Results Advertising receptivity at baseline was predictive of ever use by late adolescence (RR(95% CI)=2.0 (1.3, 3.1)) and regular use by young adulthood (RR(95% CI)=3.7 (2.0, 7.0)) in models that were adjusted for covariates. Conclusions/Importance The findings challenge the tobacco industry’s assertion that tobacco marketing does not impact youth initiation. This is particularly relevant to tobacco control in the United States because the 2009 Tobacco Control Act places fewer restrictions on smokeless tobacco products compared to cigarettes. PMID:27159627

Ties That Bond: Youth Sport as a Vehicle for Social Identity and Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruner, Mark W.; Balish, Shea M.; Forrest, Christopher; Brown, Sarah; Webber, Kristine; Gray, Emily; McGuckin, Matthew; Keats, Melanie R.; Rehman, Laurene; Shields, Christopher A.

2017-01-01

An emerging area of research has focused on understanding how the group dynamics of a sport team influence positive youth development (PYD). The identities that youth form through their membership in sport teams (i.e., social identities) have been found to influence teammate behavior and team performance. Yet, minimal work exists on social…

Specifying the role of exposure to violence and violent behavior on initiation of gun carrying: a longitudinal test of three models of youth gun carrying.

PubMed

Spano, Richard; Pridemore, William Alex; Bolland, John

2012-01-01

Two waves of longitudinal data from 1,049 African American youth living in extreme poverty are used to examine the impact of exposure to violence (Time 1) and violent behavior (Time 1) on first time gun carrying (Time 2). Multivariate logistic regression results indicate that (a) violent behavior (Time 1) increased the likelihood of initiation of gun carrying (Time 2) by 76% after controlling for exposure to violence at Time 1, which is consistent with the stepping stone model of youth gun carrying, and (b) youth who were both exposed to violence at Time 1 and engaged in violent behavior at Time 1 were more than 2.5 times more likely to initiate gun carrying at Time 2 compared to youth who had neither of these characteristics, which supports the cumulative risk model of youth gun carrying. The authors discuss the implications of these findings in clarifying the role of violence in the community on youth gun carrying and the primary prevention of youth gun violence.

Relations of Parent-Youth Interactive Exchanges to Adolescent Socioemotional Development

PubMed Central

Hutt, Rachel L.; Wang, Qi; Evans, Gary W.

2013-01-01

This study examined the relations of parent-youth agreement and disagreement during a joint problem-solving task and multi-methodological indices of socioemotional outcomes in adolescents (Mean age = 13). One hundred and sixty seven parents and their adolescent children participated. Each parent-youth pair played the interactive game Jenga, and their interactions were analyzed for frequency of elaborations (agreement during three or more conversational turns) and negotiations (disagreement during three or more conversational turns). Elaborations during parent-youth interactions were related to less negative classroom behavior, better self-regulation, and more task persistence in youth. Findings are discussed in light of the importance of parent-youth interaction and youth autonomy in adolescent socioemotional development. PMID:24031158

Measuring Youth Development: A Nonparametric Cross-Country "Youth Welfare Index"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaaban, Jad M.

2009-01-01

This paper develops an empirical methodology for the construction of a synthetic multi-dimensional cross-country comparison of the performance of governments around the world in improving the livelihood of their younger population. The devised "Youth Welfare Index" is based on the nonparametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology and…

Transactional Pathways of Transgender Identity Development in Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youth and Caregivers from the Trans Youth Family Study

PubMed Central

Katz-Wise, Sabra L.; Budge, Stephanie L.; Fugate, Ellen; Flanagan, Kaleigh; Touloumtzis, Currie; Rood, Brian; Perez-Brumer, Amaya; Leibowitz, Scott

2017-01-01

Background A growing body of research has examined transgender identity development, but no studies have investigated developmental pathways as a transactional process between youth and caregivers, incorporating perspectives from multiple family members. The aim of this study was to conceptualize pathways of transgender identity development using narratives from both transgender and gender nonconforming (TGN) youth and their cisgender (non-transgender) caregivers. Methods The sample included 16 families, with 16 TGN youth, ages 7–18 years, and 29 cisgender caregivers (N = 45 family members). TGN youth represented multiple gender identities, including trans boy (n = 9), trans girl (n = 5), gender fluid boy (n = 1), and girlish boy (n = 1). Caregivers included mothers (n = 17), fathers (n = 11), and one grandmother. Participants were recruited from LGBTQ community organizations and support networks for families with transgender youth in the Midwest, Northeast, and South regions of the United States. Each family member completed a one-time in-person semi-structured qualitative interview that included questions about transgender identity development. Results Analyses revealed seven overarching themes of transgender identity development, which were organized into a conceptual model: Trans identity development, sociocultural influences/societal discourse, biological influences, family adjustment/impact, stigma/cisnormativity, support/resources, and gender affirmation/actualization. Conclusions Findings underscore the importance of assessing developmental processes among TGN youth as transactional, impacting both youth and their caregivers. PMID:29527139

Empowering school social work practices for positive youth development: Hong Kong experience.

PubMed

To, Siu-ming

2007-01-01

Empowerment has become a popular concept in working with adolescents in recent years. It challenges the deficit model of youth work and focuses on creating a facilitative climate in which young people can make maximum use of the opportunity to learn and grow. While many practitioners have adopted the empowerment approach in youth services, however, we know little about the possibilities for empowerment practice in the field of school social work. Based on the findings of a qualitative study conducted in Hong Kong, this paper explores how school social workers engage in different dimensions of empowerment: (1) the personal dimension in regard to how students recapture a sense of competence to meet life challenges and fight for their own benefits; (2) the school and community dimensions in regard to how practitioners collaborate with service users and partners to initiate constructive changes to school policies and strengthen the school-community partnership for student development; and (3) the institutional dimension in regard to how practitioners play the advocacy role in the education sector. The findings provide rich information for other youth workers, especially those who render service in the school setting, as they apply the empowerment approach in daily practice.

Physical activity interventions to promote positive youth development among indigenous youth: a RE-AIM review.

PubMed

Baillie, Colin P T; Galaviz, Karla I; Emiry, Kevin; Bruner, Mark W; Bruner, Brenda G; Lévesque, Lucie

2017-03-01

Physical activity (PA) programs are a promising strategy to promote positive youth development (PYD). It is not known if published reports provide sufficient information to promote the implementation of effective PYD in indigenous youth. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which published literature on PA programs that promote PYD in indigenous youth report on RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance) indicators. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify articles reporting on PA programs that promote PYD in indigenous youth. The search yielded 8084 articles. A validated 21-item RE-AIM abstraction tool assessing internal and external validity factors was used to extract data from 10 articles meeting eligibility criteria. The most commonly reported dimensions were effectiveness (73 %), adoption (48 %), and maintenance (43 %). Reach (34 %) and implementation (30 %) were less often reported. Published research provides insufficient information to inform real-world implementation of PA programs to promote PYD in indigenous youth.

Sexual-Orientation Differences in Positive Youth Development: The Mediational Role of Bullying Victimization.

PubMed

Coulter, Robert W S; Herrick, A L; Friedman, M Reuel; Stall, Ron D

2016-04-01

To examine sexual-orientation differences in positive youth development, and how bullying victimization mediated these differences in a sample of adolescents. In 2007 to 2008, positive youth development was measured in 1870 adolescents from US schools and after-school programs in 45 states by using the validated Five Cs model of competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring/compassion. Sexual-minority youths (6.8%) reported having same- or both-gender sexual attractions. Nonattracted youths (4.2%) reported having no sexual attractions. Compared with sexual-minority youths, heterosexual and nonattracted youths had lower odds of being a victim of bullying. Heterosexual and nonattracted youths also had higher average scores in competence, confidence, and connection, but these associations between sexual orientation and positive youth development scores were partly attributable to lack of bullying victimization. Designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions that reduce bullying can give sexual-minority youths access to several building blocks of health and well-being.

Youth injury prevention in Canada: use of the Delphi method to develop recommendations.

PubMed

Pike, Ian; Piedt, Shannon; Davison, Colleen M; Russell, Kelly; Macpherson, Alison K; Pickett, William

2015-12-22

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey is one of very few cross-national health surveys that includes information on injury occurrence and prevention within adolescent populations. A collaboration to develop a Canadian youth injury report using these data resulted in, Injury among Young Canadians: A national study of contextual determinants. The objective of this study was to develop specific evidence-based, policy-oriented recommendations arising from the national report, using a modified-Delphi process with a panel of expert stakeholders. Eight injury prevention experts and a 3-person youth advisory team associated with a Canadian injury prevention organization (Parachute Canada) reviewed, edited and commented on report recommendations through a three-stage iterative modified-Delphi process. From an initial list of 27 draft recommendations, the modified-Delphi process resulted in a final list of 19 specific recommendations, worded to resonate with the group(s) responsible to lead or take the recommended action. Two recommendations were rated as "extremely important" or "very important" by 100 % of the expert panel, two were deleted, a further two recommendations were deleted but the content included as text in the report, and four were merged with other existing recommendations. The modified-Delphi process was an appropriate method to achieve agreement on 19 specific evidence-based, policy-oriented recommendations to complement the national youth injury report. In providing their input, it is noted that the injury stakeholders each acted as individual experts, unattached to any organizational position or policy. These recommendations will require multidisciplinary collaborations in order to support the proposed policy development, additional research, programming and clear decision-making for youth injury prevention.

Ensuring youth's right to participation and promotion of youth leadership in the development of sexual and reproductive health policies and programs.

PubMed

Villa-Torres, Laura; Svanemyr, Joar

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article was to reflect on the concepts of adolescence and youth, summarize models and frameworks developed to conceptualize youth participation, and assess research that has attempted to evaluate the implementation and impact of youth participation in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We searched and critically reviewed relevant published reports and "gray literature" from the period 2000-2013. "Young people" are commonly defined as those between the ages of 10 and 24 years, but what it means to be a young person varies largely across cultures and depends on a range of socioeconomic factors. Several conceptual frameworks have been developed to better understand youth participation, and some frameworks are designed to monitor youth development programs that have youth participation as a key component. Although none of them are SRHR specific, they have the potential to be adapted and applied also for adolescents' SRHR programs. The most monitored and evaluated intervention type is peer education programs, but the effectiveness of the approach is questioned. There are few attempts to systematically evaluate youth participation, and clear indicators and better methodologies still need to be developed. More research and documentation as well as the adoption of innovative practices for involving youth in sexual and reproductive health programs are needed. Participation is a right and should not only be evaluated in terms of effectiveness and impact. Youth participation in program and policy development should still be a priority. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Listening to youth: reflections on the effect of a youth development program.

PubMed

Kalish, Robin E; Voigt, Bridget; Rahimian, Afsaneh; Dicara, Joseph; Sheehan, Karen

2010-05-01

To identify key elements that contribute to the effectiveness of a youth development program, interviews were conducted with 35 former Chicago Youth Programs (CYP) participants who remained in the program until age 18 years and went on to attend college, and 25 participants who left the program (and are currently older than age 18). Of the college participants who remained in CYP until age 18, 97% reported that the program had helped them by providing tutoring, mentoring, and financial support. In comparison, only 56% of the CYP dropouts had completed some college, and nearly 50% reported being involved in illegal activities. Many of the CYP dropouts were drawn to illegal activities for financial reasons or because they felt there was inadequate adolescent programming. All reported benefiting from their CYP participation. Incorporating financial incentives or specific adolescent programming may lead to longer youth program participation and, perhaps, more positive outcomes.

Strategic Intervention of ODL in Diploma in Youth Development Works in Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bazlur, A. Q. M.; Sarker, M.S. Alam

2008-01-01

Diploma in Youth Development Work (DYDW) imparted through distance mode which was introduced at Bangladesh Open University (BOU) in 1999 aiming at accessible and flexible learning opportunities to the young men and women involved in youth development activities and prepare the participating youth towards performing active and constructive role…

Talking about Youth Development: Helping Campers Grow into Successful Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camping Magazine, 2001

2001-01-01

Youth development moves beyond risk reduction by turning a narrow negative focus on at-risk factors into positive action strategies. Critical components of youth development are providing positive ways for young people to meet their needs and building competencies. Physical, social, cognitive, vocational, and moral competence are described, and…

Youth Camp Safety & Health. Suggested State Statute & Regulations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Disease Control (DHEW/PHS), Atlanta, GA.

To assist state regulatory agencies in development of comprehensive youth camp safety programs, this publication contains a brief suggested statute that could be used for initiation or modification of any state's youth camp safety programs and it outlines minimal regulations. Various categories of camps are covered--day, primitive, residential,…

Developing Positive Young Adults: Lessons from Two Decades of YouthBuild Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Ronald F.; Snipes, Jason; Hossain, Farhana; Manno, Michelle S.

2015-01-01

Youth development is a cornerstone of the YouthBuild program, which provides job skills training, academic support, counseling, and leadership opportunities to low-income, out-of-school young adults. This report presents findings from two separate research efforts that shed light on the process of youth transformation and identity development in…

The Fostering Hope Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rider, Steven; Winters, Katie; Dean, Joyce; Seymour, Jim

2014-01-01

The Fostering Hope Initiative is a neighborhood-based Collective Impact initiative that promotes optimum child and youth development by supporting vulnerable families, encouraging connections between neighbors, strengthening systems to ensure collective impact, and advocating for family-friendly public policy. This article describes the…

European Youth Research: Development, Debates, Demands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chisholm, Lynne

2006-01-01

This chapter presents the development of European youth research as a distinctive field of study. It draws attention to the sociopolitical context in which the field has emerged, outlines the key dimensions of the field's agenda, reports on significant facets of theory and research development to date, and briefly considers the field's…

Development and Application of a Camper Growth Index for Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Karla A.; Thurber, Christopher A.; Whitaker, Leslie S.; Bialeschki, M. Deborah; Scanlin, Margery M.

2006-01-01

Many people believe in the value of outdoor experiential education opportunities such as organized camps for youth, but few instruments have been developed to measure the central youth development outcomes of camp. The purpose of this paper is to present the psychometric properties including the internal consistency and validity of scales designed…

Development and Early Implementation of The Bigger Picture, a Youth-Targeted Public Health Literacy Campaign to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

PubMed Central

ROGERS, ELIZABETH; FINE, SARAH; HANDLEY, MARGARET A.; DAVIS, HODARI; KASS, JAMES; SCHILLINGER, DEAN

2014-01-01

The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes (DM2) is rapidly rising, especially among minority and low-income youth. There is an unmet need to engage youth in identifying solutions to reverse this trajectory. Social marketing campaigns and entertainment education are effective forms of health communication for engaging populations in health-promoting behaviors. Critical to curbing the epidemic is moving the diabetes conversation away from individual behavior alone and toward a socio-ecologic perspective using a public health literacy framework. We developed an academic-community partnership to develop, implement, and evaluate a DM2 prevention campaign targeting minority and low-income youth. The Bigger Picture uses hard-hitting, youth-generated “spoken-word” messages around key environmental and social drivers of the DM2 epidemic. Campaign goals included promoting health capacity and civic engagement. This paper focuses on the development and implementation of the campaign, including (a) rationale and theoretical underpinnings; (b) steps in campaign creation; (c) testing the campaign messaging; and (d) campaign dissemination and evaluation planning. A youth-created health communication campaign using a public health literacy framework with targeted, relevant, and compelling messaging appears to be a promising vehicle for reaching at-risk youth to increase knowledge of and attitudes about preventing DM2, change social norms, and motivate participation in health promotion initiatives. PMID:25315590

Why America Should Develop a Youth Apprenticeship System. Policy Report No. 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lerman, Robert I.; Pouncy, Hillard

Developing a youth apprenticeship in the United States would boost productivity, improve the preparation of youths for the skill demands of a global economy, and simultaneously offer minority youth an avenue into the economic mainstream. Germany's "dual system" of youth apprenticeship could be adopted to form a national skill-building…

Translational Research and Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Stephen F.

2015-01-01

Borrowing the term "translational research" (TR) from medicine, along with some of the ideas and practices that define it, holds promise as a way of linking research more closely to the practice of youth development. However, doing so entails substantial adaptation. TR is more than a new name for applied research. It comprehends the…

From Boys to KINGS: Examining the Perceptions and Perspectives of African American Male Participants of the 100 KINGS Youth Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Rodney D.

2011-01-01

This study explored the perceptions and perspectives of African American male students with regard to their experiences in a youth development initiative sponsored by a community-based organization. This examination aimed to ascertain the aspects of the program that, first, prompted the students to be a part of the initiative, but also those…

Youth Development and Conflict Resolution in Nigeria: "Assessment and Intervention Strategies"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dike, Victor E.; Dike, Ngozi I.

2017-01-01

This article explores youth development, social conflicts and unrest that often degenerates into violence and threaten Nigeria's sociopolitical stability, economic growth and development. In spite of the promises by the successive political leaders and policymakers that youth development will be given priority attention Nigeria has an army of…

The Effects of Youth Participatory Evaluation and Youth Community Action Training on Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, David J.

2010-01-01

The bi-directional relationships within the personal and contextual environments of adolescents are critical to the development of adolescents and their transition into adulthood. Opportunities for youth to participate in and provide leadership in meaningful programs, gain life skills, and interact with adults in sustained relationships are key…

Developing the field of youth organizing and advocacy: what foundations can do.

PubMed

Yee, Sylvia M

2008-01-01

For more than a decade, the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund has seeded many San Francisco Bay Area youth organizing and advocacy programs. Now that the field is maturing, argues the fund's vice president of programs, foundations have a critical programmatic and capacity-building role to play. The author offers analysis and strategies for integrating youth development grant making across foundation interest areas. The programs described illustrate the diversity of youth organizing and advocacy programs that could be supported by funders, whether or not any particular philanthropic institution has a grant-making focus on youth development or youth organizing. The article ends with an in-depth portrait of the self-reported needs of youth organizing and advocacy programs and concrete strategies for foundations seeking to more effectively enable youth organizing and advocacy to play an important role in bringing about a more vibrant, diverse, and effective democratic culture.

The Youth Employment Problem--Dimensions, Causes and Consequences. Research on Youth Employment and Employability Development. Youth Knowledge Development Report 2.9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Richard B.; And Others

This collection of papers on the youth employment problem consists of 15 papers that cover the dimensions, causes, and consequences of youth unemployment and that also focus on problems in measuring the extent of the problem, the dynamic aspects of youth labor force participation, and problems associated with adequately assessing the consequences…

Finding Resources to Support Workforce Development Services for Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Relave, Nanette

2006-01-01

Funding for youth employment and training has been scaled back during the past few decades. In addition, funding for workforce development services is spread among multiple programs and agencies, resulting in a fragmented funding environment. To address this issue, the youth provisions of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) aimed to move this…

The Positivity Imperative: A Critical Look at the "New" Youth Development Movement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sukarieh, Mayssoun; Tannock, Stuart

2011-01-01

The field of youth development, long given over to discussions of youth as a time of storm and stress, raging hormones and problem behavior, has increasingly turned to look at the "sunny side" of youth--at their agency, insights, capabilities and contributions. Youth, we are now regularly told, are not problems but resources and assets. In this…

Development and Validation of an Instrument to Assess Youth Motivation to Participate in Career Development Events

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knobloch, Neil A.; Brady, Colleen M.; Orvis, Kathryn S.; Carroll, Natalie J.

2016-01-01

Career development events develop career and life skills in youth, but limited work has been done to assess the motivation of students who participate in these events. The purpose of this study was to validate an instrument developed to measure youth motivation to participate in career development events. An instrument grounded in expectancy-value…

Business Leadership: Supporting Youth Development and the Talent Pipeline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenblum, Elyse

2007-01-01

The Forum for Youth Investment has partnered with Corporate Voices for Working Families to support a Youth Transitions Task Force charged with identifying and promoting the corporate and public policies necessary to ensure that young people ages 14-21 have the opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in work and in…

Youth Arts: Creativity and Art as a Vehicle for Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houbolt, Sarah

2010-01-01

The Auckland City Council arts team has managed several successful youth arts projects across the city of Auckland. The council aims to establish a best-practice standard for community artists in line with international standards of community cultural development. This reflective paper explores the processes, impacts and outcomes of some of the…

Relational and Purpose Development in Youth Offenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coll, Kenneth M.; Thobro, Patti; Haas, Robin

2004-01-01

This study explored which risk factors are associated with degrees of relational and purpose development in youth offenders. Results indicate that those with the poorest development particularly struggled with substance abuse, lack of family support, and risky behaviors to self. Several treatment recommendations and clinical strategies are…

Connecting Kids To The Universe: Partnering With 4-H Youth Development To Pilot 'Afterschool Universe' In New York

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaff, Nancy

2008-05-01

4-H Youth Development - as the youth program of the Cooperative Extension system associated with the land grant university in every state - is an ideal partner for statewide dissemination of EPO programs. With funding from a Chandra Cycle 9 EPO grant we are piloting `Afterschool Universe’ in five urban locations in New York State. `Afterschool Universe’ is an education/outreach effort sponsored by NASA's Beyond Einstein program and was developed in partnership with the Imagine the Universe EPO program. The program is targeted at middle school students in out-of-school-time settings and explores basic astronomy concepts focused on the Universe beyond the solar system. Consisting of 12 sessions of engaging hands-on activities, the flexibly structured program can be used in a variety of settings, including astronomy days, youth groups, summer camps, and afterschool programs. Partnering with 4-H Youth Development helps us reach large numbers of underserved and underrepresented minority youth and girls in widely dispersed areas of New York and fits ideally with the current national 4-H SET (science, engineering, and technology) initiative and emphasis on 4-H afterschool programming. The pilot program provides teaching kits and workshops for program leaders. Our 4-H county partners recruit afterschool program staff, science center staff, 4-H volunteers, 4-H teens, and other youth group leaders as workshop participants. The 4-H program will house and loan the kit to trained leaders. By providing kits and training in 2008, we are gearing up for International Year of Astronomy programs in 2009 in out-of-school settings. Based on pilot results, we will seek additional funding to expand the program. The poster will discuss kit development, 4-H partnership, workshops, participating organizations, target audiences, successes, and challenges.

Reducing Traumatic Brain Injuries in Youth Sports: Youth Sports Traumatic Brain Injury State Laws, January 2009–December 2012

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objectives. I sought to describe current state-wide youth sports traumatic brain injury (TBI) laws and their relationship to prevailing scientific understandings of youth sports TBIs, and to facilitate further research by creating an open-source data set of current laws. Methods. I used Westlaw and LexisNexis databases to create a 50-state data set of youth sports TBI laws enacted between January 2009 and December 2012. I collected and coded the text and citations of each law and developed a protocol and codebook to facilitate future research. Results. Forty-four states and Washington, DC, passed youth sports TBI laws between 2009 and 2012. No state’s youth sports TBI law focuses on primary prevention. Instead, such laws focus on (1) increasing coaches’ and parents’ ability to identify and respond to TBIs and (2) reducing the immediate risk of multiple TBIs. Conclusions. Existing youth sports TBI laws were not designed to reduce initial TBIs. Evaluation is required to assess their effectiveness in reducing the risk and consequences of multiple TBIs. Continued research and evaluation of existing laws will be needed to develop a more comprehensive youth TBI-reduction solution. PMID:23678903

Welcome to Our World: Bridging Youth Development Research in Nonprofit and Academic Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bialeschki, M. Deborah; Conn, Michael

2011-01-01

This commentary discusses the emergence of youth development research and evaluation in the nonprofit arena over the past 10 to 15 years. Included in this discussion is the establishment of the context for youth development research in nonprofits, a brief description of key examples of research from three youth nonprofits that illustrate the…

1958-2008: 50 years of youth fitness tests in the United States.

PubMed

Morrow, James R; Zhu, Weimo; Franks, B Don; Meredith, Marilu D; Spain, Christine

2009-03-01

The AAHPER Youth Fitness Test, the first U.S. national fitness test, was published 50 years ago. The seminal work of Krause and Hirschland influenced the fitness world and continues to do so today. Important youth fitness test initiatives in the last half century are summarized. Key elements leading to continued interest in youth fitness testing at the start of the 21st century include (a) concerns about children and youth fitness levels, (b) AAHPER(D)-led youth fitness battery development, (c) differentiation between performance-related and health-related fitness testing, (d) the numerous youth fitness tests developed, (e) collaborative discussions on development and adoption of a unified national youth fitness battery, (f) computerization of youth fitness test results, (g) differentiation between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced evaluation of student results, and (h) concern about youth fitness levels (again, but with a focus on health). We have come full circle on youth fitness interests. This article summarizes the key youth fitness tests in the second half of the 20th century and projects future considerations.

The Parliamentarian, NGO and Youth Fora.

PubMed

1999-01-01

Three fora, namely, the Parliamentarian's Forum, the Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) Forum, and the Youth Forum, immediately preceded the Hague Forum. Each of the forums assessed achievements in implementing the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (ICPD-PA) and formulated recommendations that provided valuable input to the International Forum. The Parliamentarian's Forum, attended by 210 parliamentarians from 103 countries, evaluated the progress in development of the parliamentarians' movement after the ICPD. The parliamentarians focused their discussions on the following priority areas: reproductive health and rights; gender and population; adolescents, youth, the elderly, and persons with disabilities; population, environment, and food security; resource mobilization; economic crises; and parliamentarian networks. The NGO Forum, on the other hand, emphasized the need to achieve consensus on policy formulation that includes NGOs as partners; establish permanent mechanisms for ICPD-PA implementation; and mobilize financial resources for sexual and reproductive health initiatives. Lastly, the Youth Forum highlighted the central role that youth can play in the development of policies and programs for ICPD-PA implementation.

Youth Empowerment in Higher Education for Sustainable Development of Developing Communities in Cross River State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekpiken, William E.; Ukpabio, Godfrey U.

2015-01-01

This paper was an attempt to examine youth empowerment in higher education for sustainable development of developing communities in Cross River State in Nigeria. In Cross River State developing communities, youths are in the majority and form a very strong formidable force in the society we live, study, but are not empowered while in school nor…

National Child and Youth Care Practitioner Professional Certification: Promoting Competent Care for Children and Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curry, Dale; Eckles, Frank; Stuart, Carol; Qaqish, Basil

2010-01-01

This article provides an overview of the history, development, and conceptual framework guiding a national certification initiative for child and youth care workers. Summarized are descriptions of three certification assessment measures (supervisor assessment, situational judgment certification exam, and portfolio assessment), integrated with…

The Youth Worker as Jazz Improviser: Foregrounding Education "In the Moment" within the Professional Development of Youth Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Pete

2014-01-01

This paper argues for the foregrounding of improvisation and education "in the moment" within youth workers' professional development. Devised in collaboration with third-year Youth and Community Work students and lecturers at a university in Birmingham, this participatory action research project drew on work of jazz ethnomusicologists…

Trajectories of cognitive development during adolescence among youth at-risk for schizophrenia.

PubMed

Dickson, Hannah; Cullen, Alexis E; Jones, Rebecca; Reichenberg, Abraham; Roberts, Ruth E; Hodgins, Sheilagh; Morris, Robin G; Laurens, Kristin R

2018-04-23

Among adults with schizophrenia, evidence suggests that premorbid deficits in different cognitive domains follow distinct developmental courses during childhood and adolescence. The aim of this study was to delineate trajectories of adolescent cognitive functions prospectively among different groups of youth at-risk for schizophrenia, relative to their typically developing (TD) peers. Using linear mixed models adjusted for sex, ethnicity, parental occupation and practice effects, cognitive development between ages 9 and 16 years was compared for youth characterised by a triad of well-replicated developmental antecedents of schizophrenia (ASz; N = 32) and youth with a least one affected relative with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (FHx; N = 29), relative to TD youth (N = 45). Participants completed measures of IQ, scholastic achievement, memory and executive function at three time-points, separated by approximately 24-month intervals. Compared to TD youth, both ASz and FHx youth displayed stable developmental deficits in verbal working memory and inhibition/switching executive functions. ASz youth additionally presented with stable deficits in measures of vocabulary (IQ), word reading, numerical operations, and category fluency executive function, and a slower rate of growth (developmental lag) on spelling from 9 to 16 years than TD peers. Conversely, faster rates of growth relative to TD peers (developmental delay) were observed on visual and verbal memory, and on category fluency executive function (ASz youth only) and on matrix reasoning (IQ) and word reading (FHx youth only). These differential patterns of deviation from normative adolescent cognitive development among at-risk youth imply potential for cognitive rehabilitation targeting of specific cognitive deficits at different developmental phases. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and

Building on Strength: Positive Youth Development in Juvenile Justice Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barton William H.; Butts, Jeffrey A.

2008-01-01

This report describes the results of an exploratory study of juvenile justice programs where managers and practitioners are attempting to build youth interventions with strength-based, positive youth development principles. Previous researchers have not adequately documented how such reforms take place, let alone whether they produce effective…

Impact on ART initiation of point-of-care CD4 testing at HIV diagnosis among HIV-positive youth in Khayelitsha, South Africa.

PubMed

Patten, Gabriela E M; Wilkinson, Lynne; Conradie, Karien; Isaakidis, Petros; Harries, Anthony D; Edginton, Mary E; De Azevedo, Virginia; van Cutsem, Gilles

2013-07-04

Despite the rapid expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in developing countries, pre-treatment losses from care remain a challenge to improving access to treatment. Youth and adolescents have been identified as a particularly vulnerable group, at greater risk of loss from both pre-ART and ART care. Point-of-care (POC) CD4 testing has shown promising results in improving linkage to ART care. In Khayelitsha township, South Africa, POC CD4 testing was implemented at a clinic designated for youth aged 12-25 years. We assessed whether there was an associated reduction in attrition between HIV testing, assessment for eligibility and ART initiation. A before-and-after observational study was conducted using routinely collected data. These were collected on patients from May 2010 to April 2011 (Group A) when baseline CD4 count testing was performed in a laboratory and results were returned to the clinic within two weeks. Same-day POC CD4 testing was implemented in June 2011, and data were collected on patients from August 2011 to July 2012 (Group B). A total of 272 and 304 youth tested HIV-positive in Group A and Group B, respectively. Group B patients were twice as likely to have their ART eligibility assessed compared to Group A patients: 275 (90%) vs. 183 (67%) [relative risk (RR)=2.4, 95% CI: 1.8-3.4, p<0.0001]. More patients in World Health Organization (WHO) Stage 1 disease (85% vs. 69%), with CD4 counts≥350 cells/µL (58% vs. 35%) and more males (13% vs. 7%) were detected in Group B. The proportion of eligible patients who initiated ART was 50% and 44% (p=0.6) in Groups B and A, respectively; and 50% and 43% (p=0.5) when restricted to patients with baseline CD4 count≤250 cells/µL. Time between HIV-testing and ART initiation was reduced from 36 to 28 days (p=0.6). POC CD4 testing significantly improved assessment for ART eligibility. The improvement in the proportion initiating ART and the reduction in time to initiation was not significant due to

Movie smoking and youth initiation: parsing smoking imagery and other adult content.

PubMed

Farrelly, Matthew C; Kamyab, Kian; Nonnemaker, James; Crankshaw, Erik; Allen, Jane A

2012-01-01

To isolate the independent influence of exposure to smoking and other adult content in the movies on youth smoking uptake. We used discrete time survival analysis to quantify the influence of exposure to smoking and other adult content in the movies on transitioning from (1) closed to open to smoking; (2) never to ever trying smoking; and (3) never to ever hitting, slapping, or shoving someone on two or more occasions in the past 30 days. The latter is a comparative outcome, hypothesized to have no correlation with exposure to smoking in the movies. Assessed separately, both exposure to smoking imagery and exposure to adult content were associated with increased likelihood of youth becoming open to smoking (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.15 and OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04-1.17) and having tried smoking (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00-1.12 and OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00-1.13). Both measures were also separately associated with aggressive behavior (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.14 and OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.15). A very high correlation between the two measures (0.995, p<0.000) prevented an assessment of their independent effects on smoking initiation. Although exposure to smoking in the movies is correlated with smoking susceptibility and initiation, the high correlation between exposure to smoking in the movies and other adult content suggests that more research is needed to disentangle their independent influence on smoking.

Career Development for Youth with Disabilities in South Korea: The Intersection of Culture, Theory, and Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chun, Jina; Connor, Annemarie; Kosciulek, John F.; Landon, Trenton; Park, Jinhee

2016-01-01

Youth with disabilities face difficulties resulting from attitudinal, environmental, and organizational barriers not only in initially accessing and entering school (World Health Organization [WHO], 2011), but also as they transition from school age youth to working adults. With a focus on facilitating a better understanding of the issues,…

Empowering Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miner, Jennifer; Elshof, Leo; Redden, Anna; Terry, John

2004-01-01

The Gulf of Maine Institute (GOMI) is striving to empower youth to take on stewardship roles in their communities. Through its Community Based Initiative (CBI) program, GOMI addresses environmental degradation by working with teams of students, teachers, and community members from around the Gulf of Maine to inspire youth to be stewards of the…

Developing Indicators for the Child and Youth Mental Health System in Ontario.

PubMed

Yang, Julie; Kurdyak, Paul; Guttmann, Astrid

2016-01-01

When the Government of Ontario launched a comprehensive mental health and addictions strategy, the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) was tasked with developing a scorecard for ongoing monitoring of the child and youth mental health system. Using existing administrative and survey-based healthcare and education data, researchers at ICES developed a scorecard consisting of 25 indicators that described at-risk populations, child and youth mental healthcare and relevant outcomes. This scorecard is the first in Canada to report on performance indicators for the child and youth mental health system and provides a model for monitoring child and youth mental health using routinely collected administrative data.

One Kid at a Time: Evaluative Case Studies and Description of the Alaska Youth Initiative Demonstration Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burchard, John D.; And Others

This monograph presents an evaluative description of the Alaska Youth Initiative (AYI), a community-based interagency program serving children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Principles of the program include a no reject policy and a "wraparound" service delivery approach. The monograph offers information…

The Promise and Challenge of Mentoring High-Risk Youth: Findings from the National Faith-Based Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauldry, Shawn; Hartmann, Tracey A.

2004-01-01

This report, the third derived from research out of the National Faith-Based Initiative (NFBI), examines how faith-based organizations designed and implemented mentoring programs for high-risk youth. Focusing on four NFBI sites (in the Bronx and Brooklyn, NY; Baton Rouge, LA; and Philadelphia, PA), the report takes up three key questions: How were…

Environmental Action as Context for Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schusler, Tania M.; Krasny, Marianne E.

2010-01-01

This study explored the practices of teachers, nonformal science educators, community organizers, youth program managers, and other educators facilitating youth participation in local environmental action, as well as the experiences of some of the youth involved. We conducted narrative interviews with 33 educators facilitating youth environmental…

Are Delinquents Different? Predictive Patterns for Low, Mid and High Delinquency Levels in a General Youth Sample via the HEW Youth Development Model's Impact Scales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truckenmiller, James L.

The Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) Office of Youth Development's National Strategy for Youth Development model was promoted as a community-based planning and procedural tool for enhancing positive youth development and reducing delinquency. To test the applicability of the model as a function of delinquency level, the program's Impact Scales…

Middle School Dropout? Enrollment Trends in the California 4-H Youth Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Stephen T.; Heck, Katherine E.

2008-01-01

There is a widespread belief that youth drop out of youth development programs during the middle school years. Alternative explanations for the smaller number of adolescent program participants have yet to be explored. We examine age trends in program enrollment using data from over 221,000 youth enrolled in the California 4-H Youth Development…

Youth Civic Development: Theorizing a Domain with Evidence from Different Cultural Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flanagan, Constance A.; Martinez, M. Loreto; Cumsille, Patricio; Ngomane, Tsakani

2011-01-01

The authors use examples of youth civic engagement from Chile, South Africa, Central/Eastern Europe, and the United States--and also emphasize diversities among youth from different subgroups within countries--to illustrate common elements of the civic domain of youth development. These include the primacy of collective activity for forming…

Positive Youth Development, Willful Adolescents, and Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Reed

2006-01-01

This article describes positive youth development as a process in which young people's capacity for being motivated by challenge energizes their active engagement in development. The first part of the article discusses the conditions under which this motivation is activated and considers obstacles to its activation in daily life. The second part…

The role of positive youth development practices in building resilience and enhancing wellbeing for at-risk youth.

PubMed

Sanders, Jackie; Munford, Robyn; Thimasarn-Anwar, Tewaporn; Liebenberg, Linda; Ungar, Michael

2015-04-01

Services that utilise positive youth development practices (PYD) are thought to improve the quality of the service experience leading to better outcomes for at-risk youth. This article reports on a study of 605 adolescents (aged 12-17 years) who were concurrent clients of two or more service systems (child welfare, juvenile justice, additional education, mental health). It was hypothesised that services adopting PYD approaches would be related to increases in youth resilience and better wellbeing outcomes. It was also hypothesised that risks, resilience, service experiences and wellbeing outcomes would differ by age, gender and ethnicity. Youth completed a self-report questionnaire administered individually. Path analysis was used to determine the relationship between risk, service use, resilience and a wellbeing outcome measure. MANOVA was then used to determine patterns of risk, service use, resilience and wellbeing among participants based on their demographic characteristics. Services using PYD approaches were significantly related to higher levels of youth resilience. Similarly, increased resilience was related to increased indicators of wellbeing, suggesting the mediating role of resilience between risk factors and wellbeing outcomes. When professionals adopt PYD practices and work with the positive resources around youth (their own resilience processes) interventions can make a significant contribution to wellbeing outcomes for at-risk youth. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Step-Up: Promoting Youth Mental Health and Development in Inner-City High Schools

PubMed Central

Pardo, Gisselle; Conover, Kelly; Gopalan, Geetha; McKay, Mary

2011-01-01

African American and Latino youth who reside in inner-city communities are at heightened risk for compromised mental health, as their neighborhoods are too often associated with serious stressors, including elevated rates of poverty, substance abuse, community violence, as well as scarce youth-supportive resources, and mental health care options. Many aspects of disadvantaged urban contexts have the potential to thwart successful youth development. Adolescents with elevated mental health needs may experience impaired judgment, poor problem-solving skills, and conflictual interpersonal relationships, resulting in unsafe sexual behavior and drug use. However, mental health services are frequently avoided by urban adolescents who could gain substantial benefit from care. Thus, the development of culturally sensitive, contextually relevant and effective services for urban, low-income African American and Latino adolescents is critical. Given the complexity of the mental health and social needs of urban youth, novel approaches to service delivery may need to consider individual (i.e., motivation to succeed in the future), family (i.e., adult support within and outside of the family), and community-level (i.e., work and school opportunities) clinical components. Step-Up, a high school-based mental health service delivery model has been developed to bolster key family, youth and school processes related to youth mental health and positive youth development. Step-Up (1) intervenes with urban minority adolescents across inner-city ecological domains; (2) addresses multiple levels (school, family and community) in order to target youth mental health difficulties; and (3) provides opportunities for increasing youth social problem-solving and life skills. Further, Step-Up integrates existing theory-driven, evidence-based interventions. This article describes Step-Up clinical goals, theoretical influences, as well as components and key features, and presents preliminary data on

Step-Up: Promoting Youth Mental Health and Development in Inner-City High Schools.

PubMed

Alicea, Stacey; Pardo, Gisselle; Conover, Kelly; Gopalan, Geetha; McKay, Mary

2012-06-01

African American and Latino youth who reside in inner-city communities are at heightened risk for compromised mental health, as their neighborhoods are too often associated with serious stressors, including elevated rates of poverty, substance abuse, community violence, as well as scarce youth-supportive resources, and mental health care options. Many aspects of disadvantaged urban contexts have the potential to thwart successful youth development. Adolescents with elevated mental health needs may experience impaired judgment, poor problem-solving skills, and conflictual interpersonal relationships, resulting in unsafe sexual behavior and drug use. However, mental health services are frequently avoided by urban adolescents who could gain substantial benefit from care. Thus, the development of culturally sensitive, contextually relevant and effective services for urban, low-income African American and Latino adolescents is critical. Given the complexity of the mental health and social needs of urban youth, novel approaches to service delivery may need to consider individual (i.e., motivation to succeed in the future), family (i.e., adult support within and outside of the family), and community-level (i.e., work and school opportunities) clinical components. Step-Up, a high school-based mental health service delivery model has been developed to bolster key family, youth and school processes related to youth mental health and positive youth development. Step-Up (1) intervenes with urban minority adolescents across inner-city ecological domains; (2) addresses multiple levels (school, family and community) in order to target youth mental health difficulties; and (3) provides opportunities for increasing youth social problem-solving and life skills. Further, Step-Up integrates existing theory-driven, evidence-based interventions. This article describes Step-Up clinical goals, theoretical influences, as well as components and key features, and presents preliminary data on

Adult 4-H Volunteer Empowerment in 4-H Youth Development Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Pamela

2009-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to determine which factors related to adult 4-H volunteer empowerment in 4-H youth development settings. This study examined the relationship of adult 4-H volunteers' perceived leadership styles of Oregon 4-H Youth Development Educators (YDE) to the adult 4-H volunteer sense of empowerment. In addition,…

Recognition for positive behavior as a critical youth development construct: conceptual bases and implications on youth service development.

PubMed

Law, Ben M F; Siu, Andrew M H; Shek, Daniel T L

2012-01-01

Recognition for positive behavior is an appropriate response of the social environment to elicit desirable external behavior among the youth. Such positive responses, rendered from various social systems, include tangible and intangible reinforcements. The following theories are used to explain the importance of recognizing positive behavior: operational conditioning, observational learning, self-determination, and humanistic perspective. In the current work, culturally and socially desirable behaviors are discussed in detail with reference to Chinese adolescents. Positive behavior recognition is especially important to adolescent development because it promotes identity formation as well as cultivates moral reasoning and social perspective thinking from various social systems. The significance of recognizing positive behavior is illustrated through the support, tutorage, invitation, and subsidy provided by Hong Kong's social systems in recognition of adolescent volunteerism. The practical implications of positive behavior recognition on youth development programs are also discussed in this work.

Recognition for Positive Behavior as a Critical Youth Development Construct: Conceptual Bases and Implications on Youth Service Development

PubMed Central

Law, Ben M. F.; Siu, Andrew M. H.; Shek, Daniel T. L.

2012-01-01

Recognition for positive behavior is an appropriate response of the social environment to elicit desirable external behavior among the youth. Such positive responses, rendered from various social systems, include tangible and intangible reinforcements. The following theories are used to explain the importance of recognizing positive behavior: operational conditioning, observational learning, self-determination, and humanistic perspective. In the current work, culturally and socially desirable behaviors are discussed in detail with reference to Chinese adolescents. Positive behavior recognition is especially important to adolescent development because it promotes identity formation as well as cultivates moral reasoning and social perspective thinking from various social systems. The significance of recognizing positive behavior is illustrated through the support, tutorage, invitation, and subsidy provided by Hong Kong's social systems in recognition of adolescent volunteerism. The practical implications of positive behavior recognition on youth development programs are also discussed in this work. PMID:22666155

Systematic review of positive youth development programs for adolescents with chronic illness.

PubMed

Maslow, Gary R; Chung, Richard J

2013-05-01

The Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework has been successfully used to support at-risk youth. However, its effectiveness in fostering positive outcomes for adolescents with chronic illness has not been established. We performed a systematic review of PYD-consistent programs for adolescents with chronic illness. Data sources included PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychINFO. Guided by an analytic framework, we searched for studies of PYD-consistent programs serving adolescents and young adults aged 13 through 24 with chronic illness. References were screened iteratively with increasing depth until a focused cohort was obtained and reviewed in full. The authors separately reviewed the studies using structured analysis forms. Relevant study details were abstracted during the review process. Fifteen studies describing 14 programs were included in the analysis. Three comprehensive programs included all 3 core components of a PYD program, including opportunities for youth leadership, skill building, and sustained connections between youth and adults. Four programs were primarily mentoring programs, and 7 others focused on youth leadership. Programs served youth with a variety of chronic illnesses. The quality and type of evaluation varied considerably, with most reporting psychosocial outcomes but only a few including medical outcomes. The PYD-consistent programs identified in this review can serve as models for the development of youth development programs for adolescents with chronic illness. Additional study is needed to evaluate such programs rigorously with respect to both psychosocial and health-related outcomes. PYD-consistent programs have the potential to reach youth with chronic illness and promote positive adult outcomes broadly.

Participant Perceptions of Character Concepts in a Physical Activity-Based Positive Youth Development Program.

PubMed

Riciputi, Shaina; McDonough, Meghan H; Ullrich-French, Sarah

2016-10-01

Physical activity-based positive youth development (PYD) programs often aim to foster character development. This study examined youth perspectives of character development curricula and the impact these activities have on their lives within and beyond the program. This case study examined youth from low-income families in a physical activity-based summer PYD program that integrated one character concept (respect, caring, responsibility, trust) in each of 4 weeks. Participants (N = 24) included a cross section of age, gender, ethnicity, and past program experience. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis and constant comparative methods. Thirteen themes were grouped in four categories: building highquality reciprocal relationships; intrapersonal improvement; moral reasoning and understanding; and rejection, resistance, and compliance. The findings provide participant-centered guidance for understanding youth personal and social development through physical activity in ways that are meaningful to participants, which is particularly needed for youth in low-income communities with limited youth programming.

Youth Leadership Development Self-Efficacy: An Exploratory Study Involving a New Construct

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greiman, Bradley C.; Addington, Leah S.

2008-01-01

Supported by Bandura's social cognitive theory, our study examined personal factors and environmental factors that impact adults' ability to assist youth in developing leadership. We introduce youth leadership development self-efficacy (YLD-SE) as a new construct for use in leadership research. A 7-item scale to measure YLD-SE was developed and…

Customer Service in a Youth Development System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tetro, Charles G.

The Training and Development Corporation (TDC) began the redesign of its youth development system with the belief that the center of effort would be local and success would ultimately turn on the capacity of individuals and organizations to transform themselves. TDC's first generation Career Advancement Center (CAC) prototype was in place by 1986.…

Transitioning HIV-infected youth into adult health care.

PubMed

2013-07-01

With advances in antiretroviral therapy, most HIV-infected children survive into adulthood. Optimal health care for these youth includes a formal plan for the transition of care from primary and/or subspecialty pediatric/adolescent/family medicine health care providers (medical home) to adult health care provider(s). Successful transition involves the early engagement and participation of the youth and his or her family with the pediatric medical home and adult health care teams in developing a formal plan. Referring providers should have a written policy for the transfer of HIV-infected youth to adult care, which will guide in the development of an individualized plan for each youth. The plan should be introduced to the youth in early adolescence and modified as the youth approaches transition. Assessment of developmental milestones is important to define the readiness of the youth in assuming responsibility for his or her own care before initiating the transfer. Communication among all providers is essential and should include both personal contact and a written medical summary. Progress toward the transition should be tracked and,once completed, should be documented and assessed.

Empower Latino Youth (ELAYO): Leveraging Youth Voice to Inform the Public Debate on Pregnancy, Parenting and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villaseñor, Elodia; Alcalá, Miguel; Valladares, Ena Suseth; Torres, Miguel A.; Mercado, Vanessa; Gómez, Cynthia A.

2013-01-01

Youth perspectives are routinely absent from research and policy initiatives. This article presents a project that infuses youth participation, training and mentorship into the research process and teaches youth how to become policy advocates. Empower Latino Youth (ELAYO) studies the individual and systemic factors impacting sexuality and…

Exploring the Impact of a Wilderness-Based Positive Youth Development Program for Urban Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton, Christine Lynn; Watt, Toni Terling

2014-01-01

Young people today face a multitude of challenges, especially when growing up in an urban environment. Risk factors such as poverty, exposure to gangs, drugs, and community and family violence threaten healthy development. The positive youth development (PYD) approach attempts to combat these personal and environmental challenges by providing…

The Challenges Associated with Change in 4-H/Youth Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKee, Renee K.; Talbert, B. Allen; Barkman, Susan J.

2002-01-01

A survey of 97 Indiana 4-H/youth development educators and interviews with staff and volunteer board members indicated that volunteers believe in core 4-H values, recommend reaching more and different youth, and believe that the rural image inhibits progress. Staff interactions with volunteers, lack of parental involvement, group organization and…

Developing a Scale of Perception of Sexual Abuse in Youth Sports (SPSAYS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Thomas A., III.; Byon, Kevin K.

2014-01-01

A scale was developed to measure perceptions of sexual abuse in youth sports by assessing (a) the perceived prevalence of sexual abuse committed by pedophilic youth sport coaches, (b) the perceived likelihood that a coach is a pedophile, (c) perceptions on how youth sport organizations should manage the risk of pedophilia, and (d) media influence…

Spirituality as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

PubMed Central

Shek, Daniel T. L.

2012-01-01

The concept of spirituality as a positive youth development construct is reviewed in this paper. Both broad and narrow definitions of spirituality are examined and a working definition of spirituality is proposed. Regarding theories of spirituality, different models pertinent to spiritual development and the relationship between spirituality and positive youth development are highlighted. Different ecological factors, particularly family and peer influences, were found to influence spirituality. Research on the influence of spirituality on adolescent developmental outcomes is examined. Finally, ways to promote adolescent spirituality are discussed. PMID:22654611

Gender Issues in Youth Development Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholson, Heather Johnston; And Others

This document discusses the question of gender in youth development programs, those structured activities and opportunities sponsored by organizations other than schools and offered outside of school hours. Many of these organizations offer programs for people of all ages but the clear focus of this paper is early adolescence, about ages 10 to 15.…

An ecological approach to understanding barriers to employment for youth with disabilities compared to their typically developing peers: views of youth, employers, and job counselors.

PubMed

Lindsay, Sally; McDougall, Carolyn; Menna-Dack, Dolly; Sanford, Robyn; Adams, Tracey

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which youth with physical disabilities encounter different barriers to finding employment compared to their typically developing peers. This study draws on 50 qualitative in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 31 youth (16 typically developing and 15 with a disability), and youth employers and job counselors knowledgeable about employment readiness among adolescents (n = 19). We utilize Bronfrebrenner's ecological framework to reveal the complex web of factors shaping youth's labor market outcomes. Only half of youth with a disability were working or looking for work compared to their peers. The findings show this was a result of different expectations of, and attitudes toward, youth with disabilities. For many youth with a disability, their peers, family and social networks often acted as a barrier to getting a job. Many youth also lacked independence and life skills that are needed to get a job (i.e. self-care and navigating public transportation) compared to their peers. Job counselors focused on linking youth to employers and mediating parental concerns. Employers appeared to have weaker links to youth with disabilities. System level barriers included lack of funding and policies to enhance disability awareness among employers. Youth with physical disabilities encounter some similar barriers to finding employment compared to their typically developing peers but in a stronger way. Barriers to employment exist at several levels including individual, sociostructural and environmental. The results highlight that although there are several barriers to employment for young people at the microsystem level, they are linked with larger social and environmental barriers. Clinicians working with youth should promote the development of skills that can lead to improved self-confidence and communication skills for youth. Encourage the development of extracurricular activities and social networking to build these

New York State's "Assets Coming Together (ACT) for Youth": a statewide approach effects community change.

PubMed

Riser, Marta H; Mesler, Kristine; Tallon, Thomas C; Birkhead, Guthrie S

2006-11-01

The New York State Department of Health launched an innovative initiative, Assets Coming Together (ACT) for Youth, implemented in 2000, as a public health strategy to promote youth development (YD) as a means to improve health outcomes for youth. ACT for Youth shifted the focus from problems and problem reduction to assets and strength-based means of improving health by enhancing opportunities and supports in communities for all youth and their families. ACT for Youth is innovative in its emphasis on community building and community change at multiple levels. This descriptive report mentions development, implementation, specific objectives, and highlights of accomplishments in mobilizing communities around YD. Lessons learned over the first 5 years of the initiative are reviewed, with emphasis on the elements of successful health department YD programming. From this foundation, New York State hopes to be in the vanguard of utilizing YD as a public health improvement strategy and hopes that others will follow.

Movie Smoking and Youth Initiation: Parsing Smoking Imagery and Other Adult Content

PubMed Central

Farrelly, Matthew C.; Kamyab, Kian; Nonnemaker, James; Crankshaw, Erik; Allen, Jane A.

2012-01-01

Objectives To isolate the independent influence of exposure to smoking and other adult content in the movies on youth smoking uptake. Methods We used discrete time survival analysis to quantify the influence of exposure to smoking and other adult content in the movies on transitioning from (1) closed to open to smoking; (2) never to ever trying smoking; and (3) never to ever hitting, slapping, or shoving someone on two or more occasions in the past 30 days. The latter is a comparative outcome, hypothesized to have no correlation with exposure to smoking in the movies. Results Assessed separately, both exposure to smoking imagery and exposure to adult content were associated with increased likelihood of youth becoming open to smoking (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04–1.15 and OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04–1.17) and having tried smoking (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00–1.12 and OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.00–1.13). Both measures were also separately associated with aggressive behavior (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04–1.14 and OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04–1.15). A very high correlation between the two measures (0.995, p<0.000) prevented an assessment of their independent effects on smoking initiation. Conclusion Although exposure to smoking in the movies is correlated with smoking susceptibility and initiation, the high correlation between exposure to smoking in the movies and other adult content suggests that more research is needed to disentangle their independent influence on smoking. PMID:23251654

Positive youth development among African American adolescents: examining single parents as a factor.

PubMed

Roberts, Shani R; Lewis, Rhonda K; Carmack, Chakema

2011-01-01

Over the past few decades researchers have begun to examine the importance of understanding positive youth development and the many contexts in which youth find themselves. The social contexts in which adolescent development occurs are varied and complex, particularly the development among African American youth. African American youth are faced with a number of challenges including living in single-parent homes, high teen pregnancy rates, and poor neighborhoods, yet many of these youth continue to thrive. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family structure (single-parenting) and adolescent outcomes such as educational aspirations and sexual activity among African American adolescent youth aged 12-17. Approximately 462 African American youth were surveyed. A number of positive results emerged; for instance, there was a negative correlation between family structure and educational aspirations. The number of parents in the home did not interfere with youth wanting to complete high school and go on to college (r = - .218, r² = .04, p < .05). The results also showed that as educational aspirations increased, the number of sexual partners decreased (r = - .141, meaning that the more adolescents reported a desire to complete high school, they were less likely to report having sexual intercourse. These positive results should be promoted among African American youth so that those faced with these challenges will note that others have overcome and accomplished their goals. In this population educational aspirations were important. Limitations and future research are discussed.

Physical Activity and Positive Youth Development: Impact of a School-Based Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madsen, Kristine A.; Hicks, Katherine; Thompson, Hannah

2011-01-01

Background: Protective factors associated with positive youth development predict health and education outcomes. This study explored trends in these protective factors and in physical activity among low-income students, and determined the impact of a school-based youth development program on these trends. Methods: This study used a…

Evaluating Approaches to Physical Literacy through the Lens of Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allan, Veronica; Turnnidge, Jennifer; Côté, Jean

2017-01-01

The potential of physical activity and sport programs to promote positive youth development (PYD) is well-recognized among youth sport researchers and practitioners. More recently, physical literacy has gained traction among sport organizations as an important component of long-term athlete development. With conceptual roots in academic writing,…

Youth-Adult Partnerships and Youth Identity Style.

PubMed

Ramey, Heather L; Rose-Krasnor, Linda; Lawford, Heather L

2017-02-01

Youth-adult partnerships (e.g., youth leading programs, participating as members of advisory boards) are a common and widely recommended practice in youth work and youth-serving program settings. Although researchers have suggested that these opportunities contribute to youth's identity development, empirical evidence is lacking. In the current study, we tested associations between identity style and degree of youth voice, collaborative youth-adult relationships, and youth's program engagement in 194 youth participating in youth-adult partnerships (M age  = 17.6, 62 % female). We found that these characteristics of youth-adult partnerships predicted higher informational identity style, although only program engagement emerged as a unique predictor. Furthermore, exploratory analysis indicated that these associations were moderated by the type of organization. The findings suggest the need for more research on the multiple dimensions of youth-adult partnerships and their association with youth functioning, as well as pointing to the importance of the broader organizational context of youth-adult partnerships.

Community Violence Exposure and Positive Youth Development in Urban Youth

PubMed Central

Deatrick, Janet A.; Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Richmond, Therese S.

2011-01-01

Youth in urban environments are exposed to community violence, yet some do well and continue on a positive developmental trajectory. This study investigated the relationships between lifetime community violence exposure (including total, hearing about, witnessing, and victimization), family functioning, and positive youth development (PYD) among 110 urban youth ages 10–16 years (54% female) using a paper and pen self-report survey. This cross-sectional study was part of an interdisciplinary community-based participatory research effort in West/Southwest Philadelphia. Almost 97% of the sample reported some type of community violence exposure. Controlling for presence of mother in the home and presence of father in the home, separate linear regression models for PYD by each type of community violence exposure indicated that gender and family functioning were significantly associated with PYD. None of the types of community violence exposure were significant in the models. Significant interactions between gender and presence of mother in the home and gender and family functioning helped better explain these relationships for some of the types of community violence exposure. Presence of mother was associated with higher PYD for girls, but not for boys. Boys with poor family functioning had lower PYD than girls with poor family functioning. This study helps to better delineate relationships between CVE and PYD by adding new knowledge to the literature on the role of family functioning. Points of intervention should focus on families, with attention to parental figures in the home and overall family functioning. PMID:21461763

Youth Sport Volunteering: Developing Social Capital?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kay, Tess; Bradbury, Steven

2009-01-01

This paper analyses the capacity of youth sport volunteering to contribute to the development of social capital. Following a review of the emergence of social capital as a key theme in UK sport policy, the paper focuses on the ability of a structured sports volunteering programme to equip young people with skills for effective volunteering, and…

"Field of Dreams:" Sport as a Context for Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Maureen R.

2008-01-01

Being asked to give the Charles H. McCloy research lecture is one of the highlights of the author's academic career. Although McCloy's primary area of expertise was measurement and the analysis of motor skills, he also shared an avid interest in youth development through sport and physical activity. In this article, the author features youth sport…

Using Positive Youth Development to Predict Contribution and Risk Behaviors in Early Adolescence: Findings from the First Two Waves of the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jelicic, Helena; Bobek, Deborah L.; Phelps, Erin; Lerner, Richard M.; Lerner, Jacqueline V.

2007-01-01

Theories of positive youth development (PYD) regard such development as bases of both community contributions and lessened likelihood of risk/problem behaviors. Using data from the 4-H Study of PYD, we tested these expectations by examining if PYD in Grade 5 predicted both youth contributions and risk behaviors and depression in Grade 6. Results…

Positive youth development in rural China: the role of parental migration.

PubMed

Wen, Ming; Su, Shaobing; Li, Xiaoming; Lin, Danhua

2015-05-01

This study examined how parental rural-to-urban migration may affect left-behind children's development in rural China. We used two-wave data collected on 864 rural youth age 10-17 years in the Guangxi Province, China in 2010. We tested psychometric properties of a positive youth development (PYD) model theorized and corroborated in the US, compared a range of developmental outcomes among rural youth by their parental migration status, and explored the mediating role of family economic and social resources in observed associations between developmental outcomes and parental migration. The results showed the PYD model had some international validity although modifications would be needed to make it more suitable to Chinese settings. Little difference in the PYD outcomes was detected by parental migration status. On other outcomes (i.e., self-rated health, school grades, educational aspirations, problem behavior), positive influences of parental migration were observed. Increased income but not social resources in migrant families helped explain some of these patterns. The take-home message from this study is that parental migration is not necessarily an injurious situation for youth development. To advance our knowledge about the developmental significance of parental migration for rural Chinese youth, we urgently need large-scale representative surveys to collect comprehensive and longitudinal information about rural children's developmental trajectories and their multilevel social contexts to identify key resources of PYD in order to better help migrant and non-migrant families nurture thriving youth in rural China. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sex Variations in Youth Anxiety Symptoms: Effects of Pubertal Development and Gender Role Orientation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Rona; Silverman, Wendy K.; Jaccard, James

2011-01-01

This study evaluated whether pubertal development and gender role orientation (i.e., masculinity and femininity) can partially explain sex variations in youth anxiety symptoms among clinic-referred anxious youth (N = 175; ages 9-13 years; 74% Hispanic; 48% female). Using youth and parent ratings of youth anxiety symptoms, structural equation…

Long-term athletic development- part 1: a pathway for all youth.

PubMed

Lloyd, Rhodri S; Oliver, Jon L; Faigenbaum, Avery D; Howard, Rick; De Ste Croix, Mark B A; Williams, Craig A; Best, Thomas M; Alvar, Brent A; Micheli, Lyle J; Thomas, D Phillip; Hatfield, Disa L; Cronin, John B; Myer, Gregory D

2015-05-01

The concept of developing talent and athleticism in youth is the goal of many coaches and sports systems. Consequently, an increasing number of sporting organizations have adopted long-term athletic development models in an attempt to provide a structured approach to the training of youth. It is clear that maximizing sporting talent is an important goal of long-term athletic development models. However, ensuring that youth of all ages and abilities are provided with a strategic plan for the development of their health and physical fitness is also important to maximize physical activity participation rates, reduce the risk of sport- and activity-related injury, and to ensure long-term health and well-being. Critical reviews of independent models of long-term athletic development are already present within the literature; however, to the best of our knowledge, a comprehensive examination and review of the most prominent models does not exist. Additionally, considerations of modern day issues that may impact on the success of any long-term athletic development model are lacking, as are proposed solutions to address such issues. Therefore, within this 2-part commentary, Part 1 provides a critical review of existing models of practice for long-term athletic development and introduces a composite youth development model that includes the integration of talent, psychosocial and physical development across maturation. Part 2 identifies limiting factors that may restrict the success of such models and offers potential solutions.

From Hopelessness to Hope: Social Justice Pedagogy in Urban Education and Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cammarota, Julio

2011-01-01

This article reviews the social justice youth development (SJYD) model conceptualized to facilitate and enhance urban youth awareness of their personal potential, community responsibility, and broader humanity. The SJYD requires the healing of youth identities by involving them in social justice activities that counter oppressive conditions…

Causes of Child and Youth Homelessness in Developed and Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Embleton, Lonnie; Lee, Hana; Gunn, Jayleen; Ayuku, David; Braitstein, Paula

2017-01-01

IMPORTANCE A systematic compilation of children and youth’s reported reasons for street involvement is lacking. Without empirical data on these reasons, the policies developed or implemented to mitigate street involvement are not responsive to the needs of these children and youth. OBJECTIVE To systematically analyze the self-reported reasons why children and youth around the world become street-involved and to analyze the available data by level of human development, geographic region, and sex. DATA SOURCES Electronic searches of Scopus, PsychINFO, EMBASE, POPLINE, PubMed, ERIC, and the Social Sciences Citation Index were conducted from January 1, 1990, to the third week of July 2013. We searched the peer-reviewed literature for studies that reported quantitative reasons for street involvement. The following broad search strategy was used to search the databases: “street children” OR “street youth” OR “homeless youth” OR “homeless children” OR “runaway children” OR “runaway youth” or “homeless persons.” STUDY SELECTION Studies were included if they met the following inclusion criteria: (1) participants were 24 years of age or younger, (2) participants met our definition of street-connected children and youth, and (3) the quantitative reasons for street involvement were reported. We reviewed 318 full texts and identified 49 eligible studies. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers. We fit logistic mixed-effects models to estimate the pooled prevalence of each reason and to estimate subgroup pooled prevalence by development level or geographic region. The meta-analysis was conducted from February to August 2015. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES We created the following categories based on the reported reasons in the literature: poverty, abuse, family conflict, delinquency, psychosocial health, and other. RESULTS In total, there were 13 559 participants from 24 countries, of which 21 represented developing

Program theory-driven evaluation science in a youth development context.

PubMed

Deane, Kelsey L; Harré, Niki

2014-08-01

Program theory-driven evaluation science (PTDES) provides a useful framework for uncovering the mechanisms responsible for positive change resulting from participation in youth development (YD) programs. Yet it is difficult to find examples of PTDES that capture the complexity of such experiences. This article offers a much-needed example of PTDES applied to Project K, a youth development program with adventure, service-learning and mentoring components. Findings from eight program staff focus groups, 351 youth participants' comments, four key program documents, and results from six previous Project K research projects were integrated to produce a theory of change for the program. A direct logic analysis was then conducted to assess the plausibility of the proposed theory against relevant research literature. This demonstrated that Project K incorporates many of the best practice principles discussed in the literature that covers the three components of the program. The contributions of this theory-building process to organizational learning and development are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing Culturally Responsive Youth Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walter, Ann; Grant, Samantha

2011-01-01

Culturally Responsive Youth Work: The Journey Matters is based on the theory that when knowledge and skills are found within the lived experiences and cultural contexts of youth, they are more meaningful and more engaging and are learned more easily (Gay, 2000). The program was evaluated using a retrospective pre-then-post test evaluation and…

Psychological Empowerment among Urban Youth: Measure Development and Relationship to Psychosocial Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozer, Emily J.; Schotland, Marieka

2011-01-01

Although there are an increasing number of youth development programs that aim to empower young people, there is a dearth of psychometrically sound measures that can be used to assess flexible youth-led organizing and participatory research approaches that tackle a wide range of social and community problems. This study developed and tested…

Creating a Seamless Web of Services for Youth: The DC Children and Youth Investment Partnership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keegan, Sinead; Chaplin, Duncan

This report describes the DC Children and Youth Investment Partnership, which helps improve outcomes for DC youth by building a sustainable partnership to increase the quality and quantity of youth services. Data from interviews with key actors, attendance at Partnership meetings, and site visits with affiliated initiatives show progress in…

Incorporating Youth Development Principles into Adolescent Health Programs: A Guide for State-Level Practitioners & Policy Makers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Judd, Becky

2006-01-01

The youth development approach has gained traction over the past twenty-plus years, across a range of youth-serving fields, including public health. While it is important for Adolescent Health Coordinators, other practitioners and policy makers focused on youth to be familiar with youth development concepts, it is critically important that they…

Helping America's Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bush, Laura

2005-01-01

As First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush is leading the Helping America's Youth initiative of the federal government. She articulates the goal of enlisting public and volunteer resources to foster healthy growth by early intervention and mentoring of youngsters at risk. Helping America's Youth will benefit children and teenagers by…

Development and piloting of a treatment foster care program for older youth with psychiatric problems.

PubMed

McMillen, J Curtis; Narendorf, Sarah Carter; Robinson, Debra; Havlicek, Judy; Fedoravicius, Nicole; Bertram, Julie; McNelly, David

2015-01-01

Older youth in out-of-home care often live in restrictive settings and face psychiatric issues without sufficient family support. This paper reports on the development and piloting of a manualized treatment foster care program designed to step down older youth with high psychiatric needs from residential programs to treatment foster care homes. A team of researchers and agency partners set out to develop a treatment foster care model for older youth based on Multi-dimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC). After matching youth by mental health condition and determining for whom randomization would be allowed, 14 youth were randomized to treatment as usual or a treatment foster home intervention. Stakeholders were interviewed qualitatively at multiple time points. Quantitative measures assessed mental health symptoms, days in locked facilities, employment and educational outcomes. Development efforts led to substantial variations from the MTFC model and a new model, Treatment Foster Care for Older Youth was piloted. Feasibility monitoring suggested that it was difficult, but possible to recruit and randomize youth from and out of residential homes and that foster parents could be recruited to serve them. Qualitative data pointed to some qualified clinical successes. Stakeholders viewed two team roles - that of psychiatric nurse and skills coaches - very highly. However, results also suggested that foster parents and some staff did not tolerate the intervention well and struggled to address the emotion dysregulation issues of the young people they served. Quantitative data demonstrated that the intervention was not keeping youth out of locked facilities. The intervention needed further refinement prior to a broader trial. Intervention development work continued until components were developed to help address emotion regulation problems among fostered youth. Psychiatric nurses and skills coaches who work with youth in community settings hold promise as important

Developing and validating the Youth Conduct Problems Scale-Rwanda: a mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Ng, Lauren C; Kanyanganzi, Frederick; Munyanah, Morris; Mushashi, Christine; Betancourt, Theresa S

2014-01-01

This study developed and validated the Youth Conduct Problems Scale-Rwanda (YCPS-R). Qualitative free listing (n = 74) and key informant interviews (n = 47) identified local conduct problems, which were compared to existing standardized conduct problem scales and used to develop the YCPS-R. The YCPS-R was cognitive tested by 12 youth and caregiver participants, and assessed for test-retest and inter-rater reliability in a sample of 64 youth. Finally, a purposive sample of 389 youth and their caregivers were enrolled in a validity study. Validity was assessed by comparing YCPS-R scores to conduct disorder, which was diagnosed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children, and functional impairment scores on the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule Child Version. ROC analyses assessed the YCPS-R's ability to discriminate between youth with and without conduct disorder. Qualitative data identified a local presentation of youth conduct problems that did not match previously standardized measures. Therefore, the YCPS-R was developed solely from local conduct problems. Cognitive testing indicated that the YCPS-R was understandable and required little modification. The YCPS-R demonstrated good reliability, construct, criterion, and discriminant validity, and fair classification accuracy. The YCPS-R is a locally-derived measure of Rwandan youth conduct problems that demonstrated good psychometric properties and could be used for further research.

Informal Science and Youth Development: Creating Convergence in Out-of-School Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noam, Gil G.; Shah, Ashima

2014-01-01

This chapter highlights the fit between youth-development-oriented programming and informal science activities in out-of-school time (OST) and illustrates how science and youth development can and should co-occur. The clover model and Dimensions of Success tool are introduced as lenses for designing and assessing science program quality in OST.…

Developing Youth's Cultural and Social Skills through a Social-Virtual Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eteokleous, Nikleia

2011-01-01

Purpose: This study seeks to evaluate the application of a social-virtual curriculum delivered through in-classroom and web-based activities, aiming to develop youth's social-cultural skills, cultural competency and multicultural awareness. Specifically, the study evaluates the overall impact of the curriculum to the participating youth's…

Factor Analysis of the HEW National Strategy for Youth Development Model's Community Program Impact Scales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truckenmiller, James L.

The former HEW (Health, Education, and Welfare) National Strategy for Youth Development Model proposed a community-based program to promote positive youth development and to prevent delinquency through a sequence of youth needs assessments, needs-targeted programs, and program impact evaluation. HEW Community Program Impact Scales data obtained…

Youth Leadership Development: A National Analysis of FFA Member Role and Activity Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peiter Horstmeier, Robin; Nall, Martha A.

2007-01-01

A purpose of youth organizations is to develop leadership skills among members through organizational structure and organization sponsored activities. But do they develop those skills? This national, multi-stage study examined the role of youth and the context of their activities in developing leadership in rural FFA chapters. FFA members had a…

A longitudinal study of youth assets, neighborhood conditions, and youth sexual behaviors.

PubMed

Oman, Roy F; Vesely, Sara K; Aspy, Cheryl B; Tolma, Eleni L; Gavin, Lorrie; Bensyl, Diana M; Mueller, Trisha; Fluhr, Janene D

2013-06-01

To prospectively determine whether individual, family, and community assets help youth to delay initiation of sexual intercourse (ISI); and for youth who do initiate intercourse, to use birth control and avoid pregnancy. The potential influence of neighborhood conditions was also investigated. The Youth Asset Study was a 4-year longitudinal study involving 1,089 youth (mean age = 14.2 years, standard deviation = 1.6; 53% female; 40% white, 28% Hispanic, 23% African American, 9% other race) and their parents. Participants were living in randomly selected census tracts. We accomplished recruitment via door-to-door canvassing. We interviewed one youth and one parent from each household annually. We assessed 17 youth assets (e.g., responsible choices, family communication) believed to influence behavior at multiple levels via in-person interviews methodology. Trained raters who conducted annual windshield tours assessed neighborhood conditions. Cox proportional hazard or marginal logistic regression modeling indicated that 11 assets (e.g., family communication, school connectedness) were significantly associated with reduced risk for ISI; seven assets (e.g., educational aspirations for the future, responsible choices) were significantly associated with increased use of birth control at last sex; and 10 assets (e.g., family communication, school connectedness) were significantly associated with reduced risk for pregnancy. Total asset score was significantly associated with all three outcomes. Positive neighborhood conditions were significantly associated with increased birth control use, but not with ISI or pregnancy. Programming to strengthen youth assets may be a promising strategy for reducing youth sexual risk behaviors. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

Adolescents' Development of Skills for Agency in Youth Programs: Learning to Think Strategically

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Reed W.; Angus, Rachel M.

2011-01-01

This research examines how youth in arts and leadership programs develop skills for organizing actions over time to achieve goals. Ethnically diverse youth (ages 13-21) in 11 high-quality urban and rural programs were interviewed as they carried out projects. Qualitative analyses of 712 interviews with 108 youth yielded preliminary grounded theory…

Digital Media, Participatory Politics, and Positive Youth Development.

PubMed

Middaugh, Ellen; Clark, Lynn Schofield; Ballard, Parissa J

2017-11-01

Research on the social implications of adolescent technology use often focuses on identifying and preventing risk. However, adolescence is also a time of rapidly expanding capacities, expectations of autonomy, and identity exploration. In this article, we highlight findings from research in the field of youth civic development, which point to the importance of youth civic engagement during adolescence for later adult civic engagement as well as for promoting positive developmental outcomes. Researchers suggest that certain forms of Internet use (such as information seeking, social network site use, media production, and participation in online communities) promote civic engagement and that digital tools play an important role in youth empowerment efforts. In this article, we suggest a need for greater attention to efforts to promote digital media competencies among adolescents and for greater coordination of research on adolescent risk and adolescent autonomy and empowerment related to Internet use. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Psychosocial development through Masters sport: What can be gained from youth sport models?

PubMed

Dionigi, Rylee A; Fraser-Thomas, Jessica; Stone, Rachael C; Gayman, Amy M

2018-07-01

Although sport participation is encouraged throughout the lifespan, little research has been conducted on the role of sport in development later in life. This qualitative study explored adults' experiences of development within the context of Masters sport. We interviewed 14 adults (nine men and five women) aged 46-61 years involved in Masters sport. Data was interpreted drawing upon frameworks from youth sport (i.e., Personal Assets Framework for Sport; Côté, J., Bruner, M., Strachan, L., Erickson, K., & Fraser-Thomas, J. (2010). Athletes' development and coaching. In J. Lyle & C. Cushion (Eds.), Sport coaching: Professionalism and practice (pp. 63-83). Oxford, UK: Elsevier, Côté, J., Turnnidge, J., & Evans, M. B. (2014). The dynamic process of development through sport. Kinesiologia Slovenica, 20(3), 14-26, Côté, J., Turnnidge, J., & Vieerima, M. (2016). A personal assets approach to youth sport. In K. Green & A. Smith (Eds.), Routledge handbook of youth sport (pp. 243-255). New York, NY: Routledge; 4/5Cs of positive youth development; Lerner, R. M., Fisher, C. B., & Weinberg, R. A. (2000). Toward a science for and of the people: Promoting civil society through the application of developmental science. Child Development, 71(1), 11-20. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00113; Vierimaa, M., Erickson, K., Côté, J., & Gilbert, W. (2012). Positive youth development: A measurement framework for sport. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 7(3), 601-614. doi:10.1260/1747-9541.7.3.601), combined with past research on mid-life and older athletes. Six key themes emerged as contributing to adults' personal development through sport: competence and confidence, character, commitment, connection, cognition, and challenge. Masters sport contexts appeared to facilitate changes in assets (i.e., 6Cs) similar to those within youth sport, but assets often held different meanings within the context of later life. Applying frameworks from youth sport and developmental

Causes of Child and Youth Homelessness in Developed and Developing Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Embleton, Lonnie; Lee, Hana; Gunn, Jayleen; Ayuku, David; Braitstein, Paula

2016-05-01

A systematic compilation of children and youth's reported reasons for street involvement is lacking. Without empirical data on these reasons, the policies developed or implemented to mitigate street involvement are not responsive to the needs of these children and youth. To systematically analyze the self-reported reasons why children and youth around the world become street-involved and to analyze the available data by level of human development, geographic region, and sex. Electronic searches of Scopus, PsychINFO, EMBASE, POPLINE, PubMed, ERIC, and the Social Sciences Citation Index were conducted from January 1, 1990, to the third week of July 2013. We searched the peer-reviewed literature for studies that reported quantitative reasons for street involvement. The following broad search strategy was used to search the databases: "street children" OR "street youth" OR "homeless youth" OR "homeless children" OR "runaway children" OR "runaway youth" or "homeless persons." Studies were included if they met the following inclusion criteria: (1) participants were 24 years of age or younger, (2) participants met our definition of street-connected children and youth, and (3) the quantitative reasons for street involvement were reported. We reviewed 318 full texts and identified 49 eligible studies. Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers. We fit logistic mixed-effects models to estimate the pooled prevalence of each reason and to estimate subgroup pooled prevalence by development level or geographic region. The meta-analysis was conducted from February to August 2015. We created the following categories based on the reported reasons in the literature: poverty, abuse, family conflict, delinquency, psychosocial health, and other. In total, there were 13 559 participants from 24 countries, of which 21 represented developing countries. The most commonly reported reason for street involvement was poverty, with a pooled-prevalence estimate of 39% (95% CI, 29

Development of a Measure of Drinking and Driving Expectancies for Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Denis M.; Pedersen, Sarah L.; Thompsen, Dana M.; Leuty, Melanie E.

2006-01-01

The present study constructs and provides initial validation for a measure of positive expectancies for drinking and driving for use with adolescents and young adults (PEDD-Y). In Study 1, items were generated through open-ended responses from high school- and college-age youth. Data collected from a 2nd sample of college students (n = 404)…

Cultivating Positive Youth Development, Critical Consciousness, and Authentic Care in Urban Environmental Education.

PubMed

Delia, Jesse; Krasny, Marianne E

2017-01-01

This paper addresses the issue of how to provide affordances for youth development in the context of environmental stewardship in cities. Urban environmental education encompasses place-based and action-oriented stewardship practices, including community gardening and vegetable production, often with the dual goals of developing youth and community assets. Yet in-depth understanding of how these goals are achieved is lacking. Using narrative inquiry, we explored participant experiences in a multi-year agriculture internship program conducted by the food justice organization East New York Farms! (ENYF) in Brooklyn, NY. Emerging from our conversations with youth were five themes defining their intern experience: ENYF as somewhere to belong, to be pushed, to grapple with complexity, to practice leadership, and to become yourself. We propose a theory of change that emphasizes politicized notions of caring as a foundation for cultivating developmental assets, including competence, contribution, and critical consciousness, among youth who participate in ENYF programs multiple years. This paper extends the literature on socio-environmental affordances to encompass urban environmental education programs, which incorporate physical and social features that act as affordances. Further, this paper describes a feedback loop in which youth afforded opportunities to develop assets through contributing to their community in turn create affordances for additional youth and adults.

Cultivating Positive Youth Development, Critical Consciousness, and Authentic Care in Urban Environmental Education

PubMed Central

Delia, Jesse; Krasny, Marianne E.

2018-01-01

This paper addresses the issue of how to provide affordances for youth development in the context of environmental stewardship in cities. Urban environmental education encompasses place-based and action-oriented stewardship practices, including community gardening and vegetable production, often with the dual goals of developing youth and community assets. Yet in-depth understanding of how these goals are achieved is lacking. Using narrative inquiry, we explored participant experiences in a multi-year agriculture internship program conducted by the food justice organization East New York Farms! (ENYF) in Brooklyn, NY. Emerging from our conversations with youth were five themes defining their intern experience: ENYF as somewhere to belong, to be pushed, to grapple with complexity, to practice leadership, and to become yourself. We propose a theory of change that emphasizes politicized notions of caring as a foundation for cultivating developmental assets, including competence, contribution, and critical consciousness, among youth who participate in ENYF programs multiple years. This paper extends the literature on socio-environmental affordances to encompass urban environmental education programs, which incorporate physical and social features that act as affordances. Further, this paper describes a feedback loop in which youth afforded opportunities to develop assets through contributing to their community in turn create affordances for additional youth and adults. PMID:29379456

Training the Developing Brain Part II: Cognitive Considerations for Youth Instruction and Feedback

PubMed Central

Kushner, Adam M.; Kiefer, Adam W.; Lesnick, Samantha; Faigenbaum, Avery D.; Kashikar-Zuck, Susmita; Myer, Gregory D.

2015-01-01

Growing numbers of youth participating in competitive, organized physical activity has led to a concern for the risk of sports related injuries during important periods of human development. Recent studies have demonstrated the ability of Integrative Neuromuscular Training (INT) to enhance athletic performance and to reduce the risk of sports related injuries in youth. Successful implementation of INT necessitates instruction from knowledgeable and qualified instructors who understand the unique physical, cognitive and psychosocial characteristics of youth to provide appropriate training instruction and feedback. Principles of a classical theory of cognitive development provide a useful context for discussion of developmentally appropriate methods and strategies for INT instruction of youth. INT programs that consider these developmentally appropriate approaches will provide a controlled, efficacious environment for youth to improve athletic performance and to reduce risk of sports related injury; thus, promoting a healthy, active lifestyle beyond an individual’s formative years. PMID:25968858

Promoting Physical Activity Among Native American Youth: a Systematic Review of the Methodology and Current Evidence of Physical Activity Interventions and Community-wide Initiatives.

PubMed

Fleischhacker, Sheila; Roberts, Erica; Camplain, Ricky; Evenson, Kelly R; Gittelsohn, Joel

2016-12-01

Promoting physical activity using environmental, policy, and systems approaches could potentially address persistent health disparities faced by American Indian and Alaska Native children and adolescents. To address research gaps and help inform tribally led community changes that promote physical activity, this review examined the methodology and current evidence of physical activity interventions and community-wide initiatives among Native youth. A keyword-guided search was conducted in multiple databases to identify peer-reviewed research articles that reported on physical activity among Native youth. Ultimately, 20 unique interventions (described in 76 articles) and 13 unique community-wide initiatives (described in 16 articles) met the study criteria. Four interventions noted positive changes in knowledge and attitude relating to physical activity but none of the interventions examined reported statistically significant improvements on weight-related outcomes. Only six interventions reported implementing environmental, policy, and system approaches relating to promoting physical activity and generally only shared anecdotal information about the approaches tried. Using community-based participatory research or tribally driven research models strengthened the tribal-research partnerships and improved the cultural and contextual sensitivity of the intervention or community-wide initiative. Few interventions or community-wide initiatives examined multi-level, multi-sector interventions to promote physical activity among Native youth, families, and communities. More research is needed to measure and monitor physical activity within this understudied, high risk group. Future research could also focus on the unique authority and opportunity of tribal leaders and other key stakeholders to use environmental, policy, and systems approaches to raise a healthier generation of Native youth.

Promoting physical activity among Native American youth: A systematic review of the methodology and current evidence of physical activity interventions and community-wide initiatives

PubMed Central

Roberts, Erica; Camplain, Ricky; Evenson, Kelly R.; Gittelsohn, Joel

2015-01-01

Promoting physical activity using environmental, policy, and systems approaches could potentially address persistent health disparities faced by American Indian and Alaska Native children and adolescents. To address research gaps and help inform tribally-led community changes that promote physical activity, this review examined the methodology and current evidence of physical activity interventions and community-wide initiatives among Native youth. A keyword guided search was conducted in multiple databases to identify peer-reviewed research articles that reported on physical activity among Native youth. Ultimately, 20 unique interventions (described in 76 articles) and 13 unique community-wide initiatives (described in 16 articles) met the study criteria. Four interventions noted positive changes in knowledge and attitude relating to physical activity but none of the interventions examined reported statistically significant improvements on weight-related outcomes. Only six interventions reported implementing environmental, policy, and system approaches relating to promoting physical activity and generally only shared anecdotal information about the approaches tried. Using community-based participatory research or tribally-driven research models strengthened the tribal-research partnerships and improved the cultural and contextual sensitivity of the intervention or community-wide initiative. Few interventions or community-wide initiatives examined multi-level, multi-sector interventions to promote physical activity among Native youth, families and communities. More research is needed to measure and monitor physical activity within this understudied, high risk group. Future research could also focus on the unique authority and opportunity of tribal leaders and other key stakeholders to use environmental, policy, and systems approaches to raise a healthier generation of Native youth. PMID:27294756

Use of electronic nicotine delivery systems and recent initiation of smoking among US youth.

PubMed

Cardenas, Victor M; Evans, Victoria L; Balamurugan, Appathurai; Faramawi, Mohammed F; Delongchamp, Robert R; Wheeler, J Gary

2016-03-01

We assessed whether the prevalence of recent (within a year) initiation of cigarette smoking was associated with reports of ever using electronic delivery systems (ENDS) in the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) and whether the association varied by age. Weighted cross-sectional analysis of use of ENDS, cigarette smoking, age at interview and age at initiation of smoking collected systematically through the 2011-2013 NYTS cycles. In multivariate analyses those who ever used ENDS were twice as likely as nonusers of ENDS to have tried cigarette smoking in the last year (multivariate PR: 2.3; 95 % CI 1.9, 2.7). This average hid significant variations by age: a 4.1-fold increase (95 %; 2.6, 6.4) among those 11-13 years of age, compared to a smaller increase among those 16-18 years: 1.4-fold (95 % CI 1.1, 1.8). Use of ENDS by adolescents was associated with initiation of cigarette smoking in the last year. This association was stronger in younger adolescents.

The Youth Writers: Developing Curriculum for Their Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krehbiel, Michelle; Fenton, Melissa S.; Fairchild, Patricia J.

2015-01-01

Curricula designed for youth are often lacking a young person's influence and perspective. In order to provide engaging, "fresh" materials for youth, 4-H professionals can recruit youth as curriculum writers. Youth are given an opportunity to form positive partnerships with adults, produce engaging and creative materials for their peers,…

Shortridge academy: positive youth development in action within a therapeutic community.

PubMed

Baber, Kristine M; Rainer, Adam

2011-01-01

This chapter presents a case example of the implementation of Positive Youth Development (PYD) at a therapeutic boarding school including the theoretical, conceptual, and empirical information about PYD, adolescent brain development, authoritative communities, and youth-adult partnerships that guided this work. Specific examples demonstrate how key concepts and underlying principles of PYD were put into practice. The chapter provides information about parents' perceptions of the school's effectiveness and explains a theory of change approach used to develop the program evaluation. The chapter concludes with a discussion of challenges and opportunities experienced in the development and implementation of the program.

Predicting Vandalism in a General Youth Sample via the HEW Youth Development Model's Community Program Impact Scales, Age, and Sex.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truckenmiller, James L.

The former HEW National Strategy for Youth Development model was a community-based planning and procedural tool to enhance and to prevent delinquency through a process of youth needs assessments, needs targeted programs, and program impact evaluation. The program's 12 Impact Scales have been found to have acceptable reliabilities, substantial…

Computers and the internet: tools for youth empowerment.

PubMed

Valaitis, Ruta K

2005-10-04

Youth are often disenfranchised in their communities and may feel they have little voice. Since computers are an important aspect of youth culture, they may offer solutions to increasing youth participation in communities. This qualitative case study investigated the perceptions of 19 (predominantly female) inner-city school youth about their use of computers and the Internet in a school-based community development project. Youth working with public health nurses in a school-based community development project communicated with local community members using computer-mediated communication, surveyed peers online, built websites, searched for information online, and prepared project materials using computers and the Internet. Participant observation, semistructured interviews, analysis of online messages, and online- and paper-based surveys were used to gather data about youth's and adults' perceptions and use of the technologies. Constant comparison method and between-method triangulation were used in the analysis to satisfy the existence of themes. Not all youth were interested in working with computers. Some electronic messages from adults were perceived to be critical, and writing to adults was intimidating for some youth. In addition, technical problems were experienced. Despite these barriers, most youth perceived that using computers and the Internet reduced their anxiety concerning communication with adults, increased their control when dealing with adults, raised their perception of their social status, increased participation within the community, supported reflective thought, increased efficiency, and improved their access to resources. Overall, youth perceived computers and the Internet to be empowering tools, and they should be encouraged to use such technology to support them in community initiatives.

Are Youth at Risk? Reevaluating the Deficit Model of Youth Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Astroth, Kirk A.

1993-01-01

Puts the label "at risk" in perspective as it relates to youth. Points out that today's adolescents have lower rates of suicide, unwed pregnancy, drug abuse, smoking, and drunk driving than young and middle-aged adults. Suggests that extension youth education moves toward a condition-focused, resiliency model that recognizes the vitality and…

Experiment in the Streets: The Chicago Youth Development Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gold, Martin; Mattick, Hans W.

The Chicago Youth Development Project was an action-research program jointly undertaken by the Chicago Boys Club and the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research to test whether a program of aggressive street work and community organization in the core of a city could reduce delinquency among youth living there. The report presents a…

Promoting Positive Youth Development: Implications for Future Directions in Developmental Theory, Methods, and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurtines, William M.; Montgomery, Marilyn J.; Ferrer-Wreder, Laura; Berman, Steven L.; Lorente, Carolyn Cass; Silverman, Wendy K.

2008-01-01

The efforts of the Miami Youth Development Project reported in this special issue illustrate how Developmental Intervention Science (DIS; a fusion of the developmental and intervention science) extended to include outreach research contributes to the development of community-supported positive youth development programs. In the process, the…

Initiation to street life: a qualitative examination of the physical, social, and psychological practices in becoming an accepted member of the street youth community in Western Kenya.

PubMed

Wachira, Juddy; Kamanda, Allan; Embleton, Lonnie; Naanyu, Violet; Winston, Susanna; Ayuku, David; Braitstein, Paula

2015-06-20

The objective of this study was to describe the physical, social, and psychological initiation practices of street connected children and youths, in Eldoret, western Kenya. This qualitative study was conducted from August 2013 to February 2014. A total of 65 SCCY aged 11-24 years were purposively sampled from the three referral points: 1) A dedicated study clinic for vulnerable children and youth at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH); 2) Primary locations in which street children reside "bases/barracks"; 3) Street youth community-based organizations. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data. All data were audio recorded, transcribed, translated to English, and a content analysis performed. The overall median age was 18 years (IQR 14-20.5 years) and 69.2% of participants were male. None had gone beyond primary level of education. The majority (81.5%) reported to be sexually active. The street community had well-defined structures and rules that were protective of members and ensured survival on the streets. To be fully accepted children had to go through an initiation ritual that had important gender differences. Common rituals between males and females included interrogation, smearing of black soot, and payment of tax. Ritual practices unique to boys were physical abuse, theft of personal possessions, volatile substance use, being forced to eat garbage, and sodomy among the physically weak. Rituals unique to girls were being forced to 'become a wife or sexual partner', rape, and gang rape. Physical and psychological abuse during initiation was normalized and there were no clear mechanisms of dealing with these forms of abuse. There were important gender differences in the initiation practices of SCCY. Normalization of physical and psychological abuse during initiation contributes to the high health risks faced by these SCCY. Appropriate interventions need to be developed in collaboration with SCCY.

School Influences on Child and Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osher, David; Kendziora, Kimberly; Spier, Elizabeth; Garibaldi, Mark L.

2014-01-01

Schools play a key role in child and youth development as both social microcosms of the broader society and reciprocally influencing people and communities. As such, schools can function as a protective factor that promotes safety, motivation, relationships, and support for positive student outcomes. However, schools may also function as a risk…

A Systematic Review of Life Skill Development Through Sports Programs Serving Socially Vulnerable Youth.

PubMed

Hermens, Niels; Super, Sabina; Verkooijen, Kirsten T; Koelen, Maria A

2017-12-01

Despite the strong belief in sports programs as a setting in which socially vulnerable youth can develop life skills, no overview exists of life skill development in sports programs serving this youth group. Therefore, the present systematic review provides an overview of the evidence on life skill development in sports programs serving socially vulnerable youth and, insofar as it was investigated in the included studies, of the conditions conducive to life skill development in these sports programs. Potentially relevant studies published during 1990 to 2014 were identified by a search in 7 electronic databases. The search combined terms relating to (a) sport, (b) youth AND socially vulnerable, and (c) life skills. Eighteen of the 2,076 unique studies met the inclusion criteria. Each included study reported that at least 1 life skill improved in youth who participated in the studied sports program. Improvements in cognitive and social life skills were more frequently reported than were improvements in emotional life skills. Only a few of the included studies investigated the conditions in the studied sports programs that made these programs conducive to life skill development. Sports programs have the potential to make a difference in the life skill development of socially vulnerable youth. This conclusion needs to be treated with some caution, because the studies experienced many challenges in reducing the risk for bias. Several alternative research strategies are suggested for future studies in this field.

Incidence and predictors of onset of injection drug use in a San Francisco cohort of homeless youth.

PubMed

Parriott, Andrea M; Auerswald, Colette L

2009-01-01

Few studies document incidence of injection drug use among homeless youth. We followed a cohort of 70 street-recruited homeless youth in San Francisco, California who had never injected drugs for six months in 2004-5. We examined initiation of injection drug use and its predictors, informed by prior ethnographic findings. Data were analyzed using exact logistic regression. 11.4% of youth initiated injection drug use. Having no high school education, being over 21 years old, and being in disequilibrium predicted initiation. Limitations, implications and suggestions for future research are noted. Funding was provided by the National Institute for Child Health and Development.

Community-based participatory research: development of an emergency department-based youth violence intervention using concept mapping.

PubMed

Snider, Carolyn E; Kirst, Maritt; Abubakar, Shakira; Ahmad, Farah; Nathens, Avery B

2010-08-01

Emergency departments (EDs) see a high number of youths injured by violence. In Ontario, the most common cause of injury for youths visiting EDs is assault. Secondary prevention strategies using the teachable moment (i.e., events that can lead individuals to make positive changes in their lives) are ideal for use by clinicians. An opportunity exists to take advantage of the teachable moment in the ED in an effort to prevent future occurrences of injury in at-risk youths. However, little is known about perceptions of youths, parents, and community organizations about such interventions in EDs. The aims of this study were to engage youths, parents, and frontline community workers in conceptualizing a hospital-based violence prevention intervention and to identify outcomes relevant to the community. Concept mapping is an innovative, mixed-method research approach. It combines structured qualitative processes such as brainstorming and group sorting, with various statistical analyses such as multidimensional scaling and hierarchical clustering, to develop a conceptual framework, and allows for an objective presentation of qualitative data. Concept mapping involves multiple structured steps: 1) brainstorming, 2) sorting, 3) rating, and 4) interpretation. For this study, the first three steps occurred online, and the fourth step occurred during a community meeting. Over 90 participants were involved, including youths, parents, and community youth workers. A two-dimensional point map was created and clusters formed to create a visual display of participant ideas on an ED-based youth violence prevention intervention. Issues related to youth violence prevention that were rated of highest importance and most realistic for hospital involvement included mentorship, the development of youth support groups in the hospital, training doctors and nurses to ask questions about the violent event, and treating youth with respect. Small-group discussions on the various clusters

Policy and Practice-Relevant Youth Physical Activity Research Center Agenda.

PubMed

Botchwey, Nisha; Floyd, Myron F; Pollack Porter, Keshia; Cutter, Carmen L; Spoon, Chad; Schmid, Tom L; Conway, Terry L; Hipp, J Aaron; Kim, Anna J; Umstattd Meyer, M Renee; Walker, Amanda L; Kauh, Tina J; Sallis, Jim F

2018-06-08

The Physical Activity Research Center developed a research agenda that addresses youth physical activity (PA) and healthy weight, and aligns with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health. This paper summarizes prioritized research studies with a focus on youth at higher risk for inactive lifestyles and childhood obesity in urban and rural communities. Systematic literature reviews, a survey, and discussions with practitioners and researchers provided guidance on research questions to build evidence and inform effective strategies to promote healthy weight and PA in youth across race, cultural, and economic groups. The research team developed a matrix of potential research questions, identified priority questions, and designed targeted studies to address some of the priority questions and inform advocacy efforts. The studies selected examine strategies advocating for activity-friendly communities, Play Streets, park use, and PA of youth in the summer. A broader set of research priorities for youth PA is proposed. Establishing the Physical Activity Research Center research agenda identified important initial and future research studies to promote and ensure healthy weight and healthy levels of PA for at-risk youth. Results will be disseminated with the goal of promoting equitable access to PA for youth.

FELS FOUNDATION PROJECT FOR DEVELOPING YOUTH POTENTIAL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BAIR, ROBERT A.; AND OTHERS

THE OPERATION OF THE FELS FOUNDATION PROJECT FOR DEVELOPING YOUTH POTENTIAL IN HANFORD, CALIFORNIA, IS DESCRIBED. OF GENERAL CONCERN WAS THE PREPARATION OF CULTURALLY DEPRIVED CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL EXPERIENCES AND FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT. A MAJOR GOAL WAS TO IMPROVE THE SELF-IMAGE OF THE CHILDREN AND TO ASSIST THE PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN PROVIDING…

Research priorities for gender nonconforming/transgender youth: gender identity development and biopsychosocial outcomes.

PubMed

Olson-Kennedy, Johanna; Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T; Kreukels, Baudewijntje P C; Meyer-Bahlburg, Heino F L; Garofalo, Robert; Meyer, Walter; Rosenthal, Stephen M

2016-04-01

The review summarizes relevant research focused on prevalence and natural history of gender nonconforming/transgender youth, and outcomes of currently recommended clinical practice guidelines. This review identifies gaps in knowledge, and provides recommendations foci for future research. Increasing numbers of gender nonconforming youth are presenting for care. Clinically useful information for predicting individual psychosexual development pathways is lacking. Transgender youth are at high risk for poor medical and psychosocial outcomes. Longitudinal data examining the impact of early social transition and medical interventions are sparse. Existing tools to understand gender identity and quantify gender dysphoria need to be reconfigured to study a more diverse cohort of transgender individuals. Increasingly, biomedical data are beginning to change the trajectory of scientific investigation. Extensive research is needed to improve understanding of gender dysphoria, and transgender experience, particularly among youth. Recommendations include identification of predictors of persistence of gender dysphoria from childhood into adolescence, and a thorough investigation into the impact of interventions for transgender youth. Finally, examining the social environments of transgender youth is critical for the development of appropriate interventions necessary to improve the lives of transgender people.

Research Priorities for Gender Nonconforming/Transgender Youth: Gender Identity Development and Biopsychosocial Outcomes

PubMed Central

Olson-Kennedy, J; Cohen-Kettenis, P. T.; Kreukels, B.P.C; Meyer-Bahlburg, H.F.L; Garofalo, R; Meyer, W; Rosenthal, S.M.

2016-01-01

This review summarizes relevant research focused on prevalence and natural history of gender non-conforming / transgender youth, and outcomes of currently recommended clinical practice guidelines. This review identifies gaps in knowledge, and provides recommendations foci for future research. Recent findings Increasing numbers of gender nonconforming youth are presenting for care. Clinically useful information for predicting individual psychosexual development pathways is lacking. Transgender youth are at high risk for poor medical and psychosocial outcomes. Longitudinal data examining the impact of early social transition and medical interventions are sparse. Existing tools to understand gender identity and quantify gender dysphoria need to be reconfigured in order to study a more diverse cohort of transgender individuals. Increasingly, biomedical data are beginning to change the trajectory of scientific investigation. Summary Extensive research is needed to improve understanding of gender dysphoria, and transgender experience, particularly among youth. Recommendations include identification of predictors of persistence of gender dysphoria from childhood into adolescence, and a thorough investigation into the impact of interventions for transgender youth. Finally, examining the social environments of transgender youth is critical for the development of appropriate interventions necessary to improve the lives of transgender people. PMID:26825472

Combating School Bullying through Developmental Guidance for Positive Youth Development and Promoting Harmonious School Culture

PubMed Central

Hui, Eadaoin K. P.; Tsang, Sandra K. M.; Law, Bella C. M.

2011-01-01

Bullying and violence, which can bring detrimental effects, are situations which young people have to face in their process of development. Though school bullying has been a spreading and explicit problem in Hong Kong schools, most of the programs or guidelines dealing with the problem lack citywide, recognized initiatives and the effectiveness of these programs is unknown due to the lack of evaluation. The present paper discusses preventing school bullying from a developmental guidance perspective, using the positive youth development paradigm and promoting the values of harmony and forgiveness at the whole-school level to cultivate a harmonious school culture as a way of combating school bullying. PMID:22194662

Combating school bullying through developmental guidance for positive youth development and promoting harmonious school culture.

PubMed

Hui, Eadaoin K P; Tsang, Sandra K M; Law, Bella C M

2011-01-01

Bullying and violence, which can bring detrimental effects, are situations which young people have to face in their process of development. Though school bullying has been a spreading and explicit problem in Hong Kong schools, most of the programs or guidelines dealing with the problem lack citywide, recognized initiatives and the effectiveness of these programs is unknown due to the lack of evaluation. The present paper discusses preventing school bullying from a developmental guidance perspective, using the positive youth development paradigm and promoting the values of harmony and forgiveness at the whole-school level to cultivate a harmonious school culture as a way of combating school bullying.

Evaluation development for a physical activity positive youth development program for girls.

PubMed

Ullrich-French, Sarah; Cole, Amy N; Montgomery, Anna K

2016-04-01

Girls on the Run (GOTR) is an after school program for girls in third through fifth grade which utilizes a physical activity based positive youth development curriculum that culminates with completing a 5K run. Unfortunately, there is little empirical data documenting GOTR participant changes that align with the curriculum and describe the evaluation process. Therefore, this study presents an evaluation of GOTR consisting of three main processes: curriculum content analysis and stakeholder focus groups (N=11) to identify key outcomes of the program; community-based participatory research to collaborate with program personnel to further identify important outcomes; and the design and pilot testing of an instrument (N=104) for assessing changes in the theoretically grounded outcomes over time. Findings demonstrated a positive collaborative process that led to important information to be used for an impact evaluation of Girls on the Run and for future evaluation development efforts for physical activity based positive youth development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Youth Get Engaged: Grounded-Theory Research on Motivational Development in Organized Youth Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawes, Nickki Pearce; Larson, Reed

2011-01-01

For youth to benefit from many of the developmental opportunities provided by organized programs, they need to not only attend but become psychologically engaged in program activities. This research was aimed at formulating empirically based grounded theory on the processes through which this engagement develops. Longitudinal interviews were…

Commentary: Positive Youth Development Goes Mainstream.

PubMed

Moore, Kristin A

2017-07-01

Evidence has accumulated that confirms the success of a positive youth development (PYD) approach. Importantly, a positive development approach is just that-an approach. It is not a particular program or curriculum but a set of practices designed to achieve one or more positive outcomes. As such, PYD practices can be added onto other programs to make positive outcomes more likely. For example, a tutoring program can work hard to hire and train staff to work with students in a trusting, respectful relationship. Camp counselors can be encouraged to build rapport and positive bonds among the campers. © 2017 The Author. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Evaluation of a Leadership Program for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Youth: Stories of Positive Youth Development and Community Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halsall, Tanya; Forneris, Tanya

2018-01-01

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) youth experience many health disparities in comparison with their mainstream Canadian peers. Researchers have recommended that interventions developed to enhance health and well-being for FNMI youth apply a strengths-based approach that acknowledges contextual challenges. This article uses a qualitative…

Risk Behavior and Perception Among Youths Residing in Urban Public Housing Developments

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaoming; Stanton, Bonita; Black, Maureen M.; Romer, Daniel; Ricardo, Izabel; Kaljee, Linda

1994-01-01

The scientific literature and popular media suggest that variations in housing structure and neighborhood influence risk behaviors among youths living in low-income urban communities. To explore the importance of these factors on early sexual intercourse, substance use, drug trafficking, and school truancy, data from a community-based survey, conducted in six public housing developments in a major eastern metropolis, were analyzed. The survey group consisted of 300 youths aged 9 through 15 years. There were minimal differences in three potential mediators of risk behaviors (e.g., perceived social support, parenting style, and perceived risk exposure) and in self-reported adolescent risk behaviors among youths residing in different housing developments and between youths residing in high-rise and in low-rise structures. These findings do not support the hypothesis that within a risk-dense low-income environment, variations in building structure or in neighborhood are associated with differences in adolescent risk behaviors. PMID:19313105

A Systematic Review of Life Skill Development through Sports Programs Serving Socially Vulnerable Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hermens, Niels; Super, Sabina; Verkooijen, Kirsten T.; Koelen, Maria A.

2017-01-01

Purpose: Despite the strong belief in sports programs as a setting in which socially vulnerable youth can develop life skills, no overview exists of life skill development in sports programs serving this youth group. Therefore, the present systematic review provides an overview of the evidence on life skill development in sports programs serving…

Rap Music Use, Perceived Peer Behavior, and Sexual Initiation Among Ethnic Minority Youth.

PubMed

Johnson-Baker, Kimberly A; Markham, Christine; Baumler, Elizabeth; Swain, Honora; Emery, Susan

2016-03-01

Research shows that rap music use is associated with risky sexual behavior in ethnic minority youth; however, it is unknown whether rap music use impacts sexual initiation specifically and, if so, which factors mediate this impact. Thus, we investigated the longitudinal relationship between hours spent listening to rap music in seventh grade and sexual initiation in ninth grade. We also examined the role of perceived peer sexual behavior as a potential mediator of this relationship. We analyzed data from students (n = 443) enrolled in a school-based randomized controlled trial of a sexual health education curriculum collected at baseline and at 18-month follow-up. Rap music use and perceived peer sexual behavior were assessed in seventh grade, whereas sexual initiation was assessed in ninth grade. Univariate, multivariate, and mediation analyses were conducted. At baseline, rap music use was significantly associated with race/ethnicity, parental music rules, and sexual behavior, but not with gender or parental education. Rap music use was a significant predictor of sexual initiation on univariate analysis but not multivariate analysis. Mediation analysis showed that the association between hours spent listening to rap music and sexual initiation was significantly mediated by perceived peer sexual behavior. Rap music use in early adolescence significantly impacts sexual initiation in late adolescence, partially mediated by perceived peer sexual behavior. More research is needed to understand how rap music influences perceptions of peer sexual behavior, which, in turn, influence early sexual initiation. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Youth civic development: theorizing a domain with evidence from different cultural contexts.

PubMed

Flanagan, Constance A; Martínez, M Loreto; Cumsille, Patricio; Ngomane, Tsakani

2011-01-01

The authors use examples of youth civic engagement from Chile, South Africa, Central/Eastern Europe, and the United States--and also emphasize diversities among youth from different subgroups within countries--to illustrate common elements of the civic domain of youth development. These include the primacy of collective activity for forming political identities and ideas and the greater heterogeneity of civic compared to other discretionary activities, the groupways or accumulated opportunities for acting due to the groups (social class, gender, ethnic, caste, etc.) to which a young person belongs, and the role of mediating institutions (schools, community-based organizations, etc.) as spaces where youths' actions contribute to political stability and change. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Building Strengths of Character: Keys to Positive Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Nansook

2009-01-01

Character is vital force for positive development and societal well-being. Character strengths play important roles in positive youth development, not only as broad-protective factors, preventing or mitigating psychopathology and problems, but also as enabling conditions that promote thriving and flourishing. Recent research findings show that…

Fostering marginalized youths' political participation: longitudinal roles of parental political socialization and youth sociopolitical development.

PubMed

Diemer, Matthew A

2012-09-01

This study examines the roles of parental political socialization and the moral commitment to change social inequalities in predicting marginalized youths' (defined here as lower-SES youth of color) political participation. These issues are examined by applying structural equation modeling to a longitudinal panel of youth. Because tests of measurement invariance suggested racial/ethnic heterogeneity, the structural model was fit separately for three racial/ethnic groups. For each group, parental political socialization: discussion predicted youths' commitment to produce social change and for two groups, longitudinally predicted political participation. This study contributes to the literature by examining civic/political participation among disparate racial/ethnic groups, addresses an open scholarly question (whether youths' commitment to create social change predicts their "traditional" participation), and emphasizes parents' role in fostering marginalized youths' civic and political participation.

Children and Youth of the Arctic: A Critical Challenge of Sustainable Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Mary

1998-01-01

Argues for a children and youth agenda as part of the Arctic Council's overall agenda, to include profiling the health of Arctic children; assessing health and developmental impacts of pollution and environmental threats on Arctic children; developing sustainable employment opportunities for Arctic youth; and expanding distance education, with a…

Key Issues in the Practice of Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silliman, Benjamin

2004-01-01

Three significant trends in youth development practice are discussed: movement toward consensus in models guiding practice, movement toward science-based practice, and increasing resources available to practitioners. Consensus on an ecological framework for risk reduction and competence building among advocates for prevention, resilience, and…

Youth Prevention. Technical Assistance Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Join Together, Boston, MA.

Prevention is the ultimate key to reversing the upward trend in the use of drugs and to empowering communities to address their drug problems. An essential factor is the development and implementation of initiatives to prevent illicit drug use. A goal of prevention for youth is to provide them with a set of skills and tools to help them resist the…

Parent Engagement in Youth Drug Prevention in Chinese Families: Advancement in Program Development and Evaluation

PubMed Central

Tsang, Sandra K. M.

2011-01-01

The escalating youth drug abuse problem in Hong Kong has attracted intense attention from the government, schools, and youth service professionals. Most preventive efforts have focused directly on positive youth development, very often through school programs delivered to secondary school students. There have been limited efforts to engage parents even though it is obvious that the family is actually the primary context of children and youth development. This paper will assert the importance of parental engagement in youth drug-prevention work, discuss some barriers in such parental involvement, present some promising local attempts and their strengths and limitations, and propose that sustained efforts are needed to build up theory-driven and evidence-based resources for Chinese communities on the subject. PMID:22194665

Barriers to initiating tuberculosis treatment in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review focused on children and youth

PubMed Central

Sullivan, Brittney J.; Esmaili, B. Emily; Cunningham, Coleen K.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is the deadliest infectious disease globally, with 10.4 million people infected and more than 1.8 million deaths in 2015. TB is a preventable, treatable, and curable disease, yet there are numerous barriers to initiating treatment. These barriers to treatment are exacerbated in low-resource settings and may be compounded by factors related to childhood. Objective: Timely initiation of tuberculosis (TB) treatment is critical to reducing disease transmission and improving patient outcomes. The aim of this paper is to describe patient- and system-level barriers to TB treatment initiation specifically for children and youth in sub-Saharan Africa through systematic review of the literature. Design: This review was conducted in October 2015 in accordance with preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Six databases were searched to identify studies where primary or secondary objectives were related to barriers to TB treatment initiation and which included children or youth 0–24 years of age. Results: A total of 1490 manuscripts met screening criteria; 152 met criteria for full-text review and 47 for analysis. Patient-level barriers included limited knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding TB, and economic burdens. System-level barriers included centralization of services, health system delays, and geographical access to healthcare. Of the 47 studies included, 7 evaluated cost, 19 health-seeking behaviors, and 29 health system infrastructure. Only 4 studies primarily assessed pediatric cohorts yet all 47 studies were inclusive of children. Conclusions: Recognizing and removing barriers to treatment initiation for pediatric TB in sub-Saharan Africa are critical. Both patient- and system-level barriers must be better researched in order to improve patient outcomes. PMID:28598771

Research Program on Type 1 Diabetes and Youth Depression in Puerto Rico

PubMed Central

Cumba-Avilés, Eduardo; Sáez-Santiago, Emily

2016-01-01

This work reviews the progress and current state of a research program on Diabetes and youth depression in Puerto Rico. Given the high depression rate, its impact in youth with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), and the lack of interventions to target this link in an integrative way, the manual titled Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Depression in Adolescents with T1D was developed. After its first use in an Open Trial, we currently assess the initial efficacy of its revised version to reduce depression and improve glycemic control, self-care, and quality of life. We present its approach, and initial data on its feasibility, acceptability and potential to reduce emotional problems in T1D youth. We discuss implications of this line of research for health psychology, and its utility to model the development of interventions alike focused on other chronic illnesses. PMID:27818725

Research Program on Type 1 Diabetes and Youth Depression in Puerto Rico.

PubMed

Cumba-Avilés, Eduardo; Sáez-Santiago, Emily

2016-01-01

This work reviews the progress and current state of a research program on Diabetes and youth depression in Puerto Rico. Given the high depression rate, its impact in youth with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), and the lack of interventions to target this link in an integrative way, the manual titled Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Depression in Adolescents with T1D was developed. After its first use in an Open Trial, we currently assess the initial efficacy of its revised version to reduce depression and improve glycemic control, self-care, and quality of life. We present its approach, and initial data on its feasibility, acceptability and potential to reduce emotional problems in T1D youth. We discuss implications of this line of research for health psychology, and its utility to model the development of interventions alike focused on other chronic illnesses.

Management of Development of Creative Civil Activity of Student's Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belentsov, Sergei I.; Gribanova, Veronika A.; Brasnik, Oksana U.; Pozdniakov, Aleksey V.

2018-01-01

Management of development of creative civil activity of student's youth reveal in article, results of research work on formation of creative civil activity of student's youth in educational work of higher education institution are described. Formation of civil activity is presented in the form of the model realized during three interconnected…

Helping Youth Navigate the Media Age: A New Approach to Drug Prevention. Findings of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign Media Literacy Summit White House Conference Center, June 01, 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of National Drug Control Policy, Washington, DC.

This report highlights the findings of the 2001 National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign Summit. Because the campaigns entire strategy acknowledges the power and influence of the media on Americas youth, it is important and appropriate for the initiative to help young people develop their critical thinking skills by further investigating media…

Identity styles, positive youth development, and civic engagement in adolescence.

PubMed

Crocetti, Elisabetta; Erentaitė, Rasa; Zukauskienė, Rita

2014-11-01

Identity formation is a core developmental task of adolescence. Adolescents can rely on different social-cognitive styles to seek, process, and encode self-relevant information: information-oriented, normative, and diffuse-avoidant identity styles. The reliance on different styles might impact adolescents' adjustment and their active involvement in the society. The purpose of this study was to examine whether adolescents with different identity styles report differences in positive youth development (analyzed with the Five Cs-Competence, Confidence, Character, Connection, and Caring-model) and in various forms of civic engagement (i.e., involvement in school self-government activities, volunteering activities, youth political organizations, and youth non-political organizations). The participants were 1,633 (54.1 % female) 14-19 year old adolescents (M age = 16.56, SD age = 1.22). The findings indicated that adolescents with different identity styles differed significantly on all the Five Cs and on two (i.e., involvement in volunteering activities and in youth non-political organizations) forms of civic engagement. Briefly, adolescents with an information-oriented style reported high levels of both the Five Cs and civic engagement; participants with a normative style reported moderate to high scores on the Five Cs but low rates of civic engagement; diffuse-avoidant respondents scored low both on the Five Cs and on civic engagement. These findings suggest that the information-oriented style, contrary to the diffuse-avoidant one, has beneficial effects for both the individual and the community, while the normative style has quite beneficial effects for the individual but not for his/her community. Concluding, adolescents with different identity styles display meaningful differences in positive youth development and in rates of civic engagement.

Youth Education Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trout Unlimited, Arlington, VA.

Part of the Trout Unlimited program involves the development of cooperative programs to educate youth and their communities about environmental conservation. This handbook provides guidelines for conducting youth education events and information to facilitate the development and implementation of youth education activities with various community…

Time Use as Cause and Consequence of Youth Development

PubMed Central

Lam, Chun Bun; McHale, Susan M.

2014-01-01

From an ecological perspective, daily activities are both causes and consequences of youth development. As causes, daily activities represent distinct sets of socialization experiences that afford opportunities to acquire new competencies and behavioral patterns. As consequences, daily activities reflect youth’s force and resource characteristics, including developmental status, temperament and motivation, and pre-existing levels of adjustment. An ecological perspective also highlights the role of the larger sociocultural context in shaping and conditioning the links between daily activities and youth development. In this article, we draw on research with children and adolescents to consider how an ecological perspective can provide a flexible framework for studying time use as a developmental phenomenon. We also discuss methodological issues and suggest research that should be conducted in this broad area. PMID:25821514

A Brief Motivational Intervention for Preventing Medication-Associated Weight Gain Among Youth with Bipolar Disorder: Treatment Development and Case Report

PubMed Central

Goldstein, Benjamin I.; Mantz, Michael B.; Bailey, Bridget; Douaihy, Antoine

2011-01-01

Abstract Bipolar disorder (BP) in youth is an impairing psychiatric disorder associated with high rates of relapse and recurrence. High rates of psychiatric and medical co-morbidities account for additional illness burden in pediatric BP. The elevated risk of overweight and obesity in this population is of particular concern. One of the likely etiologies for weight gain in youth with BP is use of mood-stabilizing medications. Although these medications can be effective for mood stabilization, excessive weight gain is a common side effect. Obesity is associated with a host of medical problems and is also correlated with worse psychiatric outcomes in BP, rendering the prevention of weight gain in this population particularly clinically relevant. In this article, we describe the rationale and development of a brief motivational intervention for preventing weight gain among youth with BP initiating mood-stabilizing pharmacological treatment and then present a case example illustrating the principles of the intervention. PMID:21663430

Cognitive Competence as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

PubMed Central

Sun, Rachel C. F.; Hui, Eadaoin K. P.

2012-01-01

This paper focuses on discussing critical thinking and creative thinking as the core cognitive competence. It reviews and compares several theories of thinking, highlights the features of critical thinking and creative thinking, and delineates their interrelationships. It discusses cognitive competence as a positive youth development construct by linking its relationships with adolescent development and its contributions to adolescents' learning and wellbeing. Critical thinking and creative thinking are translated into self-regulated cognitive skills for adolescents to master and capitalize on, so as to facilitate knowledge construction, task completion, problem solving, and decision making. Ways of fostering these thinking skills, cognitive competence, and ultimately positive youth development are discussed. PMID:22654575

The Quest for Mastery: Positive Youth Development through Out-of-School Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Intrator, Sam M.; Siegel, Don

2014-01-01

In "The Quest for Mastery," Sam M. Intrator and Don Siegel investigate an emerging trend: the growth of out-of-school programs dedicated to helping underserved youth develop the personal qualities and capacities that will help them succeed in school, college, and beyond. Intensive programs from rowing to youth radio, from lacrosse to…

Interactions between youth and mental health professionals: The Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) program experience.

PubMed

Wasserman, Camilla; Postuvan, Vita; Herta, Dana; Iosue, Miriam; Värnik, Peeter; Carli, Vladimir

2018-01-01

Youth stand at the core of much mental health promotion, yet little is written about their experiences of such efforts. We aimed to take this on by interviewing youth after they participated in Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM), a universal mental health promotion program. YAM has a non-anticipatory methodology that provides youth with a safe space for reflection, role-play, and discussion. Addressing everyday mental health, YAM invites the experiences and issues relevant to the youth present to influence the program in a slightly different direction every time. The YAM instructor guides the participants but does not present the youth with given formulas on how to solve their problems. Like any mental health promotion, YAM appeals to some more than others in its intended audience and individuals engage with the program in many different ways. We set out to learn more about these experiences. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15-17 year olds in Estonia, Italy, Romania and Spain. In these interviews, the researchers made an effort to discuss mental health in terms relevant to youth. Still, wide-ranging levels of motivation, ease with engaging in dialogue with mental health professionals, and comfort with the format and content of YAM were detected. The youth were clustered in five different groups relating to their positioning vis-à-vis the researcher during the interview. The following evocative labels were used: "interested", "foot in the door", "respect for authority", "careful", and "not my topic". Corresponding labels were devised for their YAM experience: "engaged", "initially hesitant", "cautious", "eager to please", or "disengaged". We also observed that the researchers brought their own expectations and employed a variety of approaches that led to anticipating answers, stating the obvious, or getting along better with some of the youth. These modes of interaction were categorized under: "favoritism", "familiarity", "frustration

Youth Media and Agency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauge, Chelsey

2014-01-01

This article addresses how capacity is conceived of and understood in youth media/civic education programming, and how beliefs about agency, development, relationality and youth manifests in the discourses, programmes, and practices of organizations operating youth media programmes. Through attention to a youth media and development programme in…

Using community-based participatory research to develop the PARTNERS youth violence prevention program.

PubMed

Leff, Stephen S; Thomas, Duane E; Vaughn, Nicole A; Thomas, Nicole A; MacEvoy, Julie Paquette; Freedman, Melanie A; Abdul-Kabir, Saburah; Woodlock, Joseph; Guerra, Terry; Bradshaw, Ayana S; Woodburn, Elizabeth M; Myers, Rachel K; Fein, Joel A

2010-01-01

School-based violence prevention programs have shown promise for reducing aggression and increasing children's prosocial behaviors. Prevention interventions within the context of urban after-school programs provide a unique opportunity for academic researchers and community stakeholders to collaborate in the creation of meaningful and sustainable violence prevention initiatives. This paper describes the development of a collaborative between academic researchers and community leaders to design a youth violence prevention/leadership promotion program (PARTNERS Program) for urban adolescents. Employing a community-based participatory research (CBPR) model, this project addresses the needs of urban youth, their families, and their community. Multiple strategies were used to engage community members in the development and implementation of the PARTNERS Program. These included focus groups, pilot testing the program in an after-school venue, and conducting organizational assessments of after-school sites as potential locations for the intervention. Community members and academic researchers successfully worked together in all stages of the project development. Community feedback helped the PARTNERS team redesign the proposed implementation and evaluation of the PARTNERS Program such that the revised study design allows for all sites to obtain the intervention over time and increases the possibility of building community capacity and sustainability of programs. Despite several challenges inherent to CBPR, the current study provides a number of lessons learned for the continued development of relationships and trust among researchers and community members, with particular attention to balancing the demand for systematic implementation of community-based interventions while being responsive to the immediate needs of the community.

More than child's play: variable- and pattern-centered approaches for examining effects of sports participation on youth development.

PubMed

Zarrett, Nicole; Fay, Kristen; Li, Yibing; Carrano, Jennifer; Phelps, Erin; Lerner, Richard M

2009-03-01

The authors used data from Grades 5 through 7 of the longitudinal 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development to assess relations among sports participation, other out-of-school-time (OST) activities, and indicators of youth development. They used a mixture of variable- and pattern-centered analyses aimed at disentangling different features of participation (i.e., intensity, breadth). The benefits of sports participation were found to depend, in part, on specific combinations of multiple activities in which youths participated along with sports. In particular, participation in a combination of sports and youth development programs was related to positive youth development and youth contribution, even after controlling for the total time youths spent in OST activities and their sports participation duration. Adolescents' total time spent participating in OST activities, duration of participation in sports, and activity participation pattern each explained a unique part of the variance in some of the indicators of youth functioning. These findings suggest the need for future research to simultaneously assess multiple indices of OST activity participation.

Initial Findings from a Novel School-Based Program, EMPATHY, Which May Help Reduce Depression and Suicidality in Youth.

PubMed

Silverstone, Peter H; Bercov, Marni; Suen, Victoria Y M; Allen, Andrea; Cribben, Ivor; Goodrick, Jodi; Henry, Stu; Pryce, Catherine; Langstraat, Pieter; Rittenbach, Katherine; Chakraborty, Samprita; Engels, Rutger C; McCabe, Christopher

2015-01-01

We describe initial pilot findings from a novel school-based approach to reduce youth depression and suicidality, the Empowering a Multimodal Pathway Towards Healthy Youth (EMPATHY) program. Here we present the findings from the pilot cohort of 3,244 youth aged 11-18 (Grades 6-12). They were screened for depression, suicidality, anxiety, use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco (DAT), quality-of-life, and self-esteem. Additionally, all students in Grades 7 and 8 (mean ages 12.3 and 13.3 respectively) also received an 8-session cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) based program designed to increase resiliency to depression. Following screening there were rapid interventions for the 125 students (3.9%) who were identified as being actively suicidal, as well as for another 378 students (11.7%) who were felt to be at higher-risk of self-harm based on a combination of scores from all the scales. The intervention consisted of an interview with the student and their family followed by offering a guided internet-based CBT program. Results from the 2,790 students who completed scales at both baseline and 12-week follow-up showed significant decreases in depression and suicidality. Importantly, there was a marked decrease in the number of students who were actively suicidal (from n=125 at baseline to n=30 at 12-weeks). Of the 503 students offered the CBT program 163 (32%) took part, and this group had significantly lower depression scores compared to those who didn't take part. There were no improvements in self-esteem, quality-of-life, or the number of students using DAT. Only 60 students (2% of total screened) required external referral during the 24-weeks following study initiation. These results suggest that a multimodal school-based program may provide an effective and pragmatic approach to help reduce youth depression and suicidality. Further research is required to determine longer-term efficacy, reproducibility, and key program elements. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02169960.

Initial Findings from a Novel School-Based Program, EMPATHY, Which May Help Reduce Depression and Suicidality in Youth

PubMed Central

Silverstone, Peter H.; Bercov, Marni; Suen, Victoria Y. M.; Allen, Andrea; Cribben, Ivor; Goodrick, Jodi; Henry, Stu; Pryce, Catherine; Langstraat, Pieter; Rittenbach, Katherine; Chakraborty, Samprita; Engels, Rutger C.; McCabe, Christopher

2015-01-01

We describe initial pilot findings from a novel school-based approach to reduce youth depression and suicidality, the Empowering a Multimodal Pathway Towards Healthy Youth (EMPATHY) program. Here we present the findings from the pilot cohort of 3,244 youth aged 11–18 (Grades 6-12). They were screened for depression, suicidality, anxiety, use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco (DAT), quality-of-life, and self-esteem. Additionally, all students in Grades 7 and 8 (mean ages 12.3 and 13.3 respectively) also received an 8-session cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) based program designed to increase resiliency to depression. Following screening there were rapid interventions for the 125 students (3.9%) who were identified as being actively suicidal, as well as for another 378 students (11.7%) who were felt to be at higher-risk of self-harm based on a combination of scores from all the scales. The intervention consisted of an interview with the student and their family followed by offering a guided internet-based CBT program. Results from the 2,790 students who completed scales at both baseline and 12-week follow-up showed significant decreases in depression and suicidality. Importantly, there was a marked decrease in the number of students who were actively suicidal (from n=125 at baseline to n=30 at 12-weeks). Of the 503 students offered the CBT program 163 (32%) took part, and this group had significantly lower depression scores compared to those who didn’t take part. There were no improvements in self-esteem, quality-of-life, or the number of students using DAT. Only 60 students (2% of total screened) required external referral during the 24-weeks following study initiation. These results suggest that a multimodal school-based program may provide an effective and pragmatic approach to help reduce youth depression and suicidality. Further research is required to determine longer-term efficacy, reproducibility, and key program elements. Trial Registration Clinical

Interactions between youth and mental health professionals: The Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) program experience

PubMed Central

Wasserman, Camilla; Postuvan, Vita; Herta, Dana; Iosue, Miriam; Värnik, Peeter; Carli, Vladimir

2018-01-01

The Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) experience Youth stand at the core of much mental health promotion, yet little is written about their experiences of such efforts. We aimed to take this on by interviewing youth after they participated in Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM), a universal mental health promotion program. YAM has a non-anticipatory methodology that provides youth with a safe space for reflection, role-play, and discussion. Addressing everyday mental health, YAM invites the experiences and issues relevant to the youth present to influence the program in a slightly different direction every time. The YAM instructor guides the participants but does not present the youth with given formulas on how to solve their problems. Like any mental health promotion, YAM appeals to some more than others in its intended audience and individuals engage with the program in many different ways. We set out to learn more about these experiences. Conversations about mental health Thirty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15–17 year olds in Estonia, Italy, Romania and Spain. In these interviews, the researchers made an effort to discuss mental health in terms relevant to youth. Still, wide-ranging levels of motivation, ease with engaging in dialogue with mental health professionals, and comfort with the format and content of YAM were detected. The youth were clustered in five different groups relating to their positioning vis-à-vis the researcher during the interview. The following evocative labels were used: “interested”, “foot in the door”, “respect for authority”, “careful”, and “not my topic”. Corresponding labels were devised for their YAM experience: “engaged”, “initially hesitant”, “cautious”, “eager to please”, or “disengaged”. We also observed that the researchers brought their own expectations and employed a variety of approaches that led to anticipating answers, stating the obvious, or getting along

Computers and the Internet: Tools for Youth Empowerment

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

Background Youth are often disenfranchised in their communities and may feel they have little voice. Since computers are an important aspect of youth culture, they may offer solutions to increasing youth participation in communities. Objective This qualitative case study investigated the perceptions of 19 (predominantly female) inner-city school youth about their use of computers and the Internet in a school-based community development project. Methods Youth working with public health nurses in a school-based community development project communicated with local community members using computer-mediated communication, surveyed peers online, built websites, searched for information online, and prepared project materials using computers and the Internet. Participant observation, semistructured interviews, analysis of online messages, and online- and paper-based surveys were used to gather data about youth’s and adults’ perceptions and use of the technologies. Constant comparison method and between-method triangulation were used in the analysis to satisfy the existence of themes. Results Not all youth were interested in working with computers. Some electronic messages from adults were perceived to be critical, and writing to adults was intimidating for some youth. In addition, technical problems were experienced. Despite these barriers, most youth perceived that using computers and the Internet reduced their anxiety concerning communication with adults, increased their control when dealing with adults, raised their perception of their social status, increased participation within the community, supported reflective thought, increased efficiency, and improved their access to resources. Conclusions Overall, youth perceived computers and the Internet to be empowering tools, and they should be encouraged to use such technology to support them in community initiatives. PMID:16403715

"InFection Four": Development of a Youth-Informed Sexual Health Card Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilliam, Melissa; Jagoda, Patrick; Heathcock, Stephen; Sutherland, Ainsley

2014-01-01

Games may be useful tools for learning and communicating about sexual and reproductive health. This article discusses the collaborative design and subsequent evaluation of a narrative-based card game. This game was created in a workshop based on positive youth development, which allowed youth to be involved as game designers and game players.…

A Taxonomy of Care for Youth: Results of an Empirical Development Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evenboer, K. Els; Huyghen, Anne-Marie N.; Tuinstra, Jolanda; Knorth, Erik J.; Reijneveld, Sijmen A.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Statements about potentially effective components of interventions in child and youth care are hard to make because of a lack of a standardized instruments for classifying the most salient care characteristics. The aim of this study is to present an empirically developed taxonomy of care for youth (Tocfy) which is feasible for use in…

Civic Consciousness Development of Youth in the Context of Educational Reforms: The US Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovalchuk, Vasyl

2015-01-01

The article analyzes the experience of patriotic education and civic consciousness of youth in the United States. The author shares his experience of training under the programme "Civic consciousness development of youth in the context of educational reforms" of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). It has been found that…

Involving youth with disabilities in the development and evaluation of a new advocacy training: Project TEAM.

PubMed

Kramer, Jessica; Barth, Yishai; Curtis, Katie; Livingston, Kit; O'Neil, Madeline; Smith, Zach; Vallier, Samantha; Wolfe, Ashley

2013-04-01

This paper describes a participatory research process in which six youth with disabilities (Youth Panel) participated in the development and evaluation of a manualized advocacy training, Project TEAM (Teens making Environment and Activity Modifications). Project TEAM teaches youth with disabilities how to identify environmental barriers, generate solutions, and request accommodations. The Youth Panel conducted their evaluation after the university researcher implemented Project TEAM with three groups of trainees. The Youth Panel designed and administered a survey and focus group to evaluate enjoyment and usefulness of Project TEAM with support from an advocate/researcher. Members of the Youth Panel analyzed survey response frequencies. The advocate/researcher conducted a content analysis of the open-ended responses. Sixteen of 21 Project TEAM trainees participated in the evaluation. The evaluation results suggest that the trainees found the interactive and individualized aspects of the Project TEAM most enjoyable and useful. Some instructional materials were difficult for trainees with cognitive disabilities to understand. The Youth Panel's involvement in the development of Project TEAM may explain the relatively positive experiences reported by trainees. Project TEAM should continue to provide trainees with the opportunity to apply concepts in real-life situations. Project TEAM requires revisions to ensure it is enjoyable and useful for youth with a variety of disabilities. • Group process strategies, picture-based data collection materials, peer teamwork, and mentorship from adults with disabilities can enable youth with disabilities to engage in research. • Collaborating with youth with disabilities in the development of new rehabilitation approaches may enhance the relevance of interventions for other youth with disabilities. • Youth with cognitive disabilities participating in advocacy and environment-focused interventions may prefer interactive and

Former foster youth's perspectives on independent living preparation six months after discharge.

PubMed

Jones, Loring P

2014-01-01

Research findings have developed a troubling narrative of youth leaving foster care. Congress attempted to address the post-discharge difficulties of foster youth by passing the Independent Living Initiative in 1986, which mandated that the states develop services that would prepare youth for life after foster care. However, it is unclear what effect these programs have on post-foster care trajectories. This largely qualitative study examined the perceptions of a sample of discharged foster six months after leaving care. Most youth felt prepared for life and foster care. They were also for the most part were satisfied with their independent living program, but had significant dissatisfactions with elements of the program. These satisfactions and dissatisfactions are reported along with suggestions for improvement. The policy and practice implications of these suggestions are considered.

Summer Entrepreneur an Activity for Stimulating Entrepreneurship among Youths: A Case Study in a Swedish County

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karlsson, Hakan

2011-01-01

This paper aims to outline findings from a research project that has investigated an initiative to stimulate youths to become more entrepreneurial. The concept of summer entrepreneur has been developed in the last decade in a Swedish county. It was developed out of the idea that youths should have a possibility to run their own companies as…

The Mentoring Toolkit 2.0: Resources for Developing Programs for Incarcerated Youth. Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaugg, Nathan; Jarjoura, Roger

2017-01-01

"The Mentoring Toolkit 2.0: Resources for Developing Programs for Incarcerated Youth" provides information, program descriptions, and links to important resources that can assist juvenile correctional facilities and other organizations to design effective mentoring programs for neglected and delinquent youth, particularly those who are…

The Youth Diversity Acceptance Scale: Development and Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beck, Kara L.; Acevedo-Polakovich, Ignacio D.; Lyons, Eileen; Estevez, Jessica; Sevecke, Jessica R.; Rossman, Danielle L.; Barnett, Miya L.; Fisher, Heidi R.

2018-01-01

To facilitate rigorous research on community programs to promote positive intergroup relations among youth, 2 studies were conducted to establish the psychometric properties of the Youth Diversity Acceptance Scale (YoDA). In Study 1, a unifactorial structure was identified for the YoDA using data provided by 126 high school youth involved in a…

Factors Limiting Youth Participation in 4-H and Other Youth Development Programs in Underserved Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avent, Martellis D.; Jayaratne, K. S. U.

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study described here was to identify factors limiting children's participation in youth development programs in underserved communities and ways to overcome those limitations. Findings are based on focus group interviews conducted with members of two underserved communities in North Carolina. Lack of awareness about the 4-H…

Identity processes and the positive youth development of African Americans: an explanatory framework.

PubMed

Swanson, Dena Phillips; Spencer, Margaret Beale; Dell'Angelo, Tabitha; Harpalani, Vinay; Spencer, Tirzah R

2002-01-01

This chapter presents Spencer's phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory, or PVEST (1995), as a conceptual framework for examining positive youth development. Contextual factors affecting racial and gender identity of African American youth are discussed, with the focus on the influence of schools and religious institutions.

Youth Physical Activity and Health Interventions: Ineffective and Ill-Conceived Action?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mainsbridge, Casey; Swabey, Karen; Fraser, Sharon; Penney, Dawn

2014-01-01

This paper directs attention towards the plethora of ongoing health and well-being initiatives that seek to address young people's participation in physical activity and that are underpinned by interests in youth health. Focusing on contemporary developments in the state of Tasmania and throughout Australia, the paper examines these initiatives by…

Social-Emotional Development in Children and Youth Who Are Deafblind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartshorne, Timothy S.; Schmittel, Megan C.

2016-01-01

Social-emotional development is important to personal adjustment and well-being. Little has been written about social-emotional development in children and youth who are deafblind. The authors discuss factors in typical social-emotional development--attachment, empathy, and friendships--and how they may be challenged in children who are deafblind.…

Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund: Evaluation Findings from Initial Case-Study Visits. Research Report DCSF-RR004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donnell, Lisa; Bielby, Gill; Golden, Sarah; Morris, Marian; Walker, Matthew; Maguire, Sue

2007-01-01

The Department for Education and Skills (Replace by the Department for Children, Schools and Families as of June 28, 2007) commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to conduct an evaluation of the Youth Opportunity Fund and Youth Capital Fund (YOF/YCF). This summary presents the main findings from the interim report of…

Continued Importance of Family Factors in Youth Smoking Behavior

PubMed Central

Xiao, Yang; Gordon, Judith S.; Khoury, Jane C.

2012-01-01

Introduction: Although it is known that levels of family factors (FF) such as parental monitoring and parent–adolescent connectedness vary during adolescence, it is unknown which factors remain protective, preventing smoking initiation, in youth of differing racial/ethnic groups. Using a longitudinal, nationally representative sample, we examined which FF protect against smoking initiation in White, Black, and Hispanic youth. Methods: A total of 3,473 parent-nonsmoking youth dyads from Round 1 (T1) of the National Survey of Parents and Youth were followed to Round 3 (T2). Youth smoking status at T2 was assessed as the primary outcome. We examined changes in FF (T2 – T1) and the protection afforded by these factors at T1 and T2 for smoking initiation, both by race/ethnicity and overall. Results: There were statistically significant decreases in levels of protective FF from T1 to T2 across all racial/ethnic groups; however, FF levels were higher in never-smokers compared with smoking initiators at both T1 and T2 (p < .05). Separate models by race/ethnicity showed the protective effect of increased perceived punishment in all racial/ethnic groups and protection against initiation by increased parental monitoring in Black and Hispanic youth. Overall, higher parental monitoring at T1 was associated with decreased odds of smoking initiation (33%); decreased parental monitoring and perceived punishment from T1 to T2 were associated with increased odds of smoking initiation (55% and 17%, respectively). Conclusions: Smoking prevention interventions should encourage parents to both enforce consistent consequences of smoking behavior, and continue monitoring, especially in minority groups. PMID:22454285

Continued importance of family factors in youth smoking behavior.

PubMed

Mahabee-Gittens, E Melinda; Xiao, Yang; Gordon, Judith S; Khoury, Jane C

2012-12-01

Although it is known that levels of family factors (FF) such as parental monitoring and parent-adolescent connectedness vary during adolescence, it is unknown which factors remain protective, preventing smoking initiation, in youth of differing racial/ethnic groups. Using a longitudinal, nationally representative sample, we examined which FF protect against smoking initiation in White, Black, and Hispanic youth. A total of 3,473 parent-nonsmoking youth dyads from Round 1 (T1) of the National Survey of Parents and Youth were followed to Round 3 (T2). Youth smoking status at T2 was assessed as the primary outcome. We examined changes in FF (T2 - T1) and the protection afforded by these factors at T1 and T2 for smoking initiation, both by race/ethnicity and overall. There were statistically significant decreases in levels of protective FF from T1 to T2 across all racial/ethnic groups; however, FF levels were higher in never-smokers compared with smoking initiators at both T1 and T2 (p < .05). Separate models by race/ethnicity showed the protective effect of increased perceived punishment in all racial/ethnic groups and protection against initiation by increased parental monitoring in Black and Hispanic youth. Overall, higher parental monitoring at T1 was associated with decreased odds of smoking initiation (33%); decreased parental monitoring and perceived punishment from T1 to T2 were associated with increased odds of smoking initiation (55% and 17%, respectively). Smoking prevention interventions should encourage parents to both enforce consistent consequences of smoking behavior, and continue monitoring, especially in minority groups.

Divergence of Age-Related Differences in Social-Communication: Improvements for Typically Developing Youth but Declines for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Wallace, Gregory L; Dudley, Katerina; Anthony, Laura; Pugliese, Cara E; Orionzi, Bako; Clasen, Liv; Lee, Nancy Raitano; Giedd, Jay N; Martin, Alex; Raznahan, Armin; Kenworthy, Lauren

2017-02-01

Although social-communication difficulties and repetitive behaviors are hallmark features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and persist across the lifespan, very few studies have compared age-related differences in these behaviors between youth with ASD and same-age typically developing (TD) peers. We examined this issue using SRS-2 (Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition) measures of social-communicative functioning and repetitive behaviors in a stratified cross-sectional sample of 324 youth with ASD in the absence of intellectual disability, and 438 TD youth (aged 4-29 years). An age-by-group interaction emerged indicating that TD youth exhibited age-related improvements in social-communication scores while the ASD group demonstrated age-related declines in these scores. This suggests that adolescents/adults with ASD may fall increasingly behind their same-age peers in social-communicative skills.

Development and Validation of the Bicultural Youth Acculturation Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Kukaswadia, Atif; Janssen, Ian; Pickett, William; Bajwa, Jasmine; Georgiades, Katholiki; Lalonde, Richard N.; Quon, Elizabeth C.; Safdar, Saba; Pike, Ian

2016-01-01

Objectives Acculturation is a multidimensional process involving changes in behaviour and beliefs. Questionnaires developed to measure acculturation are typically designed for specific ethnic populations and adult experiences. This study developed a questionnaire that measures acculturation among ethnically diverse populations of youth that can be included as a module in population surveys. Methods Questionnaires measuring acculturation in youth were identified in the literature. The importance of items from the existing questionnaires was determined using a Delphi process and this informed the development of our questionnaire. The questionnaire was then pilot tested using a sample of 248 Canadians aged 18–25 via an online system. Participants identified as East and South East Asian (27.8%), South Asian (17.7%) and Black (13.7%). The majority were 1st (33.5%) or 2nd generation immigrants (52.0%). After redundant items were eliminated, exploratory factor analysis grouped items into domains, and, for each domain, internal consistency, and convergent validity with immigrant generation then age at immigration estimated. A subset of participants re-completed the questionnaire for reliability estimation. Results The literature review yielded 117 articles that used 13 questionnaires with a total of 440 questions. The Delphi process reduced these to 32 questions. Pilot testing occurred in 248 Canadians aged 18–25. Following item reduction, 16 questions in three domains remained: dominant culture, heritage language, and heritage culture. All had good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alphas > .75). The mean dominant domain score increased with immigrant generation (1st generation: 3.69 (95% CI: 3.49–3.89), 2nd: 4.13 (4.00–4.26), 3rd: 4.40 (4.19–4.61)), and mean heritage language score was higher among those who immigrated after age 12 than before (p = .0001), indicative of convergent validity. Conclusions This Bicultural Youth Acculturation Questionnaire has

Development and Validation of the Bicultural Youth Acculturation Questionnaire.

PubMed

Kukaswadia, Atif; Janssen, Ian; Pickett, William; Bajwa, Jasmine; Georgiades, Katholiki; Lalonde, Richard N; Quon, Elizabeth C; Safdar, Saba; Pike, Ian

2016-01-01

Acculturation is a multidimensional process involving changes in behaviour and beliefs. Questionnaires developed to measure acculturation are typically designed for specific ethnic populations and adult experiences. This study developed a questionnaire that measures acculturation among ethnically diverse populations of youth that can be included as a module in population surveys. Questionnaires measuring acculturation in youth were identified in the literature. The importance of items from the existing questionnaires was determined using a Delphi process and this informed the development of our questionnaire. The questionnaire was then pilot tested using a sample of 248 Canadians aged 18-25 via an online system. Participants identified as East and South East Asian (27.8%), South Asian (17.7%) and Black (13.7%). The majority were 1st (33.5%) or 2nd generation immigrants (52.0%). After redundant items were eliminated, exploratory factor analysis grouped items into domains, and, for each domain, internal consistency, and convergent validity with immigrant generation then age at immigration estimated. A subset of participants re-completed the questionnaire for reliability estimation. The literature review yielded 117 articles that used 13 questionnaires with a total of 440 questions. The Delphi process reduced these to 32 questions. Pilot testing occurred in 248 Canadians aged 18-25. Following item reduction, 16 questions in three domains remained: dominant culture, heritage language, and heritage culture. All had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alphas > .75). The mean dominant domain score increased with immigrant generation (1st generation: 3.69 (95% CI: 3.49-3.89), 2nd: 4.13 (4.00-4.26), 3rd: 4.40 (4.19-4.61)), and mean heritage language score was higher among those who immigrated after age 12 than before (p = .0001), indicative of convergent validity. This Bicultural Youth Acculturation Questionnaire has demonstrated validity. It can be incorporated into

Expanding the Reach of Youth Mentoring: Partnering with Youth for Personal Growth and Social Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Belle; Spencer, Renee; West, Jennifer; Rappaport, Nancy

2013-01-01

The goals of youth mentoring have broadened from redressing youth problems to promoting positive youth development. Yet, many of the principles associated with contemporary conceptualizations of development found in the positive youth development (PYD) and community psychology (CP) literature have yet to be fully integrated into mentoring research…

Online Program Development for Youth: A Qualitative Analysis of Online Program Content, Instruction, and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Jill R.

2013-01-01

Although many practitioners have turned to the Internet as a viable means of reaching youth with their programs, there is little research on how and when youth engage with online educational resources. The present study employed a grounded theory design to gain an understanding of how practitioners can develop online programs that engage youth.…

Short-Term Interventions for Long-Term Needs: The Challenge of Bridging Youth and Community Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephenson, Garry; Morford, Shawn; Berry, Holly

2002-01-01

The Mill City/Gates Youth Development Project operated as a youth-at-risk program in a timber-dependent community during the timber crisis of the early 1990s. Evaluations indicate the youth activities were effective. Community support structures created by the project continue to operate 5 years after the end of funding, indicating a successful…

The Missing Elements of Change. A Response to "Youth Change Agents: Comparing the Sociopolitical Identities of Youth Organizers and Youth Commissioners"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldwasser, Matthew L.

2016-01-01

By establishing a set of theoretical frameworks to view and compare the work of youth organizers and youth commissioners, and through personal interviews, the authors of the paper "Youth Change Agents: Comparing the Sociopolitical Identities of Youth Organizers and Youth Commissioners" presented their explanation of the development of…

Do men need empowering too? A systematic review of entrepreneurial education and microenterprise development on health disparities among inner-city black male youth.

PubMed

Jennings, Larissa

2014-10-01

Economic strengthening through entrepreneurial and microenterprise development has been shown to mitigate poverty-based health disparities in developing countries. Yet, little is known regarding the impact of similar approaches on disadvantaged U.S. populations, particularly inner-city African-American male youth disproportionately affected by poverty, unemployment, and adverse health outcomes. A systematic literature review was conducted to guide programming and research in this area. Eligible studies were those published in English from 2003 to 2014 which evaluated an entrepreneurial and microenterprise initiative targeting inner-city youth, aged 15 to 24, and which did not exclude male participants. Peer-reviewed publications were identified from two electronic bibliographic databases. A manual search was conducted among web-based gray literature and registered trials not yet published. Among the 26 papers retrieved for review, six met the inclusion criteria and were retained for analysis. None of the 16 registered microenterprise trials were being conducted among disadvantaged populations in the U.S. The available literature suggests that entrepreneurial and microenterprise programs can positively impact youth's economic and psychosocial functioning and result in healthier decision-making. Young black men specifically benefited from increased autonomy, engagement, and risk avoidance. However, such programs are vastly underutilized among U.S. minority youth, and the current evidence is insufficiently descriptive or rigorous to draw definitive conclusions. Many programs described challenges in securing adequate resources, recruiting minority male youth, and sustaining community buy-in. There is an urgent need to increase implementation and evaluation efforts, using innovative and rigorous designs, to improve the low status of greater numbers of African-American male youth.

An evaluation of a positive youth development program for adolescents with chronic illness.

PubMed

Maslow, Gary; Adams, Cathleen; Willis, Matthew; Neukirch, Jodie; Herts, Kate; Froehlich, Wendy; Calleson, Diane; Rickerby, Michelle

2013-02-01

Youth with chronic illness often struggle transitioning to adulthood and adult medical care. This article examines the outcomes of a group mentoring program called The Adolescent Leadership Council (TALC) that brings together high school participants and college mentors, all with chronic illness. TALC uses a positive youth development (PYD) approach, emphasizing strong relationships between youth and adults in an environment where youth can learn important life skills and take a leadership role. A pre-/postprogram participant survey was conducted for high school participants using a loneliness scale and a transition readiness survey. An alumni survey was conducted with all high school and college mentor graduates to assess educational-, vocational-, and health care-related outcomes. Program records review and the alumni survey indicated that TALC was consistent with the PYD program model. Twenty high school students participated in the pre-/postprogram outcomes evaluation, which demonstrated a decrease in loneliness from 46 to 38.5 (p < .001) and an increase in health care self-advocacy from 3.8 to 4.2 (p < .001). Thirty-four alumni participated in the alumni survey. All high school and college mentor alumni had graduated from high school and college, respectively, and all were either currently in school or working. The majority of alumni were seeing adult providers for medical care. The TALC program applies the principles of PYD to support positive educational, vocational, and health care outcomes for youth with chronic illness. Program development using the PYD perspective is an important new approach for supporting adult development of youth with chronic illness. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early adolescent peer leader development in HIV prevention using youth-adult partnership with schools approach.

PubMed

Fongkaew, Warunee; Fongkaew, Kangwan; Suchaxaya, Prakin

2007-01-01

This article describes the development and evaluation of an HIV prevention program developed for early adolescents through participatory action research. The HIV prevention program included a curriculum that was delivered by trained younger youth leaders through a youth and adult partnership with 10 schools in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. The curriculum used participatory learning experiences, "edutainment" approaches, and skills-building strategies for enhancing youth leaders' capacities. Results of the evaluation showed that the senior-junior peer education program was effective in leadership role preparation, in improving youth leaders' ability to share sexual and reproductive health knowledge, and in promoting positive attitudes toward themselves. Success also rested on the fact that adults took a critical role in providing the opportunities, assistance, and guidance so that young people could develop their leadership capacity in an atmosphere of trust and respect.

Enlarging the STEM pipeline working with youth-serving organizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porro, I.

2005-12-01

The After-School Astronomy Project (ASAP) is a comprehensive initiative to promote the pursuit of science learning among underrepresented youth. To this end ASAP specifically aims at building the capacity of urban community-based centers to deliver innovative science out-of-school programming to their youth. ASAP makes use of a modular curriculum consisting of a combination of hands-on activities and youth-led explorations of the night sky using MicroObservatory. Through project-based investigations students reinforce learning in astronomy and develop an understanding of science as inquiry, while also develop communication and computer skills. Through MicroObservatory students gain access to a network of educational telescopes, that they control over the Internet, software analysis tools and an online community of users. An integral part of ASAP is to provide professional development opportunities for after-school workers. This promotes a self-sustainable implementation of ASAP long-term and fosters the creation of a cadre of after-school professionals dedicated to facilitating science-based programs.

Reducing Youth Violence and Delinquency in Pennsylvania: PCCDs Research-Based Programs Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chilenski, Sarah Meyer; Bumbarger, Brian K.; Kyler, Sandee; Greenberg, Mark T.

2007-01-01

Youth violence and delinquency are problems that continue to challenge many communities across the U.S. For over a decade, Pennsylvania has been a national leader in confronting youth problem behaviors in a progressive and proactive fashion, investing heavily in supporting local community prevention coalitions and the use of proven-effective…

Reducing Youth Violence and Delinquency in Pennsylvania: PCCD's Research-Based Programs Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chilenski, Sarah Meyer; Bumbarger, Brian K.; Kyler, Sandee; Greenberg, Mark T.

2007-01-01

Youth violence and delinquency are problems that continue to challenge many communities across the U.S. For over a decade, Pennsylvania has been a national leader in confronting youth problem behaviors in a progressive and proactive fashion, investing heavily in supporting local community prevention coalitions and the use of proven-effective…

Character Development among Youth: Linking Lives in Time and Place

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lerner, Richard M.

2018-01-01

This article embeds the study of character development within the two-decades-long research program framed by the Lerner and Lerner model of positive youth development. Character development involves attaining the feelings, thoughts, and skills needed to act coherently across time and place to serve self and others in mutually beneficial, positive…

Teaching the Whole Child through Physical Education and Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sucre, Sheldon

2016-01-01

This article describes the Make-A-Difference: Guard East New York program, a sports-based youth development program that utilizes the holistic teaching approach of teaching for personal and social responsibility.

Collaborating with Youth to Inform and Develop Tools for Psychotropic Decision Making

PubMed Central

Murphy, Andrea; Gardner, David; Kutcher, Stan; Davidson, Simon; Manion, Ian

2010-01-01

Introduction: Youth oriented and informed resources designed to support psychopharmacotherapeutic decision-making are essentially unavailable. This article outlines the approach taken to design such resources, the product that resulted from the approach taken, and the lessons learned from the process. Methods: A project team with psychopharmacology expertise was assembled. The project team reviewed best practices regarding medication educational materials and related tools to support decisions. Collaboration with key stakeholders who were thought of as primary end-users and target groups occurred. A graphic designer and a plain language consultant were also retained. Results: Through an iterative and collaborative process over approximately 6 months, Med Ed and Med Ed Passport were developed. Literature and input from key stakeholders, in particular youth, was instrumental to the development of the tools and materials within Med Ed. A training program utilizing a train-the-trainer model was developed to facilitate the implementation of Med Ed in Ontario, which is currently ongoing. Conclusion: An evidence-informed process that includes youth and key stakeholder engagement is required for developing tools to support in psychopharmacotherapeutic decision-making. The development process fostered an environment of reciprocity between the project team and key stakeholders. PMID:21037916

Quality of social relationships and the development of depression in parentally-bereaved youth.

PubMed

Schoenfelder, Erin N; Sandler, Irwin N; Wolchik, Sharlene; MacKinnon, David

2011-01-01

Fear of abandonment has been found to be associated with mental health problems for youth who have experienced a parent's death. This article examines how youth's fears of abandonment following the death of a parent lead to later depressive symptoms by influencing relationships with caregivers, peers, and romantic partners. Participants were 109 youth ages 7-16 (50% male), assessed 4 times over a 6-year period. The ethnic composition of the sample was non-Hispanic Caucasian (67%), Hispanic (16%), African American (7%), Native American (3%), Asian (1%), and Other (6%). Youth's fears of abandonment by their surviving caregiver during the first year of data collection were related to their anxiety in romantic relationships 6 years later, which, in turn, was associated with depressive symptoms measured at 6 years. Youth's caregiver, peer, and romantic relationships at the 6-year follow-up were related to their concurrent depressive symptoms. The relationship between youth's attachment to their surviving caregiver and their depressive symptoms was stronger for younger participants. Implications of these findings for understanding the development of mental health problems following parental bereavement are discussed.

Contributions of Youth Engagement to the Development of Social Capital through Community Mapping

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nathaniel, Keith C.; Kinsey, Sharon B.

2013-01-01

The Multi-State North Central Extension Research Activity (NCERA), Contributions of 4-H Participation to the Development of Social Capital, identified a strategy to pilot a research method that incorporates an inquiry-based approach to understanding community level impact of youth programs. This article focuses on how youth engagement educators…

Directionality of Change in Youth Anxiety Treatment Involving Parents: An Initial Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silverman, Wendy K.; Kurtines, William M.; Jaccard, James; Pina, Armando A.

2009-01-01

This randomized clinical trial compared cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with minimal parent involvement to CBT with active parent involvement in a sample of 119 youths (7-16 years old; 33.6% Caucasian, 61.3% Latino) with anxiety disorders. The dynamics of change between youth anxiety and parent variables (positive-negative behaviors toward the…

Emotional Competence as a Positive Youth Development Construct: A Conceptual Review

PubMed Central

Lau, Patrick S. Y.; Wu, Florence K. Y.

2012-01-01

The concept of emotional competence as a positive youth development construct is reviewed in this paper. Differences between emotional intelligence and emotional competence are discussed and an operational definition is adopted. Assessment methods of emotional competence with an emphasis on its quantitative nature are introduced. In the discussion of theories of emotional competence, the functionalist and developmental perspectives and the relationships with positive youth development are highlighted. Possible antecedents, especially the influence of early child-caregiver, and expected outcomes of emotional competence are examined. Practical ways to promote emotional competence among adolescents, particularly the role of parents and teachers, and the future direction of research are also discussed. PMID:22666176

Media literacy and positive youth development.

PubMed

Boyd, Michelle J; Dobrow, Julie

2011-01-01

This chapter explores the links among media literacy (specifically news media literacy), civic engagement, and positive youth development (PYD). We begin by providing an overview of the literature on PYD and media literacy, and go on to discuss media literacy in the context of civic development. We also explore the existing literature on the associations between news media use, news media literacy, and civic indicators. In addition, we discuss the promotion of media literacy (with a focus on news media literacy) and PYD in educational, extracurricular, and home settings. We conclude with a discussion of the current research in this nascent and interdisciplinary area and, as well, consider directions for future research.

Benchmarking Professional Development Practices across Youth-Serving Organizations: Implications for Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garst, Barry A.; Baughman, Sarah; Franz, Nancy

2014-01-01

Examining traditional and contemporary professional development practices of youth-serving organizations can inform practices across Extension, particularly in light of the barriers that have been noted for effectively developing the professional competencies of Extension educators. With professional development systems changing quickly,…

Racial/Ethnic Socialization and Identity Development in Black Families: The Role of Parent and Youth Reports

PubMed Central

Peck, Stephen C.; Brodish, Amanda B.; Malanchuk, Oksana; Banerjee, Meeta; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.

2014-01-01

Racial/ethnic (R/E) socialization is widely practiced in R/E minority families. However, only recently have models been developed to understand how parents’ R/E socialization messages influence adolescent development. The primary goal of the present study was to clarify and extend existing work on R/E socialization in African American (Black) families by distinguishing between parent and youth reports of parents’ R/E socialization messages and examining the extent to which adolescents and their parents agree about these socialization messages. In addition, we tested a theoretical model in which parent reported R/E socialization messages have an indirect effect on the development of youth R/E identity through youth reports of their parents’ R/E socialization messages. Using a combination of open- and close-ended data from a longitudinal study of self-identified Black adolescents and their parents, we found statistically significant parent-youth agreement about whether or not parents send both general R/E socialization messages and, for daughters, specific R/E socialization messages. R/E socialization messages focused on promoting cultural pride and history were associated positively with R/E identity development, whereas messages focused on preparing youth for discrimination tended to be unrelated to R/E identity development. The results largely supported the hypothesis that parent reports of parents’ R/E socialization messages are related indirectly to the development of adolescent R/E identity via youth reports of parents’ R/E socialization messages. PMID:24798504

Social Connection and Psychological Outcomes in a Physical Activity-Based Youth Development Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ullrich-French, Sarah; McDonough, Meghan H.; Smith, Alan L.

2012-01-01

It is believed that the social connections formed by participating in physical activity-based positive youth development (PYD) programs contributes to building personal and social assets. In this study, we examined how changes in social connection over a physical activity-based PYD program for low-income youth were associated with changes in…

Development of a Compendium of Energy Expenditures for Youth

PubMed Central

Ridley, Kate; Ainsworth, Barbara E; Olds, Tim S

2008-01-01

Background This paper presents a Compendium of Energy Expenditures for use in scoring physical activity questionnaires and estimating energy expenditure levels in youth. Method/Results Modeled after the adult Compendium of Physical Activities, the Compendium of Energy Expenditures for Youth contains a list of over 200 activities commonly performed by youth and their associated MET intensity levels. A review of existing data collected on the energy cost of youth performing activities was undertaken and incorporated into the compendium. About 35% of the activity MET levels were derived from energy cost data measured in youth and the remaining MET levels estimated from the adult compendium. Conclusion The Compendium of Energy Expenditures for Youth is useful to researchers and practitioners interested in identifying physical activity and energy expenditure values in children and adolescents in a variety of settings. PMID:18782458

Doing for others: Youth's contributing behaviors and psychological engagement in youth-adult partnerships.

PubMed

Ramey, Heather L; Lawford, Heather L; Rose-Krasnor, Linda

2017-02-01

Youth contributions to others (e.g., volunteering) have been connected to indicators of successful development, including self-esteem, optimism, social support, and identity development. Youth-adult partnerships, which involve youth and adults working together towards a shared goal in activity settings, such as youth-serving agencies or recreation organizations, provide a unique opportunity for examining youth contributions. We examined associations between measures of youth's participation in youth-adult partnerships (psychological engagement and degree of partnering) in activity settings and youth contributing behaviors, in two Canadian samples: (a) community-involved youth (N = 153, mean age = 17.1 years, 65% female) and (b) undergraduates (N = 128, mean age = 20.1 years, 92.2% female). We found that degree of partnering and psychological engagement were related to each other yet independently predicted contributing behaviors. Our findings suggest that youth-adult partnerships might be one potentially rich context for the promotion of youth's contributions to others. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The experiences of participating in winter among youths with a physical disability compared with their typically developing peers.

PubMed

Lindsay, S; Morales, E; Yantzi, N; Vincent, C; Howell, L; Edwards, G

2015-11-01

Having a physical disability and using a wheelchair can create difficulties in navigating the physical and built environment, especially during winter when snow and ice become problematic. Little is known about the experiences of winter among youth who use an assistive mobility device. This study aimed to understand how youth with a physical disability experience winter, compared with typically developing peers. A purposive sample of 25 youths (13 with a physical disability; 12 typically developing) completed a 2-week weather journal and photographs in two Canadian cities during winter. These data were used to guide semi-structured interviews with participants. Youths with disabilities experienced many similar challenges in winter, such as health and safety concerns and accessibility issues, compared with typically developing youth - but to a greater extent. Youths with disabilities reported more challenges going outdoors during winter and negative psychosocial impacts, including loneliness and increased dependence, compared with peers without a disability. They also, however, described developing several adaptive strategies to cope with these challenges. There is a strong need to remove physical and environmental barriers to facilitate the participation and inclusion of youth with disabilities in winter. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development and Evaluation of a Positive Youth Development Course for University Students in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Shek, Daniel T. L.; Sun, Rachel C. F.; Chui, Y. H.; Lit, S. W.; Yuen, Walter W.; Chung, Yida Y. H.; Ngai, S. W.

2012-01-01

With higher education, university graduates are important elements of the labor force in knowledge-based economies. With reference to the mental health and developmental problems in university students, there is a need to review university's role in nurturing holistic development of students. Based on the positive youth development approach, it is argued that promoting intrapersonal competencies is an important strategy to facilitate holistic development of young people in Hong Kong. In The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a course entitled Tomorrow's Leader focusing on positive youth development constructs to promote student well-being will be offered on a compulsory basis starting from 2012/13 academic year under the new undergraduate curriculum structure. The proposed course was piloted in 2010/11 school year. Different evaluation strategies, including objective outcome evaluation, subjective outcome evaluation, process evaluation, and qualitative evaluation, are being carried out to evaluate the developed course. Preliminary evaluation findings based on the piloting experience in 2010/11 academic year are presented in this paper. PMID:22619630

Promoting positive youth development and highlighting reasons for living in Northwest Alaska through digital storytelling.

PubMed

Wexler, Lisa; Gubrium, Aline; Griffin, Megan; DiFulvio, Gloria

2013-07-01

Using a positive youth development framework, this article describes how a 3-year digital storytelling project and the 566 digital stories produced from it in Northwest Alaska promote protective factors in the lives of Alaska Native youth and serve as digital "hope kits," a suicide prevention approach that emphasizes young people's reasons for living. Digital stories are short, participant-produced videos that combine photos, music, and voice. We present process data that indicate the ways that digital stories serve as a platform for youth to reflect on and represent their lives, important relationships and achievements. In so doing, youth use the digital storytelling process to identify and highlight encouraging aspects of their lives, and develop more certain and positive identity formations. These processes are correlated with positive youth health outcomes. In addition, the digital stories themselves serve as reminders of the young people's personal assets--their reasons for living--after the workshop ends. Young people in this project often showed their digital stories to those who were featured positively within as a way to strengthen these interpersonal relationships. Evaluation data from the project show that digital storytelling workshops and outputs are a promising positive youth development approach. The project and the qualitative data demonstrate the need for further studies focusing on outcomes related to suicide prevention.

Broadening the approach to youth violence prevention through public health.

PubMed

Hammond, W Rodney; Arias, Ileana

2011-01-01

Violence is a critical cause of death and nonfatal injuries among youth, and even those who witness violence can suffer serious health and mental health consequences. This highlights the need for prevention programs and policies aimed at reducing risks, promoting prosocial behavior, strengthening families, and creating communities in which youth are safe from violence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Injury Center is developing a National Public Health Strategy to Prevent Youth Violence. The strategy will establish a full application of the public health approach, ranging from research to practice. It also spotlights what is working, as a way to mobilize community leaders in supporting evidence-based initiatives. With the empirical guidance of articles such as those in this special issue, a shared strategy to prevent youth violence will help focus efforts and resources on solutions that show the most promise, and ensure that American communities undertake more comprehensive and coordinated prevention efforts to protect our nation's youth.

Screening for Psychological Inflexibility: Initial Validation of the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth as a School Mental Health Screener

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renshaw, Tyler L.

2017-01-01

The present study reports on the initial validation of the eight-item version of the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth (AFQ-Y8) as a school mental health screener for identifying clinical-level depression and anxiety caseness within a sample of urban high school students (N = 219). Results indicated that responses to the AFQ-Y8 yielded…

Does Positive Youth Development Predict Adolescent Attitudes about Sexuality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Erin N.; Werner-Wilson, Ronald Jay

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among individual factors, parental factors, involvement in activities, and adolescent attitudes regarding sex (the outcome variable). We suggest that Positive Youth Development (PYD) research and programming should include promoting healthy sexuality as an important developmental outcome…

They Just Respect You for Who You Are: Contributors to Educator Positive Youth Development Promotion for Somali, Latino, and Hmong Students.

PubMed

Allen, Michele L; Rosas-Lee, Maira; Ortega, Luis; Hang, Mikow; Pergament, Shannon; Pratt, Rebekah

2016-02-01

Youth from immigrant communities may experience barriers to connecting with schools and teachers, potentially undermining academic achievement and healthy youth development. This qualitative study aimed to understand how educators serving Somali, Latino, and Hmong (SLH) youth can best promote educator-student connectedness and positive youth development, by exploring the perspectives of teachers, youth workers, and SLH youth, using a community based participatory research approach. We conducted four focus groups with teachers, 18 key informant interviews with adults working with SLH youth, and nine focus groups with SLH middle and high school students. Four themes emerged regarding facilitators to educators promoting positive youth development in schools: (1) an authoritative teaching approach where teachers hold high expectations for student behavior and achievement, (2) building trusting educator-student relationships, (3) conveying respect for students as individuals, and (4) a school infrastructure characterized by a supportive and inclusive environment. Findings suggest a set of skills and educator-student interactions that may promote positive youth development and increase student-educator connectedness for SLH youth in public schools.

4-S Positive Youth Development in Latin America: Professional Schools in Costa Rica

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopes, Sandro; Geldhof, G. John; Bowers, Edmond P.; Thogmartin, Asia

2018-01-01

As youth development programs established in the United States expand globally, researchers must evaluate their impacts in diverse contexts. The work described in this article established a baseline for assessing the impact of a 4-S youth program at professional technical high schools in Costa Rica. The 4-S program is equivalent to 4-H in…

The Vocational Goals and Career Development of Criminally Involved Youth: Experiences That Help and Hinder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartlett, Jennifer; Domene, José F.

2015-01-01

Little is known about the career development of youth with a history of criminal activity and the factors that influence their career development. The ability to secure employment is important in predicting successful outcomes for this population, but unfortunately youth who have been involved in crime are likely to face a myriad of obstacles to…

Quality of Social Relationships and the Development of Depression in Parentally-Bereaved Youth

PubMed Central

Schoenfelder, Erin N.; Sandler, Irwin N.; Wolchik, Sharlene; MacKinnon, David

2010-01-01

Fear of abandonment has been found to be associated with mental health problems for youth who have experienced a parent's death. This article examines how youth's fears of abandonment following the death of a parent lead to later depressive symptoms by influencing relationships with caregivers, peers, and romantic partners. Participants were 109 youth ages 7-16 (50% male), assessed 4 times over a 6-year period. The ethnic composition of the sample was non-Hispanic Caucasian (67%), Hispanic (16%), African American (7%), Native American (3%), Asian (1%), and Other (6%). Youth's fears of abandonment by their surviving caregiver during the first year of data collection were related to their anxiety in romantic relationships 6 years later, which, in turn, was associated with depressive symptoms measured at 6 years. Youth's caregiver, peer, and romantic relationships at the 6-year follow-up were related to their concurrent depressive symptoms. The relationship between youth's attachment to their surviving caregiver and their depressive symptoms was stronger for younger participants. Implications of these findings for understanding the development of mental health problems following parental bereavement are discussed. PMID:20119668

Adolescent developmental issues in Hong Kong: Relevance to positive youth development programs in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Shek, Daniel T L

2006-01-01

Several adolescent developmental issues and problems in Hong Kong are examined in this paper. First, the changing adolescent substance abuse patterns are described. Second, although the overall youth crime trend was relatively stable in the past decade, shoplifting and stealing crimes deserve our concern. Third, adolescent mental health problem is a growing problem. Fourth, statistics show that unhealthy life styles, such as smoking, early sex and moral confusion are issues of concern. Fifth, the proportion of adolescents experiencing economic disadvantage has increased. Sixth, youth unemployment and non-engaged youth are growing problems when the economy of Hong Kong is undergoing re-structuring. Seventh, family and parenting problems in families with adolescents deserve our attention. Finally, the Social Development Index showed that the development of young people has gradually deteriorated in the past decade. These adolescent issues and problems provide useful pointers for designing the positive youth development program financially sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

Kids without Family Privilege: Mobilizing Youth Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seita, John R.

2005-01-01

While many youth are disconnected from adults, the people seem clueless as to what to do about this serious problem. The quality of connections is directly related to the quality of the total interpersonal environment. This article takes a systems perspective on the problem of connecting with youth, with particular emphasis on what communities,…

Development and Validation of a Measure of Maladaptive Social-Evaluative Beliefs Characteristic of Social Anxiety Disorder in Youth: The Report of Youth Social Cognitions (RYSC).

PubMed

Wong, Quincy J J; Certoma, Sarah P; McLellan, Lauren F; Halldorsson, Brynjar; Reyes, Natasha; Boulton, Kelsie; Hudson, Jennifer L; Rapee, Ronald M

2017-12-28

Recent research has started to examine the applicability of influential adult models of the maintenance of social anxiety disorder (SAD) to youth. This research is limited by the lack of psychometrically validated measures of underlying constructs that are developmentally appropriate for youth. One key construct in adult models of SAD is maladaptive social-evaluative beliefs. The current study aimed to develop and validate a measure of these beliefs in youth, known as the Report of Youth Social Cognitions (RYSC). The RYSC was developed with a clinical sample of youth with anxiety disorders (N = 180) and cross-validated in a community sample of youth (N = 305). In the clinical sample, the RYSC exhibited a 3-factor structure (negative evaluation, revealing self, and positive impression factors), good internal consistency, and construct validity. In the community sample, the 3-factor structure and the internal consistency of the RYSC were replicated, but the test of construct validity showed that the RYSC had similarly strong associations with social anxiety and depressed affect. The RYSC had good test-retest reliability overall, although the revealing self subscale showed lower temporal stability which improved when only older participants were considered (age ≥9 years). The RYSC in general was also shown to discriminate between youth with and without SAD although the revealing self subscale again performed suboptimally but improved when only older participants were considered. These findings provide psychometric support for the RYSC and justifies its use with youth in research and clinical settings requiring the assessment of maladaptive social-evaluative beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Youth Development and Critical Education: The Promise of Democratic Action. SUNY Series, Democracy and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakes, Richard D.

Presented in this book are studies of social projects for economically disadvantaged inner-city youth engaged in neighborhood revitalizations in low-income communities around the country. Children and teens are highlighted as they participate in nonschool initiatives to achieve economic and political self-determination coupled with personal…

Engaging youth in research planning, design and execution: Practical recommendations for researchers.

PubMed

Hawke, Lisa D; Relihan, Jacqueline; Miller, Joshua; McCann, Emma; Rong, Jessica; Darnay, Karleigh; Docherty, Samantha; Chaim, Gloria; Henderson, Joanna L

2018-06-01

Engaging youth as partners in academic research projects offers many benefits for the youth and the research team. However, it is not always clear to researchers how to engage youth effectively to optimize the experience and maximize the impact. This article provides practical recommendations to help researchers engage youth in meaningful ways in academic research, from initial planning to project completion. These general recommendations can be applied to all types of research methodologies, from community action-based research to highly technical designs. Youth can and do provide valuable input into academic research projects when their contributions are authentically valued, their roles are clearly defined, communication is clear, and their needs are taken into account. Researchers should be aware of the risk of tokenizing the youth they engage and work proactively to take their feedback into account in a genuine way. Some adaptations to regular research procedures are recommended to improve the success of the youth engagement initiative. By following these guidelines, academic researchers can make youth engagement a key tenet of their youth-oriented research initiatives, increasing the feasibility, youth-friendliness and ecological validity of their work and ultimately improve the value and impact of the results their research produces. © 2018 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Understanding Youth Development from the Practitioner's Point of View: A Call for Research on Effective Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Reed W.; Walker, Kathrin C.; Rusk, Natalie; Diaz, Lisa B.

2015-01-01

This article calls for research on the expertise of youth development practitioners. We argue for studies focused on understanding youth practice from practitioners' points of view--as they experience and enact it--with the aim of contributing findings and frameworks that are helpful to their work and learning. To improve youth programs, first, it…

Amplifying Youth Voices in the Developing World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fotenos, Saori; Rohatgi, Deepti

2007-01-01

In the past few years, an explosion of user-generated content has flooded the Internet. The dramatic drop in the cost of digital video equipment and the increased accessibility of the Internet create a unique opportunity to allow youth to create meaningful content. Today youth around the world can leverage technological tools to give voice to…

Intermediaries for youth: a vital target audience.

PubMed

1997-01-01

Worldwide, youth are recognized as a key target audience for HIV/STD awareness and prevention campaigns. Rural young people, who often have less access to information and prevention tools than urban youth, may be particularly vulnerable to HIV/STD infection. Many initiatives have been organized by nongovernmental organizations, governments, churches, and other organizations to help youth. However, parents, relatives, guardians, teachers, church and youth leaders, social workers, and other adults in a position to influence youth must also be helped to undertake the role of an intermediary between youth and HIV/STD interventions and other youth-oriented programs. In training adults to openly address sexual and reproductive health issues with adolescents, adults must first be encouraged to feel comfortable about discussing such issues among themselves. Intermediaries and how to target them are discussed.

A Youth-Friendly Intervention for Homeless and Street-Involved Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Barbara Virley; MacDonald, Brian J.

1999-01-01

Describes a community intervention for a population of youth who are often distrustful of mainstream mental health services. Program focuses on not viewing youth as patients but as experts in working with adults to design youth-friendly interventions. Outlines the development and implementation of a support-group model tailored specifically to the…

Shaping the Future of American Youth: Youth Policy in the 21st Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Anne, Ed.

This volume contains 14 essays and commentaries on youth development penned by educators, policymakers, and leaders of youth development organizations. The papers, written to commemorate 10 years of American Youth Policy Forum's service, were originally presented at a forum in Washington, D.C., in January 2003. Following are the papers: "Genesis…

Positive Youth Development through Physical Activity: Opportunities for Physical Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemphill, Michael A.

2014-01-01

As physical educators continue to advocate for school-based PE, they should also consider ways to extend their work into community settings in an effort to ensure that all kids have an opportunity to develop physical literacy. This article describes how positive youth development programs can provide an opportunity for physical educators to engage…

Positive Youth Development in a School-Based Setting: A Study of the Los Angeles Police Academy Magnet School Program. PRGS Dissertation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloney, Shannon

2014-01-01

Positive youth development (PYD) orients youth toward pro-social and forward-looking behavior through programs that emphasize youth empowerment and involvement, focus on skill development and character building, incorporate community collaboration at multiple levels, and include positive adult role models and mentors that interact with youth in…

In Delaware, Creating Pathways and Opportunities for Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothman, Robert

2017-01-01

Launched in 2011 by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Jobs for the Future, the Pathways to Prosperity initiative is helping states create seamless transitions from high school to college and the workforce. Inspired by youth development systems that have long been in place in other high-performing nations--such as Australia, Switzerland,…

Alcohol brand use of youth-appealing advertising and consumption by youth and adults

PubMed Central

Padon, Alisa A.; Rimal, Rajiv N.; Siegel, Michael; DeJong, William; Naimi, Timothy S.; JernFigan, David H.

2018-01-01

Background Youth exposure to alcohol marketing has been shown to be an important contributor to the problem of underage drinking in the U.S. More work is needed on identifying and minimizing content with particular appeal to youth. Design and Methods We tested the association between the youth-appeal of marketing content of televised alcohol advertisements and the brand-specific alcohol consumption of both underage youth and adults. We used existing data from three sources: a brand-specific alcohol consumption survey among underage youth (N=1032), a brand-specific alcohol consumption survey among adults (N ~13,000), and an analysis of content appealing to youth (CAY) in a sample of televised alcohol advertisements (n=96) aired during the youth survey. The association between CAY scores for the 96 alcohol ads and youth (age 13-20) versus adult (age 21+) consumption of those ads’ brands was tested through bivariate and multivariate models. Results Brand CAY scores were (a) positively associated with brand-specific youth consumption after controlling for adult brand consumption; (b) positively associated with a ratio of youth-toadult brand-specific consumption; and (c) not associated with adult brand consumption. Conclusions Alcohol brands with youth-appealing advertising are consumed more often by youth than adults, indicating that these ads may be more persuasive to relatively younger audiences, and that youth are not simply mirroring adult consumption patterns in their choice of brands. Future research should consider the content of alcohol advertising when testing marketing effects on youth drinking, and surveillance efforts might focus on brands popular among youth. Significance for public healthYouth are overexposed to alcohol advertising. This contributes to youth having positive expectations of drinking, initiating drinking, and drinking more in quantity and frequency. The alcohol industry’s self-regulatory guidelines stipulate that marketing content

Quality-Based Analysis Capability for National Youth Surveys: Development, Application, and Implications for Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orvis, Bruce R.; Gahart, Martin T.

As part of the military recruiting effort, the Department of Defense sponsors surveys of the national youth population to help design recruiting and advertising strategies. This report develops and applies a method of using the information contained in national youth surveys to estimate the probability that respondents taking the Armed Forces…

Promoting the Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development through an Experiential Learning Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Shelley; Jones, Kenneth R.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the project reported here was to apply Experiential Learning Theory to a context involving middle and high school aged youth while assessing the four concepts (belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity) in relation to the 4-H youth development essential elements. The conclusions of the project's evaluation suggest…

Developing Games and Simulations for Today and Tomorrow's Tech Savvy Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klopfer, Eric; Yoon, Susan

2005-01-01

Constructively promoting the educational development of today's young tech savvy students and fostering the productive technological facility of tomorrow's youth requires harnessing new technological tools creatively. The MIT Teacher Education Program (TEP) focuses on the research and development of educational computer-based simulations and games…

Initial Validity Evidence for the State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity with Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ullrich-French, Sarah; Cox, Anne; Cole, Amy; Rhoades Cooper, Brittany; Gotch, Chad

2017-01-01

Experiencing mindfulness during movement-based interventions (e.g., yoga) may help support adaptive physical activity motivation processes in youth. However, there is currently no measure for assessing state mindfulness with youth within the context of physical activity. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate a…

Development and feasibility of a sibling intervention for youth in foster care.

PubMed

Kothari, Brianne H; McBeath, Bowen; Lamson-Siu, Emilie; Webb, Sara Jade; Sorenson, Paul; Bowen, Hannah; Waid, Jeff; Bank, Lew

2014-12-01

Due to their ubiquity and possible influence on youth mental health, academic, and other outcomes, sibling-focused intervention strategies may be important for the development and implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in child welfare. However, there is no rigorous evidence as to either the best methods for, or feasibility of, incorporating the sibling link within existing clinical treatments for foster youth. This paper applies the literature on evidence-based practices (EBP) and implementation research in child welfare to sibling-focused intervention; and presents data concerning the development, delivery, cost, and feasibility of a novel sibling-focused intervention program, Supporting Siblings in Foster Care (SIBS-FC). Results suggest that despite the challenges and costs involved with delivering SIBS-FC, the program catered to the diverse needs of pre-adolescent and adolescent siblings living together and apart, was viewed positively by youth, and was implemented with a high degree of fidelity. These findings underscore the importance of attending to the early-stage development of psychosocial interventions in child welfare and highlight the role of interagency collaboration, program planning, staff training and supervision, and fidelity tracking for EBP development in child welfare. Implications for prevention research and sibling-focused intervention programming in child welfare are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Youth Exploring Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Diane

2008-04-01

This session features Youth Exploring Science (YES), Saint Louis Science Center's nationally recognized work-based teen development program. In YES, underserved audiences develop interest and understanding in physics through design engineering projects. I will discuss breaking down barriers, helping youth develop skills, and partnering with community organizations, universities and engineering firms.

Positive Youth Development: Minority Male Participation in a Sport-Based Afterschool Program in an Urban Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Rhema D.; Percy, Vernon E.; Bruening, Jennifer E.; Cotrufo, Raymond J.

2013-01-01

Purpose: As there is little research that investigates the experiences of minority boys participating in youth development programs (Fashola, 2003), the current research focused on a sport-based youth development program for early adolescent Black and Latino boys in Hartford, CT. Specifically, the present study explored (a) what attracted minority…

Development of Antisocial Personality Disorder in Detained Youths: The Predictive Value of Mental Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washburn, Jason J.; Romero, Erin Gregory; Welty, Leah J.; Abram, Karen M.; Teplin, Linda A.; McClelland, Gary M.; Paskar, Leah D.

2007-01-01

Antisocial personality disorder (APD) is a serious public and mental health concern. Understanding how well conduct disorder (CD) and other mental disorders predict the development of APD among youths involved in the juvenile justice system is critical for prevention. The authors used a stratified random sample of 1,112 detained youths to examine…

White matter integrity in alcohol-naive youth with a family history of alcohol use disorders

PubMed Central

Squeglia, L. M.; Jacobus, J.; Brumback, T.; Meloy, M. J.; Tapert, S. F.

2014-01-01

Background Understanding pre-existing neural vulnerabilities found in youth who are family history positive (FHP) for alcohol use disorders could help inform preventative interventions created to delay initiation age and escalation of heavy drinking. The goal of this study was to compare indices of white matter integrity using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) between FHP and family history negative (FHN) youth using a sample of 94 alcohol-naive adolescents and to examine if differences were associated with global and domain-specific cognitive functioning. Method Participants were 48 FHP and 46 FHN demographically matched, healthy, substance-naive 12- to 14-year-olds (54% female) recruited from local middle schools. Participants completed a neuropsychological test battery and magnetic resonance imaging session, including DTI. Results FHP youth had higher fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity, and lower radial and mean diffusivity, than FHN youth in 19 clusters spanning projection, association and interhemispheric white matter tracts. Findings were replicated after controlling for age, gender, socio-economic status, grade and pubertal development. Groups did not differ significantly on global or domain-specific neuropsychological test scores. Conclusions FHP teens showed higher white matter integrity, but similar cognitive functioning, to FHN youth. More mature neural features could be related to more precocious behaviors, such as substance use initiation, in FHP youth. Future research exploring white matter maturation before and after substance use initiation will help elucidate the neuro-developmental trajectories in youth at risk for substance use disorders, to inform preventive efforts and better understand the sequelae of adolescent alcohol and drug use. PMID:25066702

Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Suicide: Understanding Subgroup Differences to Inform Interventions.

PubMed

O'Brien, Kimberly H McManama; Putney, Jennifer M; Hebert, Nicholas W; Falk, Amy M; Aguinaldo, Laika D

2016-08-01

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth are disproportionately affected by suicide-related thoughts and behaviors relative to their heterosexual and/or non-transgender peers. Theory and empirical evidence suggest that there are unique factors that contribute to this elevated risk, with distinguishable differences among SGM subgroups. Although SGM youth suicide prevention research is in its nascence, initial findings indicate that interventions which focus on family support and acceptance may be beneficial. It is critical that we develop and test tailored interventions for SGM youth at risk for suicide, with specific attention to subgroup differences and reductions in suicide-related thoughts and behaviors as outcomes.

Increased Pre- and Early-Adolescent Stress in Youth with a Family History of Substance Use Disorder and Early Substance Use Initiation.

PubMed

Charles, Nora E; Mathias, Charles W; Acheson, Ashley; Bray, Bethany C; Ryan, Stacy R; Lake, Sarah L; Liang, Yuanyuan; Dougherty, Donald M

2015-10-01

Individuals with a family history of substance use disorders (Family History Positive) are more likely to have early-onset substance use (i.e., prior to age 15), which may contribute to their higher rates of substance use disorders. One factor that may differentiate Family History Positive youth who engage in early-onset substance use from other Family History Positive youth is exposure to stressors. The aim of this study was to quantify how exposure to stressors from age 11-15 varies as a function of family history of substance use disorders and early-onset substance use. Self-reported stressors were prospectively compared in a sample of predominately (78.9%) Hispanic youth that included 68 Family History Positive youth (50% female) who initiated substance use by age 15 and demographically matched non-users with (n = 136; 52.9% female) and without (n = 75; 54.7% female) family histories of substance use disorders. Stressors were assessed at 6-month intervals for up to 4 years. Both the severity of stressors and the degree to which stressors were caused by an individual's own behavior were evaluated. All three groups differed from one another in overall exposure to stressors and rates of increase in stressors over time, with Family History Positive youth who engaged in early-onset substance use reporting the greatest exposure to stressors. Group differences were more pronounced for stressors caused by the participants' behavior. Family History Positive users had higher cumulative severity of stressors of this type, both overall and across time. These results indicate greater exposure to stressors among Family History Positive youth with early-onset substance use, and suggest that higher rates of behavior-dependent stressors may be particularly related to early-onset use.

Increased Pre- and Early-Adolescent Stress in Youth with a Family History of Substance Use Disorder and Early Substance Use Initiation

PubMed Central

Charles, Nora E.; Mathias, Charles W.; Acheson, Ashley; Bray, Bethany C.; Ryan, Stacy R.; Lake, Sarah L.; Liang, Yuanyuan; Dougherty, Donald M.

2015-01-01

Individuals with a family history of substance use disorders (Family History Positive) are more likely to have early-onset substance use (i.e., prior to age 15), which may contribute to their higher rates of substance use disorders. One factor that may differentiate Family History Positive youth who engage in early-onset substance use from other Family History Positive youth is exposure to stressors. The aim of this study was to quantify how exposure to stressors from age 11 to 15 varies as a function of family history of substance use disorders and early-onset substance use. Self-reported stressors were prospectively compared in a sample of predominately (78.9%) Hispanic youth that included 68 Family History Positive youth (50% female) who initiated substance use by age 15 and demographically matched non-users with (n=136; 52.9% female) and without (n=75; 54.7% female) family histories of substance use disorders. Stressors were assessed at 6-month intervals for up to 4 years. Both the severity of stressors and the degree to which stressors were caused by an individual’s own behavior were evaluated. All three groups differed from one another in overall exposure to stressors and rates of increase in stressors over time, with Family History Positive youth who engaged in early-onset substance use reporting the greatest exposure to stressors. Group differences were more pronounced for stressors caused by the participants’ behavior. Family History Positive users had higher cumulative severity of stressors of this type, both overall and across time. These results indicate greater exposure to stressors among Family History Positive youth with early-onset substance use, and suggest that higher rates of behavior-dependent stressors may be particularly related to early-onset use. PMID:25788123

Development and implementation of mass media campaigns to delay sexual initiation among African American and White youth.

PubMed

Noar, Seth M; Zimmerman, Rick S; Palmgreen, Philip; Cupp, Pamela K; Floyd, Brenikki R; Mehrotra, Purnima

2014-01-01

Reducing new HIV/STD infections among at-risk adolescents requires developing and evaluating evidence-based health communication approaches. Research overwhelmingly supports the conclusion that early sexual initiation is associated with STDs and other negative outcomes in later years (e.g., unintended pregnancy). The authors' research group secured funding from the National Institute of Mental Health to develop, implement, and rigorously evaluate televised mass media campaigns to delay initiation of sexual intercourse among African American and White adolescents in two cities in the Southeastern United States. The focus of the present study is on the development and implementation of the campaigns, including (a) rationale and theoretical underpinnings; (b) collection, screening, and assessment of existing public service announcements; (c) development of new public service announcements; (d) study design and campaign airing plan; and (e) message exposure achieved in the campaigns. Health communication campaigns hold much promise in reaching at-risk adolescent populations with targeted, timely, and relevant risk-reduction messages.

Development in youth enterprises.

PubMed

Hamilton, Stephen F; Hamilton, Mary Agnes

2012-01-01

Business enterprises run by youth can create jobs and teach the principles of free enterprise but also convey skills that can be used by employees in large companies, as well as political activists and entrepreneurs. Research is needed to test the efficacy of this approach and identify its key components. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

An Integrated Conceptual Framework for the Development of Asian American Children and Youth.

PubMed

Mistry, Jayanthi; Li, Jin; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Tseng, Vivian; Tirrell, Jonathan; Kiang, Lisa; Mistry, Rashmita; Wang, Yijie

2016-07-01

The diversity of circumstances and developmental outcomes among Asian American children and youth poses a challenge for scholars interested in Asian American child development. This article addresses the challenge by offering an integrated conceptual framework based on three broad questions: (a) What are theory-predicated specifications of contexts that are pertinent for the development of Asian American children? (b) What are the domains of development and socialization that are particularly relevant? (c) How can culture as meaning-making processes be integrated in conceptualizations of development? The heuristic value of the conceptual model is illustrated by research on Asian American children and youth that examines the interconnected nature of specific features of context, pertinent aspects of development, and interpretive processes. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Coach-Initiated Motivational Climate and Cohesion in Youth Sport

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eys, Mark A.; Jewitt, Eryn; Evans, M. Blair; Wolf, Svenja; Bruner, Mark W.; Loughead, Todd M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The general purpose of the present study was to examine the link between cohesion and motivational climate in youth sport. The first specific objective was to determine if relationships demonstrated in previous research with adult basketball and handball participants would be replicated in a younger sample and with a more heterogeneous…

Development of Youth Leadership Life Skills of Texas Youth as San Antonio Livestock Exposition School Tour Guides

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Real, Laura A.; Harlin, Julie F.

2006-01-01

This study's purpose was to determine the youth leadership life skills of Texas 4- H, FFA, and FCCLA members participating as school tour guides. Descriptive characteristics were evaluated to determine those affecting leadership life skills development. School tour guides participating in the exit-meeting during the 2004 San Antonio Livestock…

Developing Citizens and Communities through Youth Environmental Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schusler, Tania M.; Krasny, Marianne E.; Peters, Scott J.; Decker, Daniel J.

2009-01-01

Although several studies have examined learning outcomes of environmental action experiences for youth, little is known about the aims motivating practitioners to involve youth in action creating positive environmental and social change, nor how practitioners perceive success. This research explored through phenomenological interviews…

Designing a tobacco counter-marketing campaign for African American youth

PubMed Central

Johnson, Doris M; Wine, Lauren A; Zack, Sharon; Zimmer, Eric; Wang, Judy H; Weitzel-O'Neill, Patricia A; Claflin, Vickie; Tercyak, Kenneth P

2008-01-01

The objectives of this qualitative study were to: a) identify common marketing themes and tactics used by the tobacco industry to entice African Americans (AA's) and youth to initiate and maintain smoking behavior, especially smoking mentholated brands of cigarettes, and b) determine AA youths' knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and beliefs about smoking and the tobacco industry. Together, these activities could aid in the development of effective tobacco counter-marketing campaigns for AA youth. Using publicly available tobacco industry documents, computerized searches using standardized keywords were run and results were cataloged and analyzed thematically. Subsequently, 5 focus groups were conducted with n = 28 AA middle school-aged youth. Results suggest that the tobacco industry consistently recruited new AA smokers through a variety of means, including social and behavioral marketing studies and targeted media and promotional campaigns in predominantly AA, urban, and low income areas. AA youth interviewed in this study were largely unaware of these tactics, and reacted negatively against the industry upon learning of them. Youth tended to externalize control over tobacco, especially within the AA community. In designing a counter-marketing campaign for this population, partnering knowledge of tobacco industry practices with youth needs and community resources will likely increase their effectiveness. PMID:18822164

Developing a program for enhancing youth HIV treatment adherence and risk reduction.

PubMed

Fongkaew, Warunee; Udomkhamsuk, Warawan; Viseskul, Nongkran; Guptaruk, Marisa

2017-12-01

Youth living with HIV face difficult and challenging situations that decrease their adherence to antiretroviral medications. In this study, we developed a pilot program to enhance HIV treatment adherence and risk reduction among youth living with HIV based on collaboration with a community hospital involving a multi-disciplinary healthcare team. Participants were 25 youth living with HIV/AIDS, 18 caregivers, and 12 healthcare providers. The action research process comprised a preliminary stage and four phases of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. This program used "edutainment", participatory learning, and multi-disciplinary collaboration to improve HIV treatment adherence and HIV risk behavior knowledge, motivation, and behavior. Education aimed to improve knowledge of antiretroviral drugs and HIV risk-taking behaviors. Motivation was directed at reframing beliefs and increasing positive attitudes of youth toward treatment adherence and raising awareness about safer sex behaviors. The behavioral skills focused on medication management in daily life activities, problem-solving, refusal and negotiation, and condom use. Findings provided preliminary evidence that the program was practical in a clinical context in a community hospital. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Using Positive Youth Development Constructs to Design a Drug Education Curriculum for Junior Secondary Students in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Lam, Ching Man; Lau, Patrick S. Y.; Law, Ben M. F.; Poon, Y. H.

2011-01-01

This paper outlines the design of a new curriculum for positive youth development (P.A.T.H.S. II) in Hong Kong. The paper discusses the conceptual base for designing a drug-education curriculum for junior-secondary students using four positive youth development constructs—cognitive competence, emotional competence, beliefs in the future, and self-efficacy. The program design is premised on the belief that adolescents do have developmental assets; therefore, the curriculum is designed to develop their psychosocial competencies. The goal of the curriculum is to develop the selfhood of these youths and ultimately achieve the goal of successful adolescent development. PMID:22194667