Associations between participation in a Physical Activity-Based Positive Youth Development Program and Academic Outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 ◽  
pp. 147-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindley McDavid ◽  
Meghan H. McDonough ◽  
Janet B. Wong ◽  
Frank J. Snyder ◽  
Yumary Ruiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Academic Outcomes ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Youth Development Program

scholarly journals Girls on the Run: Impact of a Physical Activity Youth Development Program on Psychosocial and Behavioral Outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 330-340
Author(s):  
Maureen R. Weiss ◽  
Lindsay E. Kipp ◽  
Alison Phillips Reichter ◽  
Sarah M. Espinoza ◽  
Nicole D. Bolter
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Development Program ◽  
School Personnel ◽  
Community Impact ◽  
Youth Development Program ◽  
Girls On The Run

Purpose: Girls on the Run is an after-school physical activity-based positive youth development program designed to enhance girls’ social, psychological, and physical development. We evaluated the effectiveness of the program by employing a longitudinal design and mixed methods. Methods: Girls (N = 203; aged 8–11 y) completed survey measures of positive youth development constructs (competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring), physical activity, and sedentary behavior prior to, at the end of, and 3 months after the season. Subsamples of girls, coaches, caregivers, and school personnel participated in focus groups. Coaches completed information about their team’s community impact project and number of girls who completed the season-ending 5k. Results: The full sample improved in confidence and connection, whereas girls who started below the preseason average showed the greatest gains from preseason to postseason on all measures, and scores were maintained or continued to improve at follow-up. All stakeholders in focus groups corroborated evidence of season-long improvement in social and emotional behaviors and health outcomes. Involvement in the community impact project contributed to girls’ growth in character and empathy skills. Conclusion: Findings provide empirical evidence that Girls on the Run is effective in promoting positive youth development, including season-long and lasting change in competence, confidence, connection, character, caring, and physical activity, especially among girls who exhibited lower preseason scores than their peers.

scholarly journals Formative Evaluation of a Pilot Afterschool Physical Activity–Based Positive Youth Development Program

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaina Riciputi ◽  
Paige Boyer ◽  
Meghan H. McDonough ◽  
Frank J. Snyder
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Formative Evaluation ◽  
Character Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Implementation Fidelity ◽  
Youth Development Program ◽  
The Social

4-H PALS is an afterschool positive youth development program for pre- and early adolescents delivered within the 4-H platform and designed to use physical activity to promote character development. The conceptual framework for this program, informed by the theory of triadic influence, prioritizes the social environment created during physical activities to promote adaptive outcomes. Given the novelty of the 4-H PALS curriculum, it is important to outline program components and identify both strengths and challenges to be addressed. Thus, this study aimed to document, describe, and conduct a formative evaluation of 4-H PALS. Major themes were identified across leader and participant interviews, program observations, lesson planning notes, attendance records, and intervention team feedback using inductive analysis methods. Three key areas of evaluation were identified: curriculum implementation fidelity, participant engagement with the curriculum and context, and the social environment. The program was successful in creating an affirmative, engaging environment fostering positive self-perceptions and social outcomes for participants. Challenges with logistical and conceptual implementation of the curriculum’s character development concepts were identified. This evaluation will inform program refinements, with the goal of preparing the program for an efficacy study examining outcomes among participating youth.

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