scholarly journals Program Innovations and Character in Cub Scouts: Findings from Year 1 of a Mixed-Methods, Longitudinal Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 4-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lacey J. Hilliard ◽  
Rachel M. Hershberg ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
Edmond P. Bowers ◽  
Paul A. Chase ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Character Development ◽  
Individual Growth ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Youth Outcomes ◽  
Community Connectedness ◽  
Cub Scouts ◽  
The Impact

Youth development programs seek to promote positive development through mentoring and engaging youth in opportunities for individual growth and community connectedness. We present findings from the initial phase of a mixed-methods, longitudinal study aimed at assessing the impact of one such program, Cub Scouts, on character development. We assessed if Scouting, and a recent innovation in Scouting focused on program quality, are associated with the development of character and other positive youth outcomes. Participants were 1,083 Scouts and non-Scouts, aged 5-12 years. At the start of the study, there was no difference in indicators of character between Scouts and non-Scouts, once matched through propensity score analyses. Through content analyses of interviews and short- answer questionnaires administered to leaders, we found that leaders’ views of character and of their roles corresponded to those envisioned by Cub Scouts. Implications for character development, and for the role of program components in character development, are discussed.

Using Partnerships to Create a Medical Specialty Camp for Youth with Diabetes

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeyra Collins Coats ◽  
Ron Ramsing ◽  
Eddie Hill ◽  
Kent Reifschneider ◽  
Chet Kramer
Keyword(s):  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Health Care Cost ◽  
Medical Specialty ◽  
Youth Outcomes ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diabetes Camp

Complications associated with a complex chronic illness, specifically, type 1 diabetes, negatively impact youth as they struggle to maintain healthy lifestyles. Type 1 diabetes is the second most common chronic illness affecting youth as well as one of the most psychologically and behaviorally demanding illnesses. Fortunately, organized camps have been shown to positively influence long-term outcomes for youth. Family Diabetes Camp, the only family medical program in the state where this study occurred, was created in collaboration with a local university, a diabetes center at a hospital, and a chapter of the Lions Club. This collaborative camp program aimed to test the effect of active participation in a Family Diabetes Camp upon youth outcomes for campers with type 1 diabetes. Specifically, the purpose was to evaluate the impact of a collaborative medical camp on campers’ resilience and youth developmental outcomes (e.g., independence). Family Diabetes Camp was designed using Outcome-Focused Programming (OFP) to promote positive youth development. The Family Diabetes Camp included 50 campers for the pre-test and post-test (n= 19 males and n= 31 females). While there were no statistically significant differences from pretest (M=4.97, SD= .53) to post-test scores (M=5.01, SD= .46), with t(50) = -.56, p= .57) researchers found a slight increase in resilience from pre to post-test. Using a retrospective measure, campers showed gains in the seven critical youth development outcomes identified by the American Camp Association. Finally, campers learned new knowledge about site injection, carbohydrate counting, and the use of exercise to help manage their diabetes. The impact associated with adapting activities and an environment to encourage, analyze, and challenge resilient behaviors is essential in encouraging independence, shared experiences, and effective disease management for youth living with type 1 diabetes. The camp, solely staffed by volunteers, included physicians, diabetes educators, certified therapeutic recreation specialists, dietitians, nurses, pump specialists, recreation professionals and students, and Lions Club Members. The camp program is unique not only in how it fills a void for youth with type 1 diabetes but how three large organizations work in concert to meet the needs of entire families. These types of data can be instrumental in establishing more camps and other out of school time programming that positively impacts quality of life, health care cost, and mortality among youth with type 1 diabetes.

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

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 481-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaina Riciputi ◽  
Meghan H. McDonough ◽  
Sarah Ullrich-French
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Character Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
The Impact

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.

Objective Outcome Evaluation of a Positive Youth Development Program: The Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia M. S. Ma ◽  
Daniel T. L. Shek
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Outcome Evaluation ◽  
Chinese Adolescents ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Program Content ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Objective Outcome

Objective: The present study explored the outcomes of a positive youth development (PYD) program entitled “Project P.A.T.H.S.” based on a total of 12,281 Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Method: To understand the impact of this program, the study assessed the changes in developmental outcomes using a single group pretest and posttest design. Results: Findings showed that the participants displayed positive changes in PYD attributes, life satisfaction, and thriving after joining the program regardless of the program content. Conclusion: In conjunction with other studies, the study demonstrates the benefits of PYD programs in promoting positive development in Chinese adolescents.

scholarly journals Impacts of the state 4-H Council experience : a phenomenological study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Bradd LeBow Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Youth Development ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Science ◽  
The State ◽  
Land Grant ◽  
Land Grant University ◽  
Youth Outcomes ◽  
Leadership Experience ◽  
The Impact

Leadership has long been recognized as a subject central to the human experience. Prepared leaders can wield critical influence in the rise of cultures, the growth of human opportunity, and the lasting direction of world events. Studies of leadership inform the earliest writings of Aristotle, the history of warfare, the early success of the American space program, the impact of Nelson Mandela, and countless other examples of forces that have shaped our world today. It is logical to expect that the study of leadership will also inform the world of tomorrow, as young people mature to assume roles that guide the mechanisms of social change and cultural advancement. This study focuses on the impact of leadership experience, through engagement with a large-scale program designed to foster its effectiveness and success. The program is focused on the experience of adolescents and rooted at the University of Missouri, one of 69 Land Grant Universities, established by the Morrill Act of 1862 to expand access to higher education. Once established, the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 expanded the Land Grant University mission to include the Cooperative Extension Service, which will henceforth be referred to as Extension, an outreach component of Land Grant University programming which sent agents into rural areas to connect end users with the products of their university's agricultural science research. When they encountered target audiences who were unreceptive to their innovations, some of these agents found success in shifting their outreach focus from adults to youth, who were often more open to new approaches (www.4-h.org/about/4-h-history). ... The State 4-H Council model is an experiential youth development opportunity that is in line with the Missouri 4-H mission to engage youth as "valued, contributing members of their communities in partnership with caring adults" (4h.missouri.edu). It is intended to produce youth outcomes consistent with the Missouri 4-H vision to create an environment in which "youth and adults learn, grow and work together for positive change" (4h.missouri.edu). This study adds understanding to the impacts that can accrue from service on a state 4-H council and help inform the development of these councils in state 4-H programs beyond Missouri's borders. In doing so, this study will reveal elements of Missouri's State 4-H Council model that could be adapted by other avenues of leadership development, identifying factors that promote and detract from success and providing greater insight into the leadership experience.

scholarly journals Impact of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in the Junior Secondary School Years: Objective Outcome Evaluation Based on Eight Waves of Longitudinal Data

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel T. L. Shek ◽  
Cecilia M. S. Ma
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Outcome Evaluation ◽  
Individual Growth ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Moral Competence ◽  
School Students ◽  
Junior Secondary School ◽  
Objective Outcome

To assess the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S., a randomized group trial with eight waves of data collected was carried out. At the fifth year of data collection, 19 experimental schools (n=2, 662 students) and 24 control schools (n=3, 272 students) participated in the study. Analyses based on individual growth curve modeling showed that participants in the experimental schools displayed better positive youth development than did participants in the control schools in terms of different indicators derived from the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale, including moral competence and behavioral competence and cognitive behavioral competencies. Significant results were also found when examining the trajectories of psychological development among control and experimental participants who perceived the program to be beneficial. Findings based on longitudinal objective outcome evaluation strongly suggest that the Project P.A.T.H.S. is effective in promoting positive development in Hong Kong secondary school students.

scholarly journals Evaluating the impact of patient and carer involvement in suicide and self‐harm research: A mixed‐methods, longitudinal study protocol

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna L. Littlewood ◽  
Leah Quinlivan ◽  
Sarah Steeg ◽  
Carole Bennett ◽  
Harriet Bickley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Study Protocol ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Air Pollution and Adolescent Development: Evidence from a 3-Year Longitudinal Study in China

Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 987
Author(s):  
Na Ni ◽  
Xinli Chi ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
Xiumin Cui
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Emotional Disorders ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Adolescent Development ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
The Impact

This study aimed to investigate the impact of air pollution on the development of adolescents and the mediating role of students’ emotional disorders. Participants came from a longitudinal sample group of adolescents (n = 1301) in Southern China from the years 2016 to 2018. They were assessed for the Positive Youth Development and emotional disorders, and air pollution was measured by the Air Quality Index. The results show that students’ higher degree of exposure to air pollution was negatively associated with their positive development. Three out of four emotional disorders (i.e., anxiety, neuroticism, and withdrawal) mediate this association. The results suggest that the physical environment can have a paramount influence on the emotional status and overall development of adolescents, calling for intervention programs by policymakers.

Reconnecting Youth to Nature: A Camp on Campus Model

2022 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eddie Hill
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Private School ◽  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Youth Outcomes ◽  
Leave No Trace ◽  
Design Program ◽  
Hands On ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Retrospective Questionnaire

Day camps are a powerful context for youth development. The American Camp Association and Leave No Trace have been integral in supporting youth development by identifying outcomes associated with participation in outdoor recreation. Recreation majors in the programming class used the camp as a service-learning component of the class that offered them valuable hands-on experience in program design, program facilitation, working with youth, and program evaluation. Therefore, this study evaluated the impact of camp on identified youth outcomes. The outdoor recreation camp was a partnership from a private school and local university. The Youth Outcomes Battery provided measures that focus on common outcomes (e.g., affinity for nature). Thirty-one of the 32 campers completed the retrospective questionnaire. The sample was 61% female, with an average age of 9 years. On a scale of 1 to 10, campers scored a 9.32 on Level of Enjoyment. Findings show that over 50% of the campers learned “a little” or “a lot” about the desired outcomes (e.g., affinity for nature). This work provides an example of an evidence-based nature camp.

scholarly journals Towards the Promotion of Positive Development among Boys in Challenging Contexts: A Mixed-Methods Study of Engagement in the Scoutreach Initiative

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 16-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robey B. Champine ◽  
Sara K. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Youth Engagement ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Key Aspects

Engagement in youth development programs reflects the quality of young people’s program-related experiences. However, more research is needed that explores cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions of engagement in programs that serve underrepresented youth of color. The present cross-sectional and mixed-methods study assessed potential relations among dimensions of engagement in the Boston-area Scoutreach initiative, character attributes, self-perceived school competence, and intentional self-regulation. We analyzed data from 32 Scouts (Mage = 9.97 years, SD = 2.46, Range = 6 to 14), 32 parents/guardians, and five Scoutreach leaders. Scouts demonstrated that they were cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally engaged in Scoutreach, and these dimensions were related differentially to indicators of healthy development. Qualitative data elucidated key aspects of Scoutreach (e.g., camping, peer relationships) that were linked to youth engagement. We discuss limitations of the present study and implications for future research and practice.

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