Browsing by Subject "Positive youth development"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Adolescent Patterns of Participation in Sherburne and Wright County 4-H
    (2010) Rosendahl, Harlan; Rauschenfels, Diane; Hyman, Randy
    Adolescent Patterns of Participation in Sherburne and Wright County 4-H was a replication study of the Tufts University study in 2005-2007 that measured the “5Cs” of positive youth development in young adolescents in grades 5, 6, and 7. This replication study was done with older adolescents in grades 10, 11, 12, and 13 in the Sherburne and Wright County 4-H program. The “5Cs” of positive youth development were connection, competence, character, caring, and confidence. The subjects rated questions about the “5Cs” in the survey. Roth (2004) suggested that positive youth development programs needed to increase the levels of the “5Cs" in the youth participating in the program. A product of a positive youth development program like 4-H, would be to instill the characteristics of the “5Cs” in youth. As youth develop these characteristics, they grow to become good citizens. This would be one way the 4-H program could provide public value. The results of this survey allowed comparisons to be made between the Tufts study and this study.
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    Coaching for character: mechanisms of influence on adolescent athletes‟ sportsmanship.
    (2010-08) Bolter, Nicole D.
    Extensive knowledge exists about how coaches influence youth sport participants' skill development and motivational outcomes, yet less is known about promoting sportsmanship (Horn, 2008; M. R. Weiss, Smith, & Stuntz, 2008). The purpose of the present studies was to identify mechanisms by which coaches make an impact on youths' sportsmanship. It was first necessary to create a comprehensive measure of coaching behaviors that captures the ways in which coaches influence athletes' sportsmanship. With such a measure, it was possible to examine relationships between coaches' behaviors and sportsmanship outcomes consistent with moral development theory. Study 1 included a series of steps to develop the measure: (a) completing a literature review, (b) conducting focus groups, (c) enlisting an expert panel, and (d) conducting a pilot study. These steps resulted in a 40-item measure reflecting 8 coaching behaviors: (a) Sets Expectations for Good Sportsmanship, (b) Reinforces Good Sportsmanship, (c) Punishes Poor Sportsmanship, (d) Discusses Good Sportsmanship, (e) Teaches Good Sportsmanship, (f) Models Good Sportsmanship, (g) Models Poor Sportsmanship, and (h) Prioritizes Winning Over Good Sportsmanship. Results from Study 1 provided content validity for the Sportsmanship Coaching Behaviors Scale (SCBS). Study 2 was designed to provide further construct validity for the SCBS. The sample included 418 youth (211 females, 207 males), ages 13-18, participating in a variety of team sports (e.g., rugby, lacrosse, basketball, soccer). Participants completed the SCBS and a measure of prosocial and antisocial behaviors toward teammates and opponents. A confirmatory factor analysis established factorial validity for a 6-factor model for the SCBS. Tests for gender invariance showed the 6-factor model to be equivalent for male and female athletes. Criterion validity was shown in that four coaching behaviors (modeling, reinforcing, teaching, and prioritizing winning) were related to athletes' prosocial and antisocial behaviors in theoretically consistent ways. Unique findings emerged for boys and girls in the pattern of relationships between coaching behaviors and sportsmanship outcomes. Collectively, results support and extend moral development theory and research by identifying the specific mechanisms by which coaches promote sportsmanship and by creating a valid and reliable measure of coaching behaviors that can be used in future investigations.
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    Contraceptive use among emerging adult college women: results from a national survey
    (2013-08) Morrison, Leslie F.
    With most emerging adults being sexually active; contraceptive use is an important health consideration in this population. Contraceptive use patterns are influenced by complex and competing factors. While much research has focused on the relationships between risk indicators and contraceptive use, less research has focused on protective factors that may be associated with consistent contraceptive use. Emerging adult developmental theory and a positive youth development (PYD) framework may provide a structure for considering the roles of protective factors (i.e., external supports and internal assets) on consistent contraceptive and condom use among college attending emerging adult women. Using secondary data analysis from Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study evaluated relationships between external supports (i.e., parental caring and current relationship with caring non-parental adult), and internal assets (i.e., self-esteem, confidence, independence and life satisfaction) and consistent contraceptive and condom use. It also evaluated relationships between risk indicators (i.e., heavy episodic alcohol use, marijuana use and depressive symptoms), and consistent contraceptive and condom use, and interactive effects of protective factors and risk indicators on consistent contraceptive use. Findings indicated that all of the internal assets evaluated in this study (i.e., self-esteem, confidence, independence, life satisfaction) were significantly and positively related to consistent contraceptive use. There were no significant relationships between external supports and consistent contraceptive use. Among risk indicators, marijuana use and depressive symptoms were significantly and negatively related to consistent contraceptive use. Protective factors did not moderate the relationships between risk indicators and consistent contraceptive use. Examining consistent condom use, there were no significant relationships between any protective factors and this study outcome. Of the study's risk indicators, only heavy episodic alcohol use had a significant bivariate relationship with consistent condom use; this relationship became non-significant in a multivariate model that accounted for known correlates of consistent condom use. This study supports the use of strengths based interventions throughout youth, adolescence and emerging adulthood to decrease the risks associated with inconsistent contraceptive use. The need for continued research to better understand the roles of protective factors and risk indicators on consistent contraceptive and condom use are discussed.