Adolescent Attitudes and Self-Concept Outcomes in a Health Intervention

Bottom of Form

Background and Purpose:  A federally funded youth intervention targeted at improving healthy behaviors of inner city youth in Central New York was evaluated. The program provided 24 hours of intervention over 14 weeks using a standardized curriculum. The evaluation examined attitudes, intentions and self-concept among other important variables associated with reducing risks and consequences of teen pregnancy. The conceptual frameworks included youth development (Amodeo & Collins, 2007) and social learning (Bandura, 1977) to reinforce the program goals.

Methods:  An experimental design was used to test the intervention. Youth were recruited from local community-based neighborhood sites in Central New York after receiving parental consent and youth assent to participate in the program. Youth were then randomized into the treatment or control group. Pre-test surveys were administered during the first week of the program and post-tests at program end. The instrument included demographic data, attitudes about teen pregnancy, and risk behaviors.  Completed surveys were scanned into an SPSS database using SNAP Professional Edition software from which data were converted for further analysis using STAT/Transfer 9.5. The statistical model used was the classic linear post-test with pre-test regressor model.

  Results:  Youth in the sample (treatment group N=323; control group N=187) were recruited from community-based neighborhood centers that were diverse: thirty percent reported Hispanic or Latino backgrounds, and 48% were African-American. Youth resided with at least one parent (88%) and 37% lived with both parents. At post-test there were few statistically significant differences between the treatment and control group on the main outcome variables which led to the further examination of “self-esteem” and the impact on outcomes. In this revised scale eight descriptive adjectives tap into youth’s feelings about themselves using a 5-point scale (1=not at all to 5 = all the time). Test, re-test correlations range from .71 to .91 in previous studies and indicate good stability for the Lipsitt Self-Concept Scale for Children. Pre-test, post-test group difference; however, were not found to be significant statistically in the youth sample. However, treatment group youth showed significant differences in the following attitudes: “that being sexually active makes it harder for youth to succeed academically (p<.05) and that their confidence was increased so that they could refuse sex in a relationship even if it means breaking up” (p<.10).

    Conclusions and Implications:  Positive youth development has been posited to help reduce problems associated with youth who experience severe disadvantage. The approach emphasizes resiliency and building strengths to improve life opportunities (Amodeo & Collins, 2007). Early intervention and community-based programs have the opportunity to change the trajectory for youth who want other choices. Social workers in social service agencies are increasingly implementing rigorous evaluation designs. There are often resource limitations to systematically develop health interventions for youth. Developing rigorous program evaluations will become increasing important to assure effective interventions for youth.