IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/cysrev/v143y2022ics0190740922003206.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Empowerment-focused positive youth development programming for underprivileged youth in the Southern U.S.: A qualitative evaluation

Author

Listed:
  • Ruhr, Lindsay R.
  • Jordan Fowler, Lindsey

Abstract

Positive Youth Development (PYD) programs seek to empower youth to act as change agents in their communities and enhance life skills and developmental outcomes. While vast literature exists on PYD programming, few are specific to empowerment programming in the South. Ethnic minority youth in underprivileged areas are more prominent in the South and are more likely to attend out-of-school time programming. Compared to affluent, White youth, minorities are more likely to live in at-risk neighborhoods and have lower achievement levels and educational outcomes that negatively affect adulthood, limiting social mobility and the ability to participate in society. To reduce inequality in achievement outcomes and to increase societal participation of minorities, it is critical to provide empowerment programming that follows empirically supported criteria to underserved youth in the South. Empowerment programming has been shown to positively impact behavior, development, and community contribution. In this qualitative study, the authors explored whether the experiences, perceptions, and perceived benefits voiced by minority youth empowerment programming participants (ages 7–19) in a southern school district and their caregivers demonstrated evidence of the empirical concepts of PYD (the Five C’s and the Big Three) that purport to positively impact behavior, development, and community contribution. Focus group data was collected from youth that participated in one or more of three empowerment programs during 2017–2019 and from a caregiver of each youth. Thematic analysis revealed constant presence of PYD empirical concepts in programming. Of those concepts, competence and life skill development, part of the Five C’s of PYD, emerged as the two dominant themes in youth and caregiver data. Competence was broken into categories of social, emotional, behavioral, moral, and cognitive. Social competence was the highest regarded competence (43% of competence codes for youth; 71% for caregivers). Implications are discussed. Importantly, disadvantaged youth in this region can be empowered through out-of-school time empowerment programming by developing their life skills and deepening their social competence, thereby reducing the likelihood of negative outcomes and promoting societal participation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruhr, Lindsay R. & Jordan Fowler, Lindsey, 2022. "Empowerment-focused positive youth development programming for underprivileged youth in the Southern U.S.: A qualitative evaluation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:143:y:2022:i:c:s0190740922003206
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106684
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740922003206
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106684?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chao Fu & Shoya Ishimaru & John Kennan, 2024. "Government Expenditure on the Public Education System," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 65(1), pages 43-73, February.
    2. Lin, Jia Lu Lilian & Chan, Mary & Kwong, Kenny & Au, Loretta, 2018. "Promoting positive youth development for Asian American youth in a Teen Resource Center: Key components, outcomes, and lessons learned," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 413-423.
    3. Nedelko, Zlatko & PotoÄ an, Vojko & Zlatanović, Dejana, 2019. "Innovativeness in higher education organizations," Proceedings- 11th International Conference on Mangement, Enterprise and Benchmarking (MEB 2019),, Óbuda University, Keleti Faculty of Business and Management.
    4. Goodman, E. & Slap, G.B. & Huang, B., 2003. "The Public Health Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Adolescent Depression and Obesity," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(11), pages 1844-1850.
    5. World Bank Group & UNICEF, 2019. "Pre-Primary Education in South Sudan," World Bank Publications - Reports 32759, The World Bank Group.
    6. Jun Sung Kim & Bin Jiang & Chuhui Li & Hee-Seung Yang, 2019. "Returns to women’s education using optimal IV selection," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(8), pages 815-830, February.
    7. Almada F & Fernando C & Lopes H & Vicente A, 2019. "Health, Sport, Education and... The Rest," Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, Biomedical Research Network+, LLC, vol. 16(3), pages 12005-12006, March.
    8. Vincenzo Andrietti & Xuejuan Su, 2019. "Education curriculum and student achievement: theory and evidence," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 4-19, January.
    9. Richard F. Catalano & M. Lisa Berglund & Jean A. M. Ryan & Heather S. Lonczak & J. David Hawkins, 2004. "Positive Youth Development in the United States: Research Findings on Evaluations of Positive Youth Development Programs," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 591(1), pages 98-124, January.
    10. ., 2019. "Competition and education," Chapters, in: The Ethics of Competition, chapter 5, pages 124-136, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Irina Miruna RADU, 2020. "CBSD – A Suitable Solution for Building a Centralized Educational Library of Software," Informatica Economica, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 24(1), pages 75-86.
    2. Waheed Hammad & Wajeha Al-Ani, 2021. "Building Educational Research Capacity: Challenges and Opportunities From the Perspectives of Faculty Members at a National University in Oman," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.
    3. Jennifer Hanratty & Sarah Miller & Leonor Rodriguez & Paul Connolly & Jennifer Roberts & Seaneen Sloan & Aoibheann Brennan‐Wilson & Daragh Bradshaw & Christopher Coughlan & Nicole Gleghorne & Laura Du, 2023. "UPDATED PROTOCOL: Universal school‐based programmes for improving social and emotional outcomes in children aged 3–11 years: An evidence and gap map," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(3), September.
    4. Natalia Arias & María Dolores Calvo & José Alberto Benítez-Andrades & María José Álvarez & Beatriz Alonso-Cortés & Carmen Benavides, 2018. "Socioeconomic Status in Adolescents: A Study of Its Relationship with Overweight and Obesity and Influence on Social Network Configuration," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-17, September.
    5. Huebener, Mathias & Kuger, Susanne & Marcus, Jan, 2017. "Increased instruction hours and the widening gap in student performance," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 47, pages 15-34.
    6. Yanling Geng & Longtao He, 2022. "Gender Differences in Children’s Psychological Well-Being in Mainland China: Risk and Protective Factors," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 2743-2763, October.
    7. Setwin Mutau Mufalo & Gistered Muleya & Francis Simui, 2022. "Challenges associated with the Teaching of Civic Education in Social Studies Lessons in Schools in Masaiti district: A Hermeneutic Perspective," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 9(2), pages 01-08, February.
    8. Evans, Clare R. & Erickson, Natasha, 2019. "Intersectionality and depression in adolescence and early adulthood: A MAIHDA analysis of the national longitudinal study of adolescent to adult health, 1995–2008," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 1-11.
    9. Lu Yu & Mingyue Gu & Ko Ling Chan, 2023. "Hong Kong Adolescents’ Participation in Political Activities: Correlates of Violent Political Participation," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(3), pages 1365-1405, June.
    10. Cláudia Bulhões & Elisabete Ramos & Jutta Lindert & Sónia Dias & Henrique Barros, 2013. "Depressive Symptoms and Its Associated Factors in 13-Year-Old Urban Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-13, October.
    11. Mufalo Mutau Setwin & Sanny Mulubale & Gistered Muleya & Simui Francis, 2021. "Challenges faced by Combined Schools in Masaiti district which hinders the provision of Quality Education," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 5(3), pages 146-154, March.
    12. Strazzeri, Maurizio & Oggenfuss, Chantal & Wolter, Stefan C., 2022. "Much Ado about Nothing? School Curriculum Reforms and Students' Educational Trajectories," IZA Discussion Papers 15505, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Hui Zhai & Lu Chen & Yanjie Yang & Hailian Sun & Hui Pan & Jincai He & Xiongzhao Zhu & Hong Sui & Wenbo Wang & Xiaohui Qiu & Zhengxue Qiao & Xiuxian Yang & Jiarun Yang & Yunmiao Yu & Bo Ban & Changzhi, 2016. "Family and College Environmental Exposures Mediate the Relationship between Parental Education and Depression among College Students," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1-9, March.
    14. D. Mark Anderson & Resul Cesur & Erdal Tekin, 2015. "Youth Depression And Future Criminal Behavior," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 53(1), pages 294-317, January.
    15. Giampietri, Elisa & Bugin, Giuseppe & Trestini, Samuele, 2020. "Exploring the Interplay of Risk Attitude and Organic Food Consumption," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 11(03), September.
    16. Jinhee Lee & Tae Hui Kim & Seongho Min & Min-Hyuk Kim & Ki Chang Park & Jin Sil Moon & Joung-Sook Ahn, 2018. "Depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviours in adolescent non-daily smokers compared to daily smokers and never-smokers in Korea: National cross-sectional study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, November.
    17. Joana R. Casanova & Adrián Castro-López & Ana B. Bernardo & Leandro S. Almeida, 2023. "The Dropout of First-Year STEM Students: Is It Worth Looking beyond Academic Achievement?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-12, January.
    18. Charissa Samaniego & Peggy Lindner & Maryam A. Kazmi & Bobbie A. Dirr & Dejun Tony Kong & Evonzia Jeff-Eke & Christiane Spitzmueller, 2023. "Higher research productivity = more pay? Gender pay-for-productivity inequity across disciplines," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(2), pages 1395-1407, February.
    19. Xinli Chi & Xiaofeng Liu & Qiaomin Huang & Xiumin Cui & Li Lin, 2020. "The Relationship between Positive Youth Development and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Early Adolescents: A Three-Year Cross-Lagged Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-17, September.
    20. Benjamin Luke Moorhouse & Yuwei Wan, 2023. "Students’ Experiences of English-Medium Instruction at the Postgraduate Level: Challenges and Sustainable Support for Success," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:143:y:2022:i:c:s0190740922003206. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/childyouth .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.