Evaluation of Teens in Action: A Social and Emotional Learning Program in a Community Setting with a Service-Learning Component
Presented by: Enya Vroom, BA & Nicole Crawford, CPH, LCSWCommunity Partner: Frameworks of Tampa Bay, Inc.
Academic Mentors: Donna Burton, PhD &Tom Massey, PhD
Acknowledgements
Projectandpresentationmadepossiblethroughacollaborationbetween:• UniversityofSouthFloridaInstituteforTranslationalResearchin
AdolescentBehavioralHealth• UniversityofSouthFlorida,CollegeofPublicHealth• UniversityofSouthFlorida,CollegeofBehavioral&Community
Sciences• FrameworksofTampaBay,Inc.
Presentation Objectives
• Background• TeensinAction(TIA)• EvaluationQuestions• Methods• Results• Implications
Background on Social and Emotional Learning
• Definition– “Socialandemotionallearning(SEL)istheprocessthroughwhichchildrenandadultsacquireandeffectivelyapplytheknowledge,attitudes,andskillsnecessarytounderstandandmanageemotions,setandachievepositivegoals,feelandshowempathyforothers,establishandmaintainpositiverelationships,andmakeresponsibledecisions.”1,2
• BenefitsofSEL– Significantimprovementwithsocialandemotionalskills,behaviors,attitudes,andacademicperformance,aswellasreductionsinriskybehaviors.3
Theoretical Foundation
• ThetheoreticalfoundationofSELisrootedinmultipletheoriesincluding:4– SocialLearningTheory– HealthBeliefModel– TheoriesofBehaviorChange– ChildDevelopment– InformationProcessing– EcologicalSystems
Competency Domains/SEL Wheel
Risky Behaviors
• Backgroundonriskybehaviors(RBs)– Riskybehaviorscanbedefinedasabehaviorthatcaninvolveimmediaterewardfromtheperspectiveoftheindividual(e.g.,becominginebriated/high,orsexualsatisfaction)thatcanleadtonegativeorharmfulconsequences.6
Risky Behaviors Statistics
• The2015NationalSurveyonDrugUseandHealth(NSDUH)reportedthat1.2millionorabout1in20adolescentsages12-17hadsubstanceusedisordersintheU.S.7
• The2015YouthRiskBehaviorSurvey(YRBS)showedthat61.4%ofhighschoolstudentsthatdroveacar30dayspriortothesurveyreportedthattheyhaddrivenundertheinfluenceofalcoholoneormoretimes.8
Risky Behaviors Statistics
• Researchhasshownthatroughly21%ofadolescentsduringtheirmostrecentsexualexperiencehadbeenundertheinfluenceofsubstances.8,9
• TheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)estimatesthatroughly20millionnewSTIsoccureachyearintheUnitedStates,andhalfofthemoccurwithinadolescentsandyoungadultsages15-24.10
Teens In Action
• TheTeensinActionprogram(TIA)isacommunity-basedSELprogramwithaService-Learning(SL)componentworkingwithparticipantsthatarehighschoolaged.– Runsduringentireschoolyear– Monthlyworkshops– Largescaleservice-learningproject– Leadershipcomponent– Graduationceremony
Lack of Literature
• ThereislimitedliteratureonSELprogramsinacommunitysettingspecificallytargetinghighschoolagedparticipantsthatalsoincorporatesaSLcomponent.
• Todate,therehavebeenno“hostprograms”thathavemetthestandardofhaving3efficacioustrialsinregardstoSELinan“after-school”orcommunitysetting,letalonewithaSLcomponent.11(p.262)
Purpose
• ThepurposeofthequalitativeprocessevaluationoftheTeensInActionprogramwastoexploretheparticipantsexperienceswiththeprogram,howtheydefineRBsandTIA’sinfluenceonthem,andifanyprogrammodificationscouldbemade.
Evaluation Questions
1. WhataretheparticipantsinTeensinActionexperiencing?
2. Howdotheparticipantsdefineriskybehaviorsandhastheprogramaffectedtheirdecision-makingaroundriskybehaviors?
3. DotheexperiencesoftheparticipantsinTIAsuggestthepotentialformodificationsaimedatresponsibledecision-makingregardingriskybehaviors?
METHODS
Focus Groups
• Sixfocusgroupswereconductedwith2groupsofteenleadersand4groupswithnewandreturningparticipants(n=42).
• Samplequestionsincluded:Section1-• WhatdoyouthinktheTIAprogramconsistsof?
– Section2-• Whatcomestomindwhenyouheartheterm“riskybehavior”?• InwhatwayshastheTeensinActionprograminfluencedhowyoumakedecisionsabouttheriskybehaviors,forexampledrinkingalcoholorhavingunprotectedsex?
– Section3-• Whatelementsoractivitiescouldbeaddedtotheprogramtobetterprepareyouformakingdecisionsaboutriskybehaviors?
• WhatareyoursuggestionsfortheTIAprogramoverall?
Participant Demographics
n=42
RaceofParticipantsWhiteBlackOther
SexofParticipants
MaleFemaleNoSexListed
Data Analysis
• Aftercollectionofthedata:-Creationofcodebookandmajorthemesagreedupon bybothstudyteammembers
-Alltranscriptswerecodedindependentlybyeachstudyteammembertoensureinter-raterreliability(.77)
-MAXQDA(v.12.3)wasutilizedtoorganizeandfurtheranalyzeourresults
RESULTS
Results
• Majorthemes– Evaluationquestion1
• Participantexperiences–WS,BC,CD,SL• Socialandemotionalskillsgained• Service-learningexperiences
– Evaluationquestion2• Riskybehaviorsdefined• Perceptionsofsubstanceuseandriskysexualbehaviors• Perceptionsofconsequencesofriskybehaviors• TIAinfluenceonRBs
– Evaluationquestion3• DidTIApreparethem• Suggestionsforprogram
Participant Experiences
“YeahwhenIfirstjoinedit,Iliterallydidn’thaveanyideathatitwasgonna be
aboutemotionalbuildingandhowtosaynoandbeingopenandbuilding
characteristicsofleadership… Ithoughtitwasjuststrictly,yougetcommunity
servicehoursanditlooksgoodoncollegeapplications.ButnowI’velearnedso
much.”
Evaluationquestion1
• AbletodescribeexperiencesandconnectionstotheSLprojects• Engagedinbootcamp,workshopsandservice-learning• Understoodpremiseofsocialandemotionallearning
Social and Emotional Skills Gained
• Betterwaystocommunicate• Moreawareoftheirfeelingsandthefeelingsofothers• Self-confidence• Abletostepoutoftheircomfortzone
“I’veneverlikedsharingmyemotionswithpeople.Justbecause
I’maveryprivateperson.Butjustrealizingthatbeing
emotionaldoesn’tmakeyouweak,hasmademebemoreopen
tojusttalkingtopeopleaboutmyissuesandstufflikethat.”
Evaluationquestion1
Service-LearningExperiences
• Positivepersonalandsocialexperiences• Learningculturalcompetence• Positiverisksandstartrelationships• Openingeyestoothersexperiences
“IdoTeenCourtandthathelpsmeopenmyeyestoabunchofdifferent
people,likedifferentbackgroundsandpeoplewhomighthaveharderlives
thanme.Anditalsohelpsmeseewhatnottodosoyoudon’tendupin
thatposition.”
“Itteachesyoucommitmentbecausesometimesourprogramsarekindof
earlyinthemorningsandyou’relike,ohIdon’twanttogetupandgo.But
you’relike,no.They’redependingonme.Icommittedtothis,Ineedto
sticktoit.”
Evaluationquestion1
Risky Behaviors Defined
• Abletodefineriskybehaviors
“Behaviorthatcouldputyouinabadpositionwhereyoumighthavetomakeabaddecision,likedrinkingordrugs.”
“I’dsaydrugs,or… drivingundertheinfluence.”
“Sexualactivityifyou’renotpreparedforit.”
“Unprotectedsex.”
Evaluationquestion2
Perceptions of Substance Use and Risky Sexual Behaviors
• Understandingthatsubstancesandtheirusecouldleadtoaddiction• “Invincibilityclause”• Understandingofnegativeconsequencesfromunsafesexandthatit
isataboosubjectthatisnotoftendiscussed
“Ithinkifyou’reinvolvedintheseactivitiesordoitregularly,itcanlead
youupforyourlifeandthenyoucangetaddictedtoitasyougetolder.”
“Andalsopeoplehavethementalitythatpeoplegettingpregnantisnever
goingtohappentothem.”
“YeahIthinkalotofkidshaveunprotectedsexornotevenunprotected,
justun-responsible.AndthatleadstoSTDsandstuff.”
Evaluationquestion2
Commonality of SU and RSB
• Unexpectedfinding• ParticipantsfrequentlymentionedhowcommonSUandRSB
isamongtheirpeersandteensingeneral,especiallySU.
“It’snotashockwhenyouhear(crosstalk:“yeah”)someonewassmokinginthebathroomatschool.”
“It’s[riskybehaviors]becominganormalthing.Ifyouhearaboutit,it’snotweird.”
“It’shardtorealizehowcommonit[druguse]is.AndgoingintohighschoolIwaskindofshockedathowmanypeopleIknowthat,arereallyintothatstuffandhowdetrimentalitcanbetothem.”
Evaluationquestion2
Perceptions of Consequences of Risky Behaviors
• Understandingthatengaginginriskybehaviorscouldhavenegativeconsequencesontheirfuture,likeharmtoselforothers,unplannedpregnancy,orincarceration
“You’renotnecessarilythinkingaboutyourfuturewhenyou’reunderthe
influence,you’renotreallyawareofeverythingthat’sgoingonandaware
ofwhatcouldhappenifyoudogetpregnant.”
“…theydon’tthinkaboutthefutureperse.…theyjustkindofthinkabout
what’sgoingonrightnowanddon’tthinkhowitcouldimpactthemor
othersinthefuture.”
Evaluationquestion2
TIA Influence on RBs
• Perceptionsofconsequencesofriskybehaviors• Abilitytothinkthingsthrough• Choosingtherightpeople• Knowingtheirvalues
“Withalltheskillswelearnithelpsusthinkthingsthrough.Soifwe’representedwithasituationratherthanmakingadecision,justbasedontheirrelevantfacts,wereallythinkthroughwhat’sgoingtohappenandwecan,weseethebigger
picture.”
“That’sanotherthingaboutTeensinAction,itsgivesyouaplacewhereyoucanjusttalkandyoudon’tfeelpressuredto,thatyou’regonna saythewrongthing.Thisisacompletelyopendiscussiontypethingaboutanytopicifyouneedhelp
withit.”
Evaluationquestion2
Elements and Activities to Add
• Participantshadgoodawarenessofwhattheylikedanddislikedabouttheimplementationoftheprogramandtheprogramoverall.
• Suggestionsformodifications– Smallergroups=moreinteraction– Additionalworkshops/discussionaboutriskybehaviorsledbyteenleadersor
youngguestspeaker
“Ifeelsometimeswetalkaboutthings… thatwewouldn’treallybeabletousetheminourlife.Whenwe’rethereintheworkshop,it’slike,ohyeahI’llusethisallthetime.Butinrealitywewouldn’t.”
“Butifeitherahighschooleroracollegestudentcameandiftheyhadanexperiencewithariskybehaviorthattheyjoinedin,andthentheyhada
negativeconsequence.Andtheycouldtalkabouthowtheygotintoitandhowithappenedandwhattheylearnedfromit.”
Evaluationquestion3
Comparison between Teen Leaders and New and Returning Students
TeenLeaders• Deeperlevelofengagement• Hadcomplaintsthatweremetwith
solutions• MorelikelytoagreethatTIA
preparedthem
New&ReturningStudents• Hadmoregeneralcomplaints
andfewersolutions• LesslikelytoagreethatTIA
preparedthem,thoughttheskillslearneddidnotrelate
SimilaritiesAllparticipantswereabletodescribetheprogramcomponentsincluding:Bootcamp,workshops,competencydomains,andtheideathatTIAissomuchmorethanjustacommunityserviceprogram.
Implementation
• Appropriate&relevantforthisagegroup?– Yes,butmorerealisticexamplesneeded
• Home-grownprogram
Implications for Adolescent Behavioral Health
• Evaluationquestions– 1.WhatareparticipantsinTIAexperiencing?– 2.HowdotheparticipantsinTIAdefineriskybehaviorsandhastheprogram
affectedtheirresponsibledecision-makingaroundriskybehaviors?– 3.DotheexperiencesoftheparticipantsinvolvedinTIAsuggestthe
potentialformodificationsaimedatresponsibledecision-makingregardingriskybehaviors?
• Futureresearch
The Impact on Us
“Ithinkalsoifinthecommunityservicepart,eventhoughwe
arealsogettingtheotherbenefitsofsocialandemotional
learning,Ithinkwhenwedoleavetheprogramithastaughtus
howtobemoreinvolvedinthecommunity.Sothatwhenwe
don’thaveaprojectoranorganizationlikeTeensinActionto
helpusgetthoseopportunitiestogetintheenvironment,I
knowhowtogooutandgettheopportunitiesmoreformyself
now.”
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