Increasing protective factors in 'at-risk' youth through an after -school program that combines caring adults, physical activity and sports, and initiative building

Many youth are growing up amidst adversity (National Research Council, 2002) and risk factors such as poverty, violence, single-parent homes, and substance abuse (Anderson-Butcher, 2000; Hawkins, Catalano, & Miller, 1992). Poor economic and family circumstances prove challenging to the positive development of these youth (National Research Council, 2002). Thus, these youth have been labeled “at risk” (National Research Council, 2002). They face numerous challenges with few personal and economic resources to buffer them from the negative consequences of such circumstances (National Research Council, 2002; Quinn, 1998; Siedentop, 2001). However, some research indicates that as youth build protective factors, theses negative consequences are lessened (Blum et al., 2000; Fraser et al., 1999; Garmezy et al., 1984; Jessor et al., 1995; Lawson & Anderson-Butcher, 2001; Rutter, 1985; Werner & Smith, 1992). Still, the creation of programs aimed at developing protective factors in youth and empirical examination of programs' effectiveness is an understudied area (Catalano, Berglund, Ryan, Lonczak, & Hawkins, 1999; Hattie, Marsh, Neill, & Richards, 1997; Roth et al., 1998). This study examined an after-school program designed to increase protective factors in youth.;A quasi-experimental research design was coupled with qualitative observations and interviews in this study. An after-school sports program focusing on teaching the social skills cooperation and self-control was offered to 4th and 5th graders attending Deuce Elementary School, a low-performing school in the Rabat Public School District. Twelve students received the treatment (after-school physical activity program including the presence of caring adults and initiative building) 20 times over the course of 15 weeks. Eleven students self-selected into the control group that received no treatment. All 23 students were given The Social Skills Rating System, a self-report questionnaire assessing children's social skill behaviors two times throughout the study: before the after-school program began and immediately after the program ended. A MANCOVA was used to determine if the after-school program was successful in increasing the youths' social skills (cooperation and self-control). Additionally, observations and interviews were analyzed to determine whether the youths demonstrated any behavior changes. Finally, the qualitative data was also used to determine which components of the after-school program were effective in attracting and retaining the youths as well as bringing about the changes in behavior.;Quantitative results showed no significant differences in cooperation and self-control as a result of participation in the after-school program. Qualitative findings, however, demonstrated increases in cooperation and self-control throughout the treatment. Furthermore, these findings showed that a combination of caring adults and physical activity and sports attracted the youths to the program and were most effective in bringing about behavioral changes. Future research should be directed at enhancing one-on-one mentoring in youth sports programs.