Peace, Purpose, and Positive Development among Liberian Early Adolescents

• In Event: 3-121 - Positive Youth Development (PYD) in Low Income Countries

Integrative Statement

From 1980 to 1997 and again from 1999 to 2003, the West African country of Liberia was engaged in brutal civil wars. These two vicious wars saw the country’s gross domestic product decline by 90%, its electrical grid devastated, and 95% of the country’s healthcare facilities destroyed (Economist, 2017; UN Human Development Report, 2006; World Bank Group, 2016). In short, the civil wars decimated Liberia’s critical institutions and infrastructure. The toll on its younger citizens was particularly high as both sides recruited child soldiers. More than 38,000 children and adolescents are estimated to have served as fighters, ammunition carriers, and sex slaves (Newsweek, 2013).
Slowly emerging from the devastation of the two civil wars, the country was poorly equipped to handle the Ebola outbreak, which struck Liberia in 2014 (CDC, 2014). It was described by the World Health Organization (2014) as “the most severe acute public health emergency seen in modern times.” About 20% of those killed by Ebola in the region were youth, and another nearly 20,000 children lost a parent or caregiver to the disease (UNICEF, 2016).
Liberian youth have encountered unparalleled hardships, and as developmental scientists, we have a responsibility to help (Sherrod, 2017). Although we have made great strides in understanding how to foster healthy development among young people living in relatively comfortable circumstances in Western industrialized nations, much is yet to be learned about supporting the healthy growth of youth from the rest of the world.
To begin to address this shortcoming, the current study featured an evaluation of a sport for development and peace program serving Liberian early adolescents (N= 181). Through survey research, the study sought to (1) determine if a sport for development and peace program effectively fostered social responsibility, close personal relationships, peace, and purpose among Liberian youth. Results suggest that by and large, it did. Surveys administered before and after the year-long intervention revealed significant decreases in attitudes towards violence and significant increases in purpose, social responsibility, and close relationships. Using interviews, this study (2) sought to explore how this program managed to increase these indicators of thriving. Two overarching themes emerged from these interviews. First, being a part of the program made the youth feel important and feeling like they mattered made them want to take better care of themselves and their futures. Second, the close relationships forged with adults (in most cases with the coaches who led the intervention) provided emotional and practical support that helped them thrive. Finally, (3) using a photojournalistic approach, this study sought to understand the experiences, conditions, and relationships that cultivated and impeded the positive development of the Liberian youth. Findings suggest youth see access to basic needs (e.g. clean drinking water, shelter, etc.) and a connection with a caring adult as critical to their well-being. Implications of these findings for promoting peace, purpose, and positive development among a broader and more diverse group of young people are addressed.

Authors

• Kendall Bronk, Claremont Graduate University
  Presenting Author

• Lindsey C. Blom, Ball State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• James McConchie, Claremont Graduate University
  Non-Presenting Author