Poster #102 - Using Family-Based Prevention to Promote Character and Confidence Among African American Youth

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Family Context & Processes

Integrative Statement

In recent years, character development has emerged as both an important goal of youth-oriented programming and an area of interest for developmental researchers (Smith et al., 2017). Caring, connection, competence, confidence, and character, frequently referred to as the 5 C’s of positive youth development, are major constructs in studies of positive youth development, and have been identified as important variables to target in programs designed targeting positive youth development (Masten, 2014; Murry et al. 2014). Efforts to test the efficacy of preventive intervention programs to promote positive youth development have been largely conducted in school-based settings. In addition, such programs are often offered during out-of-school-time and tend to exclude youth of color (Ettekal, Callina, & Lerner, 2015; Ferris et al., 2015). Further, while the importance of parental influence on youth development has been well-established, we know of no study, to-date, that has tested the efficacy of a family-based program in promoting character development and sense of confidence among youth.

The current study is aims to address these gaps by testing the efficacy of a family-based program, Pathways for African American Success (PAAS), designed to reduce risk engaging behaviors among African American youth through the enhancement of supportive, involved parenting and youth intrapersonal protective processes. PAAS is a 3-arm RCT (technology format, small group format, and literature control) randomized control trial) conducted with 414 sixth graders and their primary caregivers. We tested the hypotheses that the technology-based and group-based formats of PAAS would lead to improvements in intervention targeted outcomes, and in turn foster increases in youth reports of both character development and confidence, and that the technology condition would perform at least as well as the group condition. Analyses on three waves of data, pretest, posttest and 18-month long-term follow-up offered support for our proposed hypotheses. Preliminary results demonstrated the program’s efficacy in fostering both character development and confidence in rural African American youth, with noticeable changes in those assigned to the technology and group arms of the trial, compared to those in the minimal control condition. Additional analyses will examine the specific pathways through which social support forecasts character development and confidence as youth transition from middle childhood to adolescence. This work may hold promise for expanding the research agenda on ways to address positive youth development among African American youth through family strength-based programs.

Authors

• Marlena L. Debreaux, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College
  Presenting Author

• Misha N. Inniss-Thompson, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jonathan Williford, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Velma McBride Murry, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author