Impact of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in the Junior Secondary School Years: Objective Outcome Evaluation Based on Eight Waves of Longitudinal Data

Abstract

To assess the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S., a randomized group trial with eight waves of data collected was carried out. At the fifth year of data collection, 19 experimental schools (n = 2, 662 students) and 24 control schools (n = 3, 272 students) participated in the study. Analyses based on individual growth curve modeling showed that participants in the experimental schools displayed better positive youth development than did participants in the control schools in terms of different indicators derived from the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale, including moral competence and behavioral competence and cognitive behavioral competencies. Significant results were also found when examining the trajectories of psychological development among control and experimental participants who perceived the program to be beneficial. Findings based on longitudinal objective outcome evaluation strongly suggest that the Project P.A.T.H.S. is effective in promoting positive development in Hong Kong secondary school students.

Confucian virtues and Chinese adolescent development: a conceptual review

“…Various evaluative studies involving different stakehold ers have shown that the program is overwhelmingly suc cessful in reducing secondary school students' problem behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, Internet addiction, delinquent behaviors, etc.) and in improving their per formance on a wide range of positive youth develop ment indicators, including prosocial behavior, positive identity, moral competence, and bonding (48)(49)(50)(51). These findings provide sound evidence for the effectiveness of positive youth development approach in addressing youth issues and promoting holistic development in young people.…”

Using structural equation modeling to examine consumption of pornographic materials in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong

“…A step-by-step approach was adopted by using LISREL. Research indicates the importance of family functioning and positive youth development in influencing adolescent developmental outcomes [9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Built on the literature, this article attempts to demonstrate the longitudinal relationships among family functioning, positive youth development qualities, and consumption of pornography over time.…”

Application of SPSS linear mixed methods to adolescent development research: basic concepts and steps

“…Clearly, our study sheds light on the understanding of employing this advanced statistical technique in longitudinal research. Further applications of IGC using SPSS can be seen in other papers generated from this study [37,38]. The statistical technique plays an important role in the evaluation of positive youth development programs [39].…”