Qualitative Evaluation of the Project P.A.T.H.S.: An Integration of Findings Based on Program Implementers

The Scientific World JOURNAL

2010

A total of 196 schools participated in the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 2 curriculum) of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) in Hong Kong. After the completion of the program, 1,178 instructors completed a subjective outcome evaluation form in order to assess their views of the program, instructors, and perceived effectiveness of the program. Results showed that high proportions of the instructors had positive perceptions of the program (range: 76.79–93.69%) and their own performance (range: 83.20–98.60%), and most of the respondents (range: 78.45–92.43%) regarded the program as helpful to the program participants. While the ratings in some items in the present findings were relatively better than those in the Experimental Implementation Phase, they were similar to those based on the Secondary 1 curriculum. Consistent with previous studies, the ratings on the program, instructors, and perceived effectiveness were significantly correlated.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Subjective Outcome Evaluation of the Project P.A.T.H.S: Descriptive Profiles and Correlates

The Scientific World JOURNAL

2010

“…Shek 2016 found that students generally held positive views of program instructors, content, and overall effectiveness. In addition, program implementers (teachers and school social workers) also perceived the PYD programs to be beneficial to adolescent positive development (Shek 2012;Shek and Ma 2012b). Taken as a whole, the findings in the present study suggest that community-based project in Hong Kong is effective in promoting students' PYD qualities, including a range of psychosocial competences which can promote adolescents' mental health.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 50%

“…Shek (2016) found that students generally held positive views of program instructors, content, and overall effectiveness. In addition, program implementers (teachers and school social workers) also perceived the PYD programs to be beneficial to adolescent positive development (Shek 2012;Shek and Ma 2012b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the Participants in a Community-Based Positive Youth Development Program in Hong Kong: Objective Outcome Evaluation Using a One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design

M.S.

Applied Research Quality Life

Chen

2018

Self Cite

Project BP.A.T.H.S.^has been shown to be effective in promoting positive development outcomes among Chinese adolescents in the school context. However, little is known whether the benefits can also be found in other settings. The purposes of the study was to investigate the changes in psychosocial outcomes among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents after participating in a community-based positive youth development (PYD) program. Using a one-group pretest-posttest design, junior high school students (N = 17,544) were invited to join the universal prevention program (the Tier 1 Program) and/or the selective prevention program (the Tier 2 Program). 10,807 students whose pre-and post-test data were successfully matched. The students responded to validated outcome measures assessing PYD outcomes, life satisfaction and thriving at pretest and posttest. Consistent with the hypotheses, students showed positive change on different developmental outcomes after joining the program. Amongst the different programs, students in the Tier 2 Program had significant improvement in all developmental outcome indicators. While limitations of the one-group pretest-posttest design and the alternative explanations are duly acknowledged, the present study suggests that the community-based Project P.A.T.H.S. is a promising approach to promote positive youth development, life satisfaction and thriving of adolescents, a conclusion which is consistent with the existing evaluation findings of the project. Building from previous school-based research, the present study extends the literature by showing the effectiveness of a positive youth prevention program in a community context. Limitations of the study design (e.g., an absence of a control group) are discussed.Applied Research Quality Life

“…As positive youth development programs such as the Project P.A.T.H.S. can promote adolescent development and reduce adolescent risk behavior [45–49], it would be exciting to see whether such programs can reduce adolescent pornographic behavior. Furthermore, as pointed out by Hald [13], “future research (should) focus on these situational, interpersonal, interpersonal, and behavioral characteristics of pornography consumption in addition to actual prevalence rates of consumption in different cultures” (p. 584).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consumption of Pornographic Materials among Hong Kong Early Adolescents: A Replication

The Scientific World Journal

M.S.

2012

Self Cite

Consumption of pornographic materials was examined in 3,638 secondary 2 students in Hong Kong. Results showed that over 80% of the respondents had never consumed pornographic materials in the past year. Internet pornography was the most common medium that adolescents used when viewing pornographic materials. Males reported a higher level of pornography consumption than did females. Participants who were born in mainland China were more likely to consume pornographic materials than their Hong Kong counterparts. Regardless of the types of pornographic materials, the levels of pornography consumption significantly increased over time. Results also showed that higher levels of positive youth development and better family functioning were concurrently related to a lower level of pornography consumption at secondary 2. The relative contribution of positive youth development and family factors to pornographic material consumption was also explored.