Structure and deviancy training in after‐school programs

Abstract

Evidence regarding the effectiveness of after‐school programs (ASPs) for reducing problem behaviors is mixed. Unstructured ASPs may increase antisocial behavior by increasing “deviancy training” opportunities, when peers reinforce deviant attitudes and behaviors. This research analyses approximately 3000 five‐minute intervals from 398 observations of activities delivered as part of an ASP in five public middle schools. Analyses of peer and group leader responses to deviant behavior in the context of ASP activities indicated that while peer responses are generally reinforcing, group leaders typically do not respond to deviance. Multi‐level analyses of the association between activity structure and deviant behavior indicate that higher levels of structure in the activity as a whole decrease levels of violence and counternormative behavior. As the level of structure in five‐minute intervals within the activity increases, the level of violent behavior declines, but violent talk (e.g., threats to commit violence) increases. Implications for after‐school programming are discussed.

Preschool attendance and school-age profiles: A revision

“…Moreover, it may be necessary to explore the type and quality of pre-primary education available to today's children (Weisman et al, 2003). Another possible reason for the mixed results of preschool's impact is the existence of negative peer associations (Zief, Lauver, and Maynard, 2006) that may provide "deviance training" or may reinforce deviant attitudes and antisocial behavior (Rorie et al, 2010): our findings suggest that preschool impacts positively on stay-on rates, but precisely due to this greater stay-on rate, children may suffer a negative peer effect that would overcome the positive effect of pre-primary education. Our results could help to guide further research and public policy.…”

Prevalence and Psychosocial Correlates of After-School Activities among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong

“…A limitation of this study was the inability to measure differences in developmental outcomes as a function of nature of after-school activity. Previous research also shows that the relation of after-school activity involvement and problem behaviors varied by activity structure (36). Results indicated that a positive association between participating in unstructured and unsupervised activities and deviant behavior (19, 36, 37).…”

An Experimental Evaluation of the All Stars Prevention Curriculum in a Community After School Setting

“…Observers measured deviancy training by coding the frequency of deviant talk and behavior and attendant responses of peers and group leaders (on a spectrum ranging from encouraging to chastising). Rorie et al (2009) provide details on these observations, which were collected for each 5-min segment during 398 discrete activities. These observations, although too few to support a rigorous study of this topic, 10 allow us to comment on the extent to which deviancy training might have occurred more often in the context of the All Stars intervention and whether it was particularly pronounced in high-implementation sites.…”