The impact of after‐school programs on the routine activities of middle‐school students: Results from a randomized, controlled trial*

Cross, Amanda Brown; Gottfredson, Denise C.; Wilson, Denise; Rorie, Melissa; Connell, Nadine M.

doi:10.1111/j.1745-9133.2009.00555.x

Cited by 32 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In all four randomised trials 78,90,98,112 and three non-randomised trials, 86,93,95 comparison groups did not receive alternative programming, although control group participants in All Stars 90 were offered monthly 'fun' activities with generally low uptake. Control groups for evaluations of Stay SMART, 111 YPDP 112 and the PYDC 79 were recruited from similar settings and programmes, which generally involved some baseline level of intervention, which did not offer the additional PYD component.…”

Section: Evaluation Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of the 10 included studies, four 77,78,90,98 were RCTs. Five studies 79,86,95,111,112 were prospective studies with non-random matched control groups.…”

Section: Evaluation Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[90][91][92] This was delivered over the course of one academic year to students in Baltimore public schools using staff from a government agency charged with management and delivery of local parks and recreation programmes. Staff were trained in the delivery of general ASP activities as well as in the All Stars 90 appeared to be primarily oriented towards teaching participants skills and normative beliefs for the avoidance of substance use, some components promoted positive assets by encouraging participants to develop links with community groups, which was consistent with the programme's goals and aimed to improve students' communication with their families. The core of the theory of change of the prevention curriculum was that change in beliefs and commitment to abstain from substance use, as well as school bonding, improved family communication and improved decision-making and goal-setting skills, would reduce the risk of substance-use and conduct problems.…”

Section: Included Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cross et al 90 Gottfredson et al 92 Gottfredson et al Bloom et al 106 Schwartz et al 77 Millenky et al 107 Millenky et al 108 Millenky et al…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They did this by using an external survey contractor. Each of the other three randomised trials 77,78,90 did not report sufficient information to judge risk of bias on allocation concealment.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

The effects of Positive Youth Development interventions on substance use, violence and inequalities: systematic review of theories of change, processes and outcomes

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundPositive Youth Development (PYD) delivered outside school aims to enable young people to develop positive assets such as relationships and confidence, rather than to merely address risk. Existing reviews of PYD effects on substance use or violence are old and unsystematic.ObjectivesTo systematically review evidence to answer the following questions: what theories of change inform PYD interventions addressing substance use and violence? What characteristics of participants and contexts are identified as barriers to and facilitators of implementation and receipt in process evaluations of PYD? What is the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of PYD in reducing substance use and violence? What characteristics of participants and contexts appear to moderate, or are necessary and sufficient for, PYD effectiveness?Data sourcesA total of 21 bibliographic databases; 35 websites and contacting authors.Review methodsWe included reports published in English since 1985 and reporting on theories of change, as well as process, outcome and economic evaluations of PYD targeting 11- to 18-year-olds and addressing substance use or violence. References were screened on title/abstract and, where appropriate, on full report. Data extraction and quality assessment used Critical Appraisal Skills Programme, Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre and Cochrane tools. Theories of change and process evaluations were qualitatively metasynthesised. Outcome evaluations were synthesised narratively and meta-analytically.Results32,394 unique references were identified and 48 were included. A total of 16 reports described theories, 13 (10 studies) evaluated processes and 25 (10 studies) evaluated outcomes.Theories of changePYD interventions aim to offer opportunities for young people to develop positive ‘assets’ such as skills and confidence. These are theorised to promote and be promoted by young people’s ‘intentional self-regulation’, which involves reflecting on behaviour; determining goals; using existing resources to pursue these; and redirecting effort when thwarted. This enables ‘developmental regulation’, namely individuals capitalising on other opportunities to promote personal development. Positive assets thus accrued reduce health risks by reducing the impact on individuals of environmental risk or by ameliorating the impact of such risks. The literature offers limited insights beyond these general ideas.Process evaluationsCommunity engagement ensured that programmes were accessible and appealing. Staff capacity and continuity were crucial factors but often challenging when programmes could not offer full-time jobs. Tensions arose between a desire to empower participants to choose activities and a requirement for them to undertake a breadth of activities.Outcome evaluationsMeta-analyses of all combined outcomes and of short-term alcohol use, illicit drug use and smoking found no significant effects. There were small, statistically significant, short-term effects for an omnibus measure of substance use and for violence. We could not undertake metaregression to assess sociodemographic moderators but narrative synthesis suggested no clear pattern of effects by sex. We found no economic evaluations.LimitationsInsufficient studies precluded qualitative comparative analyses.ConclusionsHow PYD might promote health is currently undertheorised. Implementation can be challenging. We found little evidence that current PYD interventions delivered outside school reduce substance use or violence. However, these may not constitute a test of the effectiveness of the PYD model, as some included interventions that, although meeting our inclusion criteria, were not exemplars of PYD.Future workFurther evaluations should assess interventions employing PYD theory of change.Study registrationThis study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42013005439.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme.

show abstract

Section: Evaluation Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of the 10 included studies, four 77,78,90,98 were RCTs. Five studies 79,86,95,111,112 were prospective studies with non-random matched control groups.…”

Section: Evaluation Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Included Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cross et al 90 Gottfredson et al 92 Gottfredson et al Bloom et al 106 Schwartz et al 77 Millenky et al 107 Millenky et al 108 Millenky et al…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The effects of Positive Youth Development interventions on substance use, violence and inequalities: systematic review of theories of change, processes and outcomes

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Program Evaluation

Barnes¹

2014

The Encyclopedia of Theoretical Criminology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Over the course of its history, the criminal justice system has experienced a series of large‐scale ideological shifts that have resulted in drastic changes to administrative practices at all levels. The current administration has emphasized an approach referred to as “evidence‐based criminal justice practices” with the goal of infusing the scientific method into the process of policy/program evaluation. As a result, it has become increasingly important for policy makers, as well as the public in general, to familiarize themselves with the process of evidence generation via the scientific method. This entry unfolds in two parts. First, an introduction to the scientific method is offered by outlining some of the basic elements and concepts germane to science, evidence, and the process of hypothesis testing. Second, several notable studies that have utilized the scientific method to test hypotheses regarding the efficacy of certain criminal justice policies will be reviewed. This latter section will address the process of program evaluation by offering a glimpse into several policies/programs that have emerged as beneficial or, at a minimum, appear promising.

show abstract

Not Just a Walk in the Park: Efficacy to Effectiveness for After School Programs in Communities of Concentrated Urban Poverty

Frazier

Mehta

Atkins

et al. 2012

Adm Policy Ment Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study examined a model for mental health consultation, training and support designed to enhance the benefits of publicly-funded recreational after-school programs in communities of concentrated urban poverty for children's academic, social, and behavioral functioning. We assessed children's mental health needs and examined the feasibility and impact of intervention on program quality and children's psychosocial outcomes in three after-school sites (n = 15 staff, 89 children), compared to three demographically-matched sites that received no intervention (n = 12 staff, 38 children). Findings revealed high staff satisfaction and feasibility of intervention, and modest improvements in observed program quality and staff-reported children's outcomes. Data are considered with a public health lens of mental health promotion for children in urban poverty.

show abstract

The impact of after‐school programs on the routine activities of middle‐school students: Results from a randomized, controlled trial*

Cited by 32 publications

References 24 publications

The effects of Positive Youth Development interventions on substance use, violence and inequalities: systematic review of theories of change, processes and outcomes

The effects of Positive Youth Development interventions on substance use, violence and inequalities: systematic review of theories of change, processes and outcomes

Program Evaluation

Not Just a Walk in the Park: Efficacy to Effectiveness for After School Programs in Communities of Concentrated Urban Poverty

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About