Transcript Targeting risk and protective factors of youth

Targeting risk and protective
factors of youth participating
in Red Cross Leadership
Development
Sandra Owen
Georgia State University
Leisle Mims
American Red Cross
Purpose
• Identify risk behaviors and protective
factors of students attending Red Cross
Youth Leadership training;
• Target workshop activities to risk
behaviors identified through the
administration of the Developmental Asset
Survey (Search Institute); and
• Demonstrate a decrease in risk behaviors
and an increase in protective factors
Questions
• What are the most frequent protective
factors?
• What are the most
frequent risk factors?
• How do Metro Atlanta
Red Cross Youth compare
to the national youth
sample?
• How did targeted
activities change risk and
protective factors?
Significance
Risk behaviors decrease as Assets increase
70
60
50
40
Alcohol Use
Drug Use
Sexual Activity
Violence
30
20
10
0
0-10 Assets
11-20
Assets
21-30
Assets
31-40
Assets
Forty Developmental Assets
• External:
Support, Empowerment, Boundaries,
Expectations, Constructive Use of Time
• Internal:
Commitment to Learn, Positive Values,
Social Competencies, Positive Identity
Eight Thriving Indicators
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
School Success
Informal helping
Valuing diversity
Maintaining good health
Exhibiting leadership
Resisting danger
Impulse control
Overcoming adversity
Methods
• Surveyed 175 high school students registered
to attend the Red Cross Leadership training
(pre test administered in January, 2001)
• Workshop content, skill building activities, and
community service project targeted from pre
test results (training in June,2001)
• Resurveyed initial 175 students
through youth councils
(post test administered in
December, 2001)
Pre Test Findings
• Sample Description:
Gender
67% female 33% male
Ethnicity
63% African American
18% Caucasian
9% Asian
5% Hispanic
5% Multiracial
• Number of Developmental Assets
Red Cross Youth
24
National Sample
18
Risk Behaviors to Target
Pretest Findings
• External
Community values youth
Quality family communication
Positive adult role model(s)
Caring neighborhood
• Internal
Planning ahead, making decisions
Resolving conflict peacefully
Resist peer pressure
31%
34%
35%
38%
44%
49%
54%
Youth at Risk (Pretest)
Thirty-two percent (32%) of
the sample was identified at
high risk (vulnerable for all
four risk behaviors).
100
90
80
Of that 32%,
96% likely to
83% likely to
61% likely to
54% likely to
sex
70
be violent
use alcohol
use drugs
have unsafe
60
50
pre te st
40
30
20
10
0
vi ol e n ce
dru gs
Protective Factors (Pre test)
•
•
•
•
Achievement motivation
Integrity (acts on commitment)
Positive view of personal future
Honesty
84%
83%
83%
75%
Comparison of Asset Levels
60
50
40
30
pre
post
20
10
0
0-10
Assets
11-20
Assets
21-30
Assets
31-40
Assets
Conclusion
Red Cross was successful in decreasing risk
behaviors and increasing protective factors in a
high school group attending targeted workshop
content, skill building sessions and community
service project.
This model is currently being
shared with other Red Cross
chapters across the country.