Participatory action research (PAR) with children and youth: An integrative review of methodology and PAR outcomes for participants,organizations, and communities

Due to an increasing emphasis on children's rights, children's participation in studies about social issues has become a trend. The research community has been liberally utilizing the concept of participatory action research (PAR). Thus, oversimplification of children's involvement and misinterpretation of their voices has become a concern for many scholars. This review is an attempt to support the critical conversation about PAR, especially in regard to (1) its methodological features, as well as (2) outcomes of genuine children's participation in PAR for children and youth themselves, social service organizations, and communities. Forty-five articles were selected and coded for analysis in accordance with integrative review methodology. PAR with children and youth showed evidence of positive outcomes for children, organizations, and communities. However, PAR with children and youth still faces the challenges of involving very young participants, providing meaningful participation opportunities and addressing power differences between children and adults in diverse cultural contexts. Discussion of methodological challenges and review of critical outcomes of the PAR approach is provided.     

Civic and Political Participation of Children and Adolescents: A Lifestyle Analysis for Positive Youth Developmental Programs

Social participation plays a key role in predicting positive youth development (PYD). As a previous step of this link, this research examined how children and adolescents' relational lifestyles influenced their participation in political and civic activities. This research provides a multi‐dimensional approach to the study of children's social participation, based on six children's lifestyles factors (i.e. family dialogue, risky behaviours, cultural activities, civic values, family supervision and peer group relationships). Using data from an international survey that included 6130 participants (2198 Spanish, 3932 Italian, Mage = 13.8), this study's results show that relational lifestyles (especially family dialogue and out‐of‐school cultural activities) are positively related to political and civic participation among children and adolescents. On the contrary, some peer group relationships decreased their social participation in those key dimensions for PYD. Limitations of the current study, implications for future policy decisions and applications to children social programs are discussed.     

Using Concept Mapping to Promote Community Building: The African American Initiative at Roseland

ABSTRACT

While many organizations recognize the value of community building, they often encounter difficulty in actualizing projects and developing tangible results. This article presents how a planning and evaluation method known as concept mapping was used to drive a community building effort by a large not-for-profit organization in Chicago around the issue of at-risk African American male youth. This work grew out of a grant related to the needs of African American families, called the African American Initiative, which was funded by the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. The article describes the first phase of the African American Initiative at Roseland, and lessons learned. Primarily, this study was able to generate a conceptual framework of problems facing African American male youth, which was used to revise previously defined outcomes and also create new ones. In addition, use of concept mapping to drive community building generated reflection on intended and unintended benefits. At the same time, challenges around this approach demonstrate the need for continued research.     

Students in distress: Unanticipated findings in a cyber bullying study

This article discusses the use of quantitative measures to foster the agency and capabilities of children and youth research participants, and facilitate opportunities for students to receive social services. Based on unanticipated findings of a cyber bullying study among students in grades 4, 7 and 10, we discuss how quantitative measures identified youth “in distress” and allowed opportunities for students to obtain resources that would be helpful. Data indicate that students were able to express their agency by navigating the quantitative phase of the research process in ways that met their needs. These findings suggest that quantitative methods should be included among a range of research methodologies that can promote children and youth's agency and unique voices; meaningfully engage children and youth; and offer benefits to youth participants.     

Self-work and social change: disindividualised participation amongst young Australian Buddhist practitioners

Recent work on youth participation has mobilised a ‘DIY’ or ‘individualised’ framework to explain the nature of contemporary participation, particularly amongst minoritised religious youth. This paper examines this conceptual framework in light of concurrent claims that contemporary participation can be better conceptualised using a ‘doing it with others’ (DIWO) approach, which emphasises the collaborative nature of participation. In light of these claims, I analyse the participation experiences of 22 young adult Buddhist practitioners who are located within a neo-liberal Australian context, yet simultaneously have access to religious teachings and practices which challenge distinct notions of selfhood. This paper shows that both ‘DIY’ and ‘DIWO’ conceptions of participation find expression in the participation experiences of participants from the study, and that both DIY and DIWO approaches can additionally be seen as mutually reinforcing rather than distinctly contrasting. I propose a new concept of ‘disindividualisation’, suggesting that Maffesoli's concept of ‘disindividuation’ and Elias's work linking psychological development and social change should be considered in conjunction with an individualised or DIY perspective on youth participation to denote this kind of participatory work.     

Protective Factors of Family Life for Immigrant Youth

The purpose of the study was to identify the positive aspects and strengths experienced by newcomer youth within their home environments. Youth between the ages of 15 and 18 years old who immigrated within the previous 2 years and were living in a medium-sized Canadian city were interviewed. Group interviews were conducted with participants at a local community centre. Analysis of the data was completed using concept mapping (Trochim, 1989) which included multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. Similar to the literature, results indicated that newcomer youth felt secure and experienced positive familial connections. Youth viewed their families as a source of support, while also acknowledging their need for autonomy. Differences between study results and the literature were found in relation to family rules and integration with Canadian culture. Implications of the findings are discussed within a counseling framework for mental health practitioners to better understand the protective resources of resilience available to newcomer youth.     

Creating neighborhood recreational space for youth and children in the urban environment: Play(ing in the) Streets in San Francisco

In 2013, San Francisco was one of eight sites funded by Partnership for a Healthier America to implement Play Streets, a smaller-scale Open Streets-type initiative, aimed at increasing physical activity (PA) among children and youth by closing neighborhood streets for recreational activities. This paper evaluates the pilot Play Streets events held in summer of 2013 in San Francisco with a focus on examining the characteristics of users of such events, the impact on youth and children's physical activities, use of open space and level of community engagement. The study uses survey data, observational data, existing secondary data as well as GIS mapping to measure the space created by Play Streets. Demographic characteristics, levels/types of PA and level of community engagement for a sample of 1364 participants were examined. Engagement in vigorous PA increased three-fold (11.5% to 35%) during PS and 93.3% of participants agreed that “PS strengthens our community.” Open space for PA and recreation added through Play Streets ranged from 47%–100% of available space depending on the site. Play Streets offers a significant opportunity for neighborhoods and small communities to implement a health-benefiting recreational event for its youth and families. However, specific programming is an important key to the success of Play Streets implementation and for attracting the targeted participants.     

An application of theory-driven evaluation to a drop-in youth center

This article reports on the theory-driven evaluation of a drop-in center for youth that incorporated a literature search, concept mapping with staff, and focus groups with youth. Findings revealed strong agreement among the three sources of data around specific elements identified as critical components of a program theory of global prevention in after-school-hours initiatives, such as drop-in centers. These results are used to illustrate how a theory-driven approach was relevant for the context and objectives of this evaluation, as well as how it was used to develop knowledge useful for action, social intervention theory, and further research.     

A narrative inquiry into familial and school curriculum making: attending to multiple worlds of Aboriginal youth and families

In this paper we draw upon a narrative inquiry alongside urban Aboriginal youth and their families in western Canada; the overall goal of our inquiry was to understand their educational and schooling experiences. Shifting our focus from schools as the only place where curriculum is made, we draw on the conceptualization of children, youth, and families as also engaged as curriculum makers in homes and in communities and in the in-between places of homes and schools. In this paper we explore the multiple curriculum-making worlds of Lane and Donovan, two Aboriginal youth. As part of understanding the multiple worlds and relationships between, and intersections of, multiple worlds, we draw on Lugones' concept of world traveling. We contemplate the importance of understanding lives over time, in geographic places, and social contexts. We wonder how the worlds youth inhabit are shaped by institutional, social, political, and institutional stories, and how these larger narratives shape the ways in which we attend to the lives of youth.     

And then the internet happened: Thoughts on the future of concept mapping

Over 25 years ago, in the late twentieth century, concept mapping emerged as a mixed method approach to inquiry that enables a group of people to conceptualize their thinking about a specific topic. Since then, the application of concept mapping has spread widely and an easy prediction for the future is that this trend is likely to continue; a more important and greater challenge is to think about the ways in which concept mapping may and should evolve. Discussed here are thoughts about the future of concept mapping including some predictions of likely directions and suggestions for new possibilities. Thoughts on the future are grounded in concept mapping applications that have emerged and gained ground in recent years; these include exploring wicked problems in communities and integrating concept mapping with other methods of inquiry. Thoughts on the future are also grounded in the social and cultural milieu in which we find ourselves at this time. The influence of social media and internet technologies has led to the emergence peer production and crowdsourcing as approaches to co-create information, knowledge, products and services. These tactics may create fertile ground for the further spread of concept mapping. This same collaborative milieu has produced the open software movement which in turn, offers opportunities to enhancing the methodology of concept mapping.     

Co-production dynamics and time dollar programs in community-based child welfare initiatives for hard-to-serve youth and families

Hard-to-serve youth and families residing in high-poverty communities often have multiple, interlocking needs. These needs necessitate complex service models. The complex model described in this article combines a unique approach to wraparound services with a coproduction framework and related theories. The model aims to improve outcomes for vulnerable youth and their families, simultaneously strengthening communities by employing residents and engaging participants in community service. Examples derived from current pilot projects illustrate co-production's importance for other child welfare initiatives.     

Medicine and Social Work: An Exploration in Interprofessionalism,Edited by Helen Rehr. Neal Watson Academic Publications,New York, 1974. $3.95 Paper

This article presents the results of focus groups conducted with participants following the completion of a Child Welfare Practice Certificate Program. Concept mapping was used as the guiding research method for the data collection and analysis. Social work students and child welfare workers generated statements during the focus group session that were then sorted into conceptual piles. Participants then rated the statements as to their importance and practicality and their interest in learning about them. Results revealed that the concept Reporting, Assessment, and Case Planning in the Real World was rated highest in all three categories. Recommendations are provided regarding infusing a child welfare curriculum into social work programs, and the authors discuss how concept mapping can be used in evaluation research.     

The Effects of Family Structure on Consumption and Exercise Patterns for Adolescent Youth

With over 22 million children considered overweight or obese, research needs to examine factors related to overweightness and obesity. Parents seem to have an influence on their children’s eating behaviors such as taste likes and dislikes and quality and quantity of food. Parents also seem to influence their children’s physical activity levels. A link between physical activity level and obesity exists, indicating that less active children have an increased risk for high BMIs, with children from single parent families having higher than normal BMIs compared to children from two-parent families. The purpose of this study is to examine whether family structure influences eating and exercise patterns of adolescent youth. The current study employed a secondary data analysis utilizing data from the HBSC (N = 6733). According to the data, participants engaged in approximately 3.76 healthy consumption behaviors per week and moderate levels of exercise (mean = 2.38). The linear regression analysis indicated a significant relationship between family structure and consumption patterns, as youth from single parent families, stepparent families, and multigenerational families have fewer healthy consumption patterns (?.256, ?.142, and ?.164, respectively) compared to youth from two-parent families. Healthy eating initiatives need to target both parents and children, as a relationship between consumption patterns and family structure exists. Additionally, future research needs to examine initiatives targeted at promoting physical activity, particularly among overweight and obese youth who are less likely to engage in physical activity.     

Mobility and Nunavut Inuit youth: lessons from Northern Youth Abroad

In this paper we examine the impacts of the mobility that Nunavut Inuit youth experience with Northern Youth Abroad (NYA), a Canadian volunteer travel program that sends northern youth to southern Canada and Botswana. Using a case study approach and drawing from archival research and interviews with 10 former participants, a staff member, and a member of the board of directors, we argue that NYA illustrates how volunteer travel programs for Indigenous youth can yield distinct benefits for its participants in comparison to mainstream volunteer travel programs, particularly with regard to participants' sense of cultural identity and pride. By enabling participants to foster career goals and a deeper sense of cultural pride, NYA presents a counter-example to some of the common critiques of volunteer tourism programs, and illustrates the complex interconnections between cultural pride, well-being, and career advancement for Nunavut Inuit youth.     

Children’s Use of Knowledge of Place in Understanding Social Relations

The article explores how children use different types of knowledge of place to make sense of their relations to other children. The participants are children aged 11–12 in a small town in southern Sweden. The methodology used is place mapping with group interviews. A significant outcome is that the children connect emplaced and spatial knowledge in their efforts to understand themselves and others. Their emplaced knowledge is thus not separated from the spatial knowledge. Another significant result is that the participating children are engaged in an exchange of knowledge of place with other children and with adults.     

Alprazolam (Xanax) use among southern youth: beliefs and social norms concerning dangerous rides on "handlebars"

While the epidemiologic trends concerning alprazolam (Xanax) are unknown, the use of benzodiazepines, in general, has increased in popularity among youth within recent years. To shed light on the drug problem, the current pilot study used a qualitative approach to investigate relevant beliefs, norms, and perceived addiction associated with alprazolam initiation among 46 youth who were attending an inpatient drug treatment program during the spring of 2004. Overwhelmingly, most participants stated that addiction to alprazolam occurs as early as initial consumption. Most youth in the study stated that their friends felt it was normal to use alprazolam. In addition, their control beliefs revealed that if someone wanted to stop it would be difficult because of the widespread use in their communities and family social reinforcement involved with its use. In this study, a majority of students stated that medical professionals such as doctors and pharmacists were the greatest facilitator of alprazolam acquisition. Implications for these results are discussed.     

Addressing Urban African American Youth Externalizing and Social Problem Behavioral Difficulties in a Family Oriented Prevention Project

Summary

The current article examines the secondary effects of an inner-city Community-University Collaborative HIV-Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Family Program (CHAMP) in reducing externalizing (i.e., aggressive and rule-breaking behavior) and social problem behaviors for children with significant levels of externalizing behavior. Data were provided by parents for a sample of 50 youth assigned to the CHAMP Family Program and 299 comparison children. Among the CHAMP Family Program participants at pretest, 40% (n = 20) of parents reported their children exhibited significant levels of externalizing behavior. Among the comparison group, 38% (n = 113) of parents reported their children exhibited significant levels of externalizing behavior. There was a significant reduction in child externalizing scores for children in the CHAMP Family Program from pretest to posttest, bringing their mean scores of externalizing behavior from clinical to sub-clinical levels. Posttest only comparisons revealed that children in the CHAMP Family Program had significantly lower externalizing behavior scores than children in the comparison group. Analyses of child social problems indicated mixed results. Implications for urban mental health and prevention programs are discussed.     

Cyberbullying on Online Gaming Platforms for Children and Youth

Cyberbullying has been recognized as a serious social concern. Considering the varied contexts of online engagement by children and youth is increasingly necessary to adequately understand their experiences and the impact of their participation. An online context which requires further attention is gaming platforms, which are especially popular among boys. Methods: Using a theoretical approach of social dominance, this paper analyzed secondary data drawn from a mixed methods study of cyberbullying to investigate the prevalence and experience of gaming among a quantitative survey sample (n?=?670) of 4th, 7th, and 10th grade students, as well as the experience and impact of gaming on a qualitative interview sub-sample (n?=?57). Gaming prevalence rates are provided. Boys were significantly more likely to engage in internet gaming (though the effect size was small); χ² (1, n?=?669)?=?10.11, p?=?0.001, phi?=??0.123, 95% CI (?0.207, ?0.047). Qualitative content analysis (QCA) identified four themes: (1) aggression (exceeding what was required to achieve game objectives) characterized gaming culture and pervaded gaming platforms; (2) anonymity contributed to the culture of aggression; (3) participants often did not consider aggression cyberbullying, but rather just a part of the culture of gaming platforms; and (4) participants’ responses to aggressive behaviors. Certain behaviors on gaming platforms may not be appropriately recognized as cyberbullying. Implications for social work practice with children and youth are provided.     

‘It’s like exercise for your soul’: how participation in youth arts activities contributes to young people’s wellbeing

Active participation in organised youth arts activities is generally considered ‘good’ for young peoples’ social and emotional wellbeing. There is, however, less known about how youth arts participation helps to create wellbeing benefits. This paper details a retrospective narrative study that sought to understand not only what wellbeing benefits 17 participants attributed to youth arts activity, but more specifically, how these outcomes occurred. The concept of liminality, within a spaces of wellbeing approach, is used as a framework to explore and understand participant’s stories of their time at Corrugated Iron Youth Arts, in Darwin, Australia. A pattern of transformation involving three phases emerged through an analysis of participant stories. This involved (1) joining in, (2) developing skills and gaining experience, and (3) becoming a ‘real’ performer. These stages have strong resonance with contemporary conceptualisations of liminal experiences, and provide further evidence for the value of youth arts activity as a space for the development of social and emotional wellbeing.     

Enhancing Family Support in Practice through Postgraduate Education

Family Support as a named orientation is a relatively new concept in service provision for children and their families in the Republic of Ireland. Notwithstanding this, there are a number of practitioners across a range of disciplines and agencies within this arena who apply a Family Support approach in their day-to-day work. Furthermore, it is increasingly expected that these practitioners and agencies work together in a collaborative manner with the intention of providing the best possible assistance and support. Practitioners are also required to develop their knowledge and skills on an ongoing basis while in practice. One model of postgraduate education which is responding to such developments is the Master’s Degree in Family Support Studies. This programme is delivered in one University in the Republic of Ireland. In 2011, the programme was reviewed to assess its influence on participants’ understanding and knowledge of Family Support and on their practice. A mixed methods approach was used in this review, the results of which provide the basis for this article. At an overall level the programme is found to have a very positive influence on participants with a growing pool of practitioners who are skilled and confident in their practice.