Capitalizing on the human-animal bond to teach ethics to youth

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a livestock ethics curriculum developed for high school students in agricultural education classes. The curriculum was developed in response to numerous unethical occurrences at major livestock shows in recent years. These have included drug violations, physical alteration of animals, and excessive involvement of professional livestock handlers. The curriculum was taught to 305 students enrolled in eight Indiana high school agriculture programs. Data were collected using a pretest and posttest. Eighty-six percent of participants improved their score from the pretest to the posttest. Participants increased their awareness and knowledge of the overall principles involved in making ethical choices when faced with decisions in youth livestock programs. Students improved their understanding of the consequences associated with making unethical choices when faced with decisions in the youth livestock program. Participants were more likely to make an ethical choice when faced with a scenario featuring an ethical dilemma. Participants who had previously been enrolled in 4-H, Future Farmers of America, or an animal project had higher scores than those who had not been previously enrolled, but the amount of change from pre- to posttest was similar for those with and without such prior exposure. Future research should examine whether mastery of this kind of ethics curriculum will lead to better ethical choices in real-life situations.     

Promoting Career and College Readiness,Aspirations, and Self‐Efficacy: Curriculum Field Test

To address the need for enhanced career and college readiness, a classroom guidance curriculum was studied using a pretest–posttest nonequivalent groups quasi‐experimental design. Data from 163 ninth‐grade students enrolled in a low‐performing high school were analyzed via hierarchical linear modeling. The analyses indicated a treatment effect on postsecondary education‐going knowledge and career and college readiness self‐efficacy, accounting for 100% of the variance explained by classroom‐level factors and indicating potential for the classroom guidance curriculum. The findings encourage career and professional school counselors to proactively employ similar classroom guidance programs aimed at encouraging high school students to consider postsecondary education opportunities. Future research could focus on component analyses of the curriculum, broadening the target populations, using mixed‐method designs, and additional validity studies of the dependent measures.     

A preliminary evaluation of the effects of a science education curriculum on changes in knowledge of drugs in youth

Drug and alcohol use among youth remains at pervasively high levels, but students are receiving less school-based prevention. Infusing health information into core curricula may be a valuable prevention approach. Therefore, behavior change theory was used to develop a science education curriculum on drugs for fourth- and fifth-grade students, which was then evaluated using a pretest/posttest quasi-experimental design. Exposure to the curriculum was associated with a change in knowledge; other characteristics like grade level also played a role. More positive attitudes toward science at pretest predicted greater knowledge change, and students who knew less at the start showed a greater change in knowledge. Results of this evaluation may support the efficacy of the curriculum and the utility of combining behavior change theory with educational approaches.     

Sexual Education,Gender Ideology,and Youth Sexual Empowerment

Sexual education plays an essential role in preventing unplanned pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). School-based sexual education programs, in particular, may be well positioned to address social factors that are empirically linked to negative sexual health outcomes, such as traditional social norms surrounding gender and sexuality. However, youth are seldom granted access to sexual education programs that explicitly address these issues. This study presents findings from a pretest–posttest survey of a sexual education program that did. It was designed for eighth graders (N=95) in the context of a school–community collaboration. The study assessed the links between several components of sexual empowerment, including gender ideology, sexual knowledge, and contraceptive beliefs. Findings link participation in the sexual education program to more progressive attitudes toward girls and women, less agreement with hegemonic masculinity ideology, and increases in sexual health and resource knowledge. Structural equation models suggest that traditional attitudes toward women were significantly related to hegemonic masculinity ideology among both boys and girls, which was in turn negatively related to safer contraceptive beliefs.     

Effects of a single-lesson tobacco prevention curriculum on knowledge, skill identification and smoking intention

One in five students report experimenting with tobacco before the age of 13 and most prevention efforts take place in the school setting. This study measures the effect of a single-lesson tobacco prevention curriculum, conducted by a health education center, focusing on knowledge of tobacco, ability to identify refusal techniques, and intent not to smoke. Data were collected, via electronic keypads, from students visiting a non-school, health education center in Michigan (n = 704 intervention and 85 comparison). Contingency table Chi-squared tests and t-tests demonstrated that a single lesson can improve general knowledge and ability to identify appropriate refusal techniques. Improvement in intent not to smoke was not significant because both groups had very high intent prior to implementation. Similar to results from other programs, multivariate logistic regression of gender, general knowledge, and skill identification revealed that only the skill variable was associated with intent not to smoke at pretest. Recommendations are given for further research and for designing more effective curricula or programs.     

Exploratory Evaluation of a School-Based Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program

Internationally, efficacy studies of school-based child sexual abuse prevention programs display a series of methodological shortcomings. Few studies include adolescent participants, recording of disclosures has been inconsistent, and no studies to date have assessed presenter adherence to program protocols or summated the costs of program implementation. A pretest–posttest waitlist control design was used to evaluate the Tweenees program delivered to grade 6 (n?=?88) and grade 7/8 students (n?=?117) compared to a control (n?=?185). Outcome measures included a knowledge/skills questionnaire, systematic coding of disclosures, and video interaction analysis of lessons. Costs were calculated per student, class, and school. Adolescents made small knowledge and skills gains indicating a program ceiling effect. Implementation analysis suggests low levels of adult control facilitated disclosures. Program costs were relatively inexpensive. Recommendations are made for future research.     

Attitudes of parents towards the pre‐marital sex behavior of their children and themselves

The purpose of the experiment was to examine the acquisition of information about sexuality by 182 ninth‐grade students enrolled in a sex education course. An additional 197 ninth‐grade students in the same school served as a control group. Approximately half the subjects in each group were pretested. Following completion of the course, all subjects were posttested. The major results of the multiple regression analysis indicated that the experimental group scored higher on the posttest than the control group both for the total set of items (N = 24) and for several subscores measuring learning of sex education material. The pretest and posttest scores did not differ for control group subjects. The results indicated: (a) sex education courses can provide important information about sexuality which is not gained in other ways by ninth‐graders; (b) peers may not be important sources of sexual information when alternatives (sex education courses) to peer information are available.     

Reducing Adolescent Career Indecision: The ASVAB Career Exploration Program

An independent evaluation of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Career Exploration Program was conducted using nationally representative samples of high school students. The sample consisted of current ASVAB Program participants (n = 255) and two control groups of nonparticipants (n = 233, n = 189). A pretest‐posttest design showed that participation in the ASVAB Program increased career exploration knowledge and reduced diffusion and approach‐approach forms of career indecision, as assessed by the Career Decision Scale (S. Osipow, 1986).     

Teacher training in norm setting approaches to drug education: a pilot study comparing standard and video-enhanced methods

Norm setting has been shown to be a crucial element of effective drug education. The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which a videotape describing concepts and methods for establishing positive norms would enhance standard training. Participants included 35 teachers and 64 health education students who were randomly assigned to the standard training condition or the video-enhanced training. Participants completed pretest and posttest measures of beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge concerning prevention methods. Both the standard and the video-based instruction produced improved understanding of norms and norm setting prevention methods. However, the video-based instruction resulted in several notable improvements beyond what was achieved in standard instruction. Video training can be an important tool as research-based drug abuse prevention achieves wide-scale dissemination. It offers a way of standardizing training and has the potential to increase the fidelity with which prevention programs are implemented.     

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Workshop Interventions on Contraceptive Use Among First-Year College Students

Summary

This study investigated the impact of interventions designed to affect contraceptive knowledge and attitudes on the intent to use and reported use of contraceptives among 362 first year college students. After completing a pretest questionnaire, students were randomly assigned to a nonintervention control group or one of four workshops utilizing different approaches to education about sexuality and contraceptive use. The posttest results indicated that all four treatment groups increased in contraceptive knowledge relative to the control group. In addition, groups receiving an experientially oriented intervention showed significantly more positive changes in their     

Impact evaluation of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE).

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) on fifth-grade students in the Long Beach Unified School District in Long Beach, California. The research suggests that DARE does not significantly change the amount of drug use, which is minimal at the fifth grade level. In general, children receiving DARE during the study period maintained existing levels of drug abuse. Approximately 3,000 students participated in the study. A pretest and posttest self-report survey was utilized during the Fall 1989 semester for experimental and control groups. As DARE programs gain popularity in other school districts, school administrators need more information on the program to decide if DARE should be presented in their schools. Administrative decision-making must consider program effectiveness and curriculum time constraints.     

Implementing School Based Youth Courts in a Rural Context: The Impact on Students’ Perceptions of School Climate,Individual Functioning,and Interpersonal Relationships

The Youth Court in Schools Project was implemented in two low-income, violent, racially/ethnically diverse rural counties. This study examined if the presence of Youth Court impacted students’ perceptions of school danger, individual functioning, and interpersonal relationships. Data were gathered from 3454 youth; following multiple imputation, data were analyzed using paired samples t tests. Results indicated that perceptions of school danger increased significantly and self-esteem decreased significantly in the control schools pretest to posttest. Violent behavior, anxiety, friend rejection, and bullying victimization decreased significantly in the Youth Court intervention schools pretest to posttest, but did not change significantly in the control schools. Findings provide preliminary evidence that Youth Court is an effective way of improving school climate, individual functioning, and interpersonal relationships.     

The Children First Program: The Effectiveness of a Parent Education Program for Divorcing Parents

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the 2nd and 3rd editions of the Children First parent education programs for parents experiencing divorce or separation. Participants were 678 parents experiencing separation or divorce in 2 Midwestern counties. Changes from pretest to posttest on participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and likelihood of adaptive coparenting were assessed. Both editions of the program had a significant positive effect on all 3 measures of adaptive coparenting. The effect sizes from pretest to posttest for the 2nd edition were small, whereas the effect sizes for the 3rd edition of the program were nearly twice as large. Superiority of the 3rd edition might be due to an increased focus on explicit training on adaptive coparenting behaviors.     

Evaluation of school‐based AIDS education curricula in San Francisco

Students in 3 middle (n=385) and 3 high schools (n=254) in the San Francisco Unified School District participated in the evaluation of an AIDS education curriculum. Classes within‐schools were designated as either intervention classes or nonintervention classes. Students in intervention classes received 3 class periods of AIDS instruction with a newly developed curriculum. Students in nonintervention classes did not receive any special AIDS instruction. All students completed a pretest and posttest AIDS knowledge and attitude survey. The results indicated that AIDS instruction classes demonstrated a significant knowledge‐advantage, as well as change in attitudes (e.g., reflecting greater tolerance for attending class with students who may have AIDS or HIV infection).     

Evaluation of an Online Group Intervention to Improve Test-Taking Self-Efficacy and Reduce Licensure Test Anxiety

We evaluated whether a synchronous online group intervention, using the Association for Social Work Boards Group Review Practice Test© items, increased students’ LMSW licensure test-taking confidence and decreased their test anxiety. A non-equivalent comparison group study was used to measure change in 59 graduate students’ confidence in test-taking and test anxiety. Almost 45% of students reported test anxiety in the clinical range at pretest. Using a repeated measures GLM, we found that students in the intervention group experienced a significant increase in confidence from pretest posttest. For overall anxiety, impairment anxiety, and worry anxiety, students in the intervention group experienced less anxiety over time, and students in the comparison group experienced more anxiety over time. Implications for programs are discussed.     

The Marihuana Perception Inventory: the effects of substance abuse instruction

This article reports the latest results of a continuing effort to develop a perceptual inventory of factors associated with the onset of marihuana use among youths and young people. In addition to better understanding why adolescents begin using marihuana, the inventory is intended to assist drug educators target their programs. This phase studied 617 students in three Midwest school districts prior to and after substance abuse instruction to determine the relationship between perceptions and demographic characteristics, and to learn if substance abuse instruction was related to changes in the student's perception of the relationships. Factor analysis again revealed a five-factor solution. All thirty-four inventory items were included in the final solution. Items appeared to group themselves among the scales in a fashion similar to that found in prior studies. However, the larger sample size permitted refinement of the scales: Maturational Difficulties; Excessive Pressure; Parental Failings; Rebelliousness; and Societal/Institutional Weaknesses. The inventory appears to be remarkably stable across demographic characteristics. Significant differences between pretest and posttest scores indicated that students perceived less of a relationship between Maturational Difficulties, Excessive Pressure, and Societal/Institutional Weaknesses and the onset of marihuana use after instruction, and more of a relationship between Parental Failings and the young person's decision to begin using marihuana. It appears that instructional programs can be expected to at least contribute to changes in perceptions concerning the relationship between societal and familial factors and the onset of marihuana use.     

Research Note—Testing for Gerontological Competencies: A Pilot Study

This article reports on the pilot delivery of an evaluation method to gauge student learning of gerontological competencies. Using a pretest and posttest design, data were collected on 46 students over 3 classes. Results indicated significant improvement in how students rated or perceived their competencies skill level between pretest and posttest scores (p < .01).     

COLLEGE STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD GAYS AND LESBIANS

A variety of pedagogical techniques have shown promising results in promoting acceptance and affirmation of gays and lesbians among students in social work, allied health, and education professions. In this article we examine whether 211 students enrolled in a human sexuality course in a southeastern university changed their attitudes toward gays and lesbians and identify differences in attitudes by demographic groups. At pretest the sample scored moderately negative on the Index of Attitudes Toward Homosexuality. Scores were significantly lower at posttest. Males scored significantly higher than females at pretest, but their scores changed more at posttest. Human sexuality courses that incorporate an exposure component are one way social work educators can change negative attitudes toward gays and lesbians.     

Career Development and School Success in Adolescents: The Role of Career Interventions

Using longitudinal survey data, the present study examined the effect of participation on career development skills in 6 career education experiences and school success among South Korean adolescents (2,473 young men, 2,132 young women; mean age = 15.86 years). Regression analyses indicated that students who participated in career education programs in school once or twice over a 2‐year period had the highest scores in both career development skills and school success. In contrast, there was no relationship between career education, career development skills, and school success for students who participated in career education programs only once or not at all. Results support the influence of career education interventions on students' career development skills and school success. This study provides accountability information on the effectiveness of career education interventions at South Korean secondary schools. The authors offer suggestions about more effective career interventions that can be applied in South Korean high schools.     

Evaluation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Safer,Smarter Kids:</Emphasis> Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Curriculum for Kindergartners

This study assessed the effectiveness of the Safer, Smarter Kids kindergarten sexual abuse prevention curriculum in meeting its educational objectives of increasing children’s knowledge of safety risks and self-protection strategies. The study utilized a two-phase non-probability convenience sample of public school kindergarten students. The sample consisted of 1169 students in four school districts in Florida. Using an alpha level of .05, a paired-samples t test was calculated to compare the mean pretest scores to the mean posttest scores of the youth participants. The mean difference was significantly greater than zero (p-value ≤.001). The measurement instrument used to assess student gains functioned well in terms of reliability (α = .82). The effect size was large with a Cohen’s d effect size of 1.09. The results indicated that completion of the Safer, Smarter Kids curriculum was followed by a significant increase in students’ knowledge of key prevention concepts with a 77 % increase in scores post intervention.