Measuring impacts of youth empowerment: an international systematic review and a randomized controlled trial with out-of-school youth in Jordan
<p>Youth empowerment programs (YEPs)—programs that build on young people's strengths and engage them in decision-making—have gained global attention as a strategy to improve a range of emotional, social, and behavioral outcomes. Guided by the MRC Framework for Complex Interventions, this...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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2012
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| _version_ | 1797111734903767040 |
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| author | Morton, M |
| author2 | Montgomery, P |
| author_facet | Montgomery, P Morton, M |
| author_sort | Morton, M |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | <p>Youth empowerment programs (YEPs)—programs that build on young people's strengths and engage them in decision-making—have gained global attention as a strategy to improve a range of emotional, social, and behavioral outcomes. Guided by the MRC Framework for Complex Interventions, this dissertation employed a mixed-methods approach to synthesize and contribute to the evidence base on impacts of YEPs on adolescent development. </p> <p>This dissertation includes a systematic review of the effects of YEPs on self-efficacy and self-esteem and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a YEP in Jordan. Implementation and process research was also integrated to better understand impact study results and investigate issues for the dissemination of youth empowerment methodology.</p> <p>In the review, three studies were included from 8,789 citations. The limited data meta-analyzed did not show an effect on self-efficacy (95% CI = -0.42 to 1.86; z = 1.23). None of the three studies independently showed significant intervention effects on the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes showed mixed results.</p> <p>The RCT assessed the effects of an empowerment-based non-formal education program for out-of-school Arab youth. The study included 127 participants, mean age of 15.9 (SD = 1.62), and data were collected at baseline and 4-month follow-up. No significant intervention effects were observed for developmental assets (e.g., self-efficacy or social skills). Analysis did show a positive intervention effect on SDQ conduct problems (95% CI = 0.13 to 1.48; d = .57); effects were mostly attributable to changes in the younger (13-15) age group. </p> <p>Subgroup analysis with implementation study data indicated that a higher level of program empowerment appeared related to better outcomes. Differences in implementation and attendance across program sites may have diluted intervention effects; relationships between these variables and outcomes should be investigated in future studies with appropriate statistical power and research design. Implications for research and practice are discussed.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T08:14:30Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oxford-uuid:b29204b2-f276-457e-8e37-55ca51a09985 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T08:14:30Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:b29204b2-f276-457e-8e37-55ca51a099852023-12-13T10:35:23ZMeasuring impacts of youth empowerment: an international systematic review and a randomized controlled trial with out-of-school youth in JordanThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:b29204b2-f276-457e-8e37-55ca51a09985Middle EastDevelopmental psychologyEvaluation of social policies,programmes and practiceExperimental psychologyChildren and youthEnglishHyrax Deposit2012Morton, MMontgomery, P<p>Youth empowerment programs (YEPs)—programs that build on young people's strengths and engage them in decision-making—have gained global attention as a strategy to improve a range of emotional, social, and behavioral outcomes. Guided by the MRC Framework for Complex Interventions, this dissertation employed a mixed-methods approach to synthesize and contribute to the evidence base on impacts of YEPs on adolescent development. </p> <p>This dissertation includes a systematic review of the effects of YEPs on self-efficacy and self-esteem and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a YEP in Jordan. Implementation and process research was also integrated to better understand impact study results and investigate issues for the dissemination of youth empowerment methodology.</p> <p>In the review, three studies were included from 8,789 citations. The limited data meta-analyzed did not show an effect on self-efficacy (95% CI = -0.42 to 1.86; z = 1.23). None of the three studies independently showed significant intervention effects on the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes showed mixed results.</p> <p>The RCT assessed the effects of an empowerment-based non-formal education program for out-of-school Arab youth. The study included 127 participants, mean age of 15.9 (SD = 1.62), and data were collected at baseline and 4-month follow-up. No significant intervention effects were observed for developmental assets (e.g., self-efficacy or social skills). Analysis did show a positive intervention effect on SDQ conduct problems (95% CI = 0.13 to 1.48; d = .57); effects were mostly attributable to changes in the younger (13-15) age group. </p> <p>Subgroup analysis with implementation study data indicated that a higher level of program empowerment appeared related to better outcomes. Differences in implementation and attendance across program sites may have diluted intervention effects; relationships between these variables and outcomes should be investigated in future studies with appropriate statistical power and research design. Implications for research and practice are discussed.</p> |
| spellingShingle | Middle East Developmental psychology Evaluation of social policies,programmes and practice Experimental psychology Children and youth Morton, M Measuring impacts of youth empowerment: an international systematic review and a randomized controlled trial with out-of-school youth in Jordan |
| title | Measuring impacts of youth empowerment: an international systematic review and a randomized controlled trial with out-of-school youth in Jordan |
| title_full | Measuring impacts of youth empowerment: an international systematic review and a randomized controlled trial with out-of-school youth in Jordan |
| title_fullStr | Measuring impacts of youth empowerment: an international systematic review and a randomized controlled trial with out-of-school youth in Jordan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring impacts of youth empowerment: an international systematic review and a randomized controlled trial with out-of-school youth in Jordan |
| title_short | Measuring impacts of youth empowerment: an international systematic review and a randomized controlled trial with out-of-school youth in Jordan |
| title_sort | measuring impacts of youth empowerment an international systematic review and a randomized controlled trial with out of school youth in jordan |
| topic | Middle East Developmental psychology Evaluation of social policies,programmes and practice Experimental psychology Children and youth |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mortonm measuringimpactsofyouthempowermentaninternationalsystematicreviewandarandomizedcontrolledtrialwithoutofschoolyouthinjordan |