Jonathan M. Tirrell, Mutale Sampa, Kit Wootten, Sion Kim Harris, Robert E. McGrath, Mataanana Mulavu, Ntazana Sindano, Lameck Kasanga, Oliver Mweemba, Dana McDaniel Seale, J. Paul Seale, Wilbroad Mutale
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
The Global Resilience Oral Workshops (GROW) Free and Strong programs take a strengths-based, positive youth development (PYD) approach to promoting thriving. Through both prevention (GROW Strong) and intervention (GROW Free) exercises, these programs aim to build character and emotional resilience while also lowering unhealthy alcohol use.
Objective
To meaningfully assess the impact of the GROW programs on health and PYD, ecologically and psychometrically valid measures of character strengths were needed, with a focus on the strengths of hope, forgiveness, spirituality, prudence, and self-control (self-regulation) promoted by GROW.
Method
We tested a series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of these five key constructs using two samples: a school-based youth sample enrolled in GROW Strong (n = 460; Mage = 15.04 years, SDage = 1.21; 53.0% female); and a community-based adult sample enrolled in GROW Free (n = 457; Mage = 20.60 years, SDage = 1.88; 49.7% female); both enrolled using a waitlist-control design.
Results
Measures demonstrated strong invariance across specific subgroups present in the data sets, with differences emerging across ages, urban/rural locations, and baseline study conditions.
Conclusions
To meaningfully document PYD programs and character development in the majority world, measurement models must be theory-predicated, robust, and empirically validated for the specific context. The results provide evidence for such a measure that will be useful in future intervention studies promoting character strengths to address unhealthy alcohol use in Zambia.
期刊介绍:
Child & Youth Care Forum is a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary publication that welcomes submissions – original empirical research papers and theoretical reviews as well as invited commentaries – on children, youth, and families. Contributions to Child & Youth Care Forum are submitted by researchers, practitioners, and clinicians across the interrelated disciplines of child psychology, early childhood, education, medical anthropology, pediatrics, pediatric psychology, psychiatry, public policy, school/educational psychology, social work, and sociology as well as government agencies and corporate and nonprofit organizations that seek to advance current knowledge and practice. Child & Youth Care Forum publishes scientifically rigorous, empirical papers and theoretical reviews that have implications for child and adolescent mental health, psychosocial development, assessment, interventions, and services broadly defined. For example, papers may address issues of child and adolescent typical and/or atypical development through effective youth care assessment and intervention practices. In addition, papers may address strategies for helping youth overcome difficulties (e.g., mental health problems) or overcome adversity (e.g., traumatic stress, community violence) as well as all children actualize their potential (e.g., positive psychology goals). Assessment papers that advance knowledge as well as methodological papers with implications for child and youth research and care are also encouraged.