Angela J. Huebner

Examining the relationship between adolescent sexual risk-taking and perceptions of monitoring, communication, and parenting styles.

PURPOSE To examine the relationship between adolescent sexual risk-taking and perception of parental monitoring, frequency of parent-adolescent communication, and parenting style. The influences of gender, age, and ethnicity are also of interest. METHODS Data were collected from 7th-12th grade students in six rural, ethnically diverse school located in adjacent counties in a Southeastern state. A 174-item instrument assessed adolescent perceptions, behaviors and attitudes. Youth who had engaged in sexual intercourse (n = 1160) were included in the analyses. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify parenting practices that predicted high versus low-risk sex (defined by number of partners and use of condoms). Variables included parental monitoring, parent-adolescent communication, parenting style, parenting process interaction effects and interaction effects among these three parenting processes and gender, age and ethnicity. Analyses included frequencies, cross-tabulations and logistic regression. RESULTS Parental monitoring, parental monitoring by parent-adolescent communication and parenting style by ethnicity were significant predictors of sexual risk-taking. No gender or age interactions were noted. CONCLUSION Parental monitoring, parent-adolescent communication and parenting style are all important variables to consider when examining sexual risk-taking among adolescents.

Shaping Structured Out-of-School Time Use Among Youth: The Effects of Self, Family, and Friend Systems

To explore predictors of adolescent participation in structured out-of-school activities, various types of structured out-of-school time use and their correlates were examined among 454 adolescents in Grades 9–12 in a rural southeastern state. Using a developmental-ecological model as an organizing framework, four different uses of time were explored with regard to self, family, and friend systems. Regression analyses revealed that time in after-school extracurricular activities was predicted by parent endorsement of activities, ethnicity, and friend endorsement of activities, whereas time spent in nonschool clubs was predicted by peer pressure, parent endorsement, and grades. Socioeconomic status, parental monitoring of activities, school grade level, and family structure predicted time spent in volunteering, and time spent in religious-related activities was predicted by ethnicity, family structure, friend endorsement, and gender.

Exploring the Utility of Social Control Theory for Youth Development Issues of Attachment, Involvement, and Gender

The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of social control theorys “attachment” and “involvement” bonds as protective factors to examine gender differences in reports of delinquency and academic achievement in a sample of 7th to 12th graders. Attachment bonds were operationalized as attachment to parents, to nonparent adults, and to peers; involvement bonds were operationalized as time spent in various school- and non-school-based activities. It was expected that, with respect to delinquency and academic achievement, attachment bond variables would be more protective for females than the involvement bond variables, whereas the involvement bond variables would be more protective for males than the attachment bond variables. The findings suggest that although several of the involvement bond variables of social control theory are predictive of both delinquency and academic achievement for both genders, only the attachment bond variables provide such an overall protective function for females. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Staff Development for the Youth Development Professionalm A Critical Framework for Understanding the Work

Despite escalating interest in positive youth development, there is little agreement on what comprises the actual “work” of youth development and even less on the role of staff development for youth workers. To strengthen professional practice and hence the quality of youth development programs, an understanding must be developed of the distinguishing features or the essential elements of positive youth development work and the ways in which these elements can best be communicated to the field through staff development. This article suggests a framework for critical reflection on practices that encourage community-based youth workers to explore and apply the lessons of positive youth development in their programs. The article discusses the experience of facilitating adult learning within this curriculum, the responses of participants, and the implications for the youth development field.

Examining Fourth Generation Evaluation: Application to Positive Youth Development

The utility of Guba and Lincolns (1989) Fourth Generation Evaluation (FGE) method has been a source of debate in the field of evaluation (e.g. Adelman, 1996; Greene, 1996; Laughlin and Broadbent, 1996). The majority of these debates tend to focus on hypothetical implementation issues. Few, if any, have attempted to examine FGE through direct application of the method to an actual evaluand of interest. The purpose of the present article is to examine the utility of incorporating the FGE methodology as one of the first steps in a community–university collaboration regarding youth. The strengths and limitations of the FGE methodology will be highlighted through a discussion of its application. Revealed strengths of FGE include the involvement of multiple stakeholder groups, exposure to multiple perspectives, and fostering early support for later programmatic developments. Limitations include difficulties in defining stakeholders, and providing evidence of education and empowerment. The information gained from this application has practical implications for others seeking to employ the FGE methodology.

Community-Based Program Research: Context, Program Readiness, and Evaluation Usefulness

ABSTRACT At first glance, the worlds of program professionals and evaluators may seem quite separate. However, there are common issues whose resolution will enhance both program development and research on programs. Program professionals and evaluators have a great deal to learn from each other. As that learning occurs, both program delivery and evaluation research will benefit. Both are concerned about matters of validity, whether it pertains to the nature of the program intervention itself or to the nature of the assessment of the program intervention. To reinforce the development of program evaluation in partnership, this paper discusses key points about evaluation research relevant to both program professionals and researchers. These include the contextual influences on a program, the “readiness” of a program for evaluation, and whether the evaluation research “works” for the program. Underlying our discussion is a call for the development of partnerships around research on programs. In that light, this article elaborates the process steps that should be taken to build program evaluation partnerships, including a discussion of what evaluators and program professionals need to know about each other, and their respective values, interests, and professional perspectives.

Female Adolescent Smoking: A Delphi Study on Best Prevention Practices

The present researchers used a multi-wave Delphi methodology to determine what 14 knowledgeable substance abuse professionals believe are the most appropriate smoking prevention practices for female adolescents. While there was some agreement with the emerging literature, particularly on weight control issues and parental involvement, there was also endorsement of items that appear to be equally salient for both males and females. While the panelists generally acknowledged differential risk factors for females, and the need for prevention programming around these risk factors, more research on gender specific programming is needed before prevention experts are ready to agree on clear and specific practices for adolescent females.

Fostering Self-Awareness in Novice Therapists Using Internal Family Systems Therapy

This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to understand: (a) whether and how the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model helps beginning therapists gain awareness of their internal processes and (b) whether and how such awareness influences their clinical work. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with seven beginning therapists and data were analyzed using thematic coding. Findings suggest that IFS helped therapists identify, understand, and manage their internal processes, which seemed to benefit the therapeutic relationship, identify therapists’ personal agendas, model work with the internal system, and foster a better understanding of the clients internal system. Clinical training implications are discussed.

Examining Ethnic Differences in Predictors of Female Adolescent Smoking in Rural Virginia.

ABSTRACT We examined the salience of multiple ecological factors (individual, family, peer, school, and community) as differential predictors of smoking for adolescent African-Americans and Whites in a sample of 2,029 7th–12th grade girls from a Mid-Atlantic southeastern state. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that significant predictors of smoking in the White female model included coping by taking drugs, grades, frequency of using alcohol, frequency of using marijuana, parent quality, and perceived availability of cigarettes. Significant predictors of smoking in the African-American female model included coping by taking drugs, attempted suicide, frequency of alcohol use, frequency of marijuana use, hours spent in club activities, hours spent in sports, and socioeconomic status. Implications for prevention and intervention programs are discussed.