Melissa Rorie

Implementation Quality and Positive Experiences in After-School Programs

Data collected during an evaluation of a multi-site trial of an enhanced after-school program were used to relate quality of program implementation to student experiences after school. The enhanced after-school program incorporated a drug use and violence prevention component that was shown to be effective in previous research. Building on Durlak and Dupre’s (Am J Community Psychol 41:327–350, 2008) dimensions of implementation, we assessed the level of dosage, quality of management and climate, participant responsiveness, and staffing quality achieved at the five program sites. We evaluated how these characteristics co-varied with self-reported positive experiences after-school. The study illustrates how multiple dimensions of program implementation can be measured, and shows that some but not all dimensions of implementation are related to the quality of student after-school experiences. Measures of quality of management and climate, participant responsiveness, and staffing stability were most clearly associated with youth experiences. The importance of measuring multiple dimensions of program implementation in intervention research is discussed.

Effects of Participation in After-School Programs for Middle School Students: A Randomized Trial

Abstract This study assessed the effects of attending an after-school program (ASP) on a range of outcomes for middle school youths. The program operated for 9 hr per week for 30 weeks and included attendance monitoring and reinforcement, academic assistance, a prevention curriculum, and recreational programming. Participants were 447 students randomly assigned either to the ASP or to after-school activities as usual. Program attendance was sporadic. Although treatment students experienced increased exposure to ASPs relative to controls, nearly all youth in both groups reported participating in some organized activity during the after-school hours, and the number of different activities in which youths reported being involved did not differ across groups. Participation in the treatment reduced time spent with friends with no adults present during the after-school hours. No differences between treatment and control youths were found on measures of conduct problems, academic performance, school attendance, or any of the intermediate behaviors and attitudes targeted. The study replicates findings from the national evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program for middle school students using a more rigorous research design.

Youth Development in After-School Leisure Activities:

Leisure activities that occur outside of the school hours may facilitate positive youth development.The experiences of youth in three categories of activities (basketball and football, other sports, and nonsports) are examined in this study. Based on prior research, it is hypothesized that students participating in basketball and football will experience more negative outcomes (i.e., problem behaviors, fewer positive peer influences, and lower academic achievement). Furthermore, specific experiences in these leisure activities are explored as potential mediators of the effects of participation. Results indicate that basketball and football participation is related to more negative experiences and outcomes, but these differences reflect selection of more at-risk youths into these activities. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Motivating Compliance: Economic and Material Motives for Compliance

5 To comply or not to comply – that isn’t the question: how organizations construct the meaning of compliance 103 Lauren B. Edelman and Shauhin A. Talesh 6 The other side of the compliance relationship 123 Garry C. Gray and Susan S. Silbey 7 Beyond compliance: explaining business participation in voluntary environmental programs 139 Jonathan C. Borck and Cary Coglianese 8 Internal corporate compliance management systems: structure, culture and agency 170 Christine Parker and Sharon Gilad