Rachel C. F. Sun

Effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of Project P.A.T.H.S. : findings based on three years of program implementation

The Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) is a positive youth development program implemented in school settings, utilizing a curricular-based approach. In the third year of the Full Implementation Phase, 19 experimental schools (n = 3,170 students) and 24 control schools (n = 3,808 students) participated in a randomized group trial. Utilizing the six-wave longitudinal data, ANCOVA, and linear mixed models controlling for differences between the two groups in terms of Wave 1 pretest scores, personal variables, and random effects of schools, it was revealed that participants in the experimental schools showed significantly better development than did participants in the control schools at post-test (Wave 6) based on different indicators of positive youth development derived from the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale and other measures. Students in the experimental schools also displayed a lower level of intention to engage in problem behavior and better school adjustment than did students in the control schools. Similarly, differences between experimental participants who perceived the program to be beneficial and control participants were found.

Positive Youth Development, Life Satisfaction and Problem Behaviour Among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong: A Replication.

The purpose of this replication study was to examine the relationships among life satisfaction, positive youth development and problem behaviour. The respondents were 7,151 Chinese Secondary 2 (Grade 8) students (3,707 boys and 3,014 girls) recruited from 44 schools in Hong Kong. Validated assessment tools measuring positive youth development, life satisfaction and problem behaviour were used. As predicted, positive youth development was positively correlated with life satisfaction, and positive youth development and life satisfaction were negatively correlated with adolescent problem behaviour. Based on a series of structural equation models, the present findings replicated the previous findings that adolescents with a higher level of positive youth development were more satisfied with life and had lesser problem behaviour, with higher level of life satisfaction and lower level of problem behaviour mutually influencing each other. These replicated findings provide a further advance in the literature on positive youth development, particularly in the Chinese context. Implications for future research and intervention were discussed.

A brief overview of adolescent developmental problems in Hong Kong

Several adolescent developmental problems in Hong Kong are briefly reviewed in this paper. First, rising adolescent substance abuse trends are described. Second, Internet use problems and Internet addiction among young people are examined. Third, worrying trends in adolescent sexuality are identified. Fourth, phenomena on bullying among young people are reviewed. Finally, phenomena related to adolescent materialistic orientation are focused upon. With reference to these adolescent developmental problems, possible solutions are briefly discussed particularly with reference to the ecological perspective. It is argued that the related scientific literature provides useful pointers for designing the curriculum in the extension phase of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong.

Development, implementation and evaluation of a holistic positive youth development program: Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong

Abstract: To promote holistic development among adolescents in Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust initiated a multi-year universal positive youth development program entitled Project P.A.T.H.S. Besides developing Chinese and English curricula for Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 students, training programs for the program implementers teaching Secondary 1 to Secondary 3 programs were designed. For the evaluation of the program, objective outcome evaluation, subjective outcome evaluation, secondary data analyses, process evaluation, interim evaluation, and qualitative evaluation based on focus groups, student weekly diaries and case studies were used. Based on these strategies, existing research findings generally revealed that different stakeholders had positive perceptions of the program and workers, as well as perceived benefits of the program, and that the program was effective in promoting holistic positive youth development among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong.

Implementation of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S.: Interim Evaluation Findings

To understand the implementation quality of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S., 25 schools and three school social service units were randomly selected to participate in telephone interviews regarding the quality of the implementation process of the Tier 1 Program of the P.A.T.H.S. Project. In the telephone interviews, the participants described the responses of the students and the workers to the program, the perceived benefits of the program, their assessment of the positive and negative features of the program, as well as difficulties involved in the implementation process. Results showed that most workers perceived that the students had positive responses to the program and half of the workers had positive experiences about the program, although negative comments on the program design and difficulties in the implementation were also recorded. Nearly all workers (97.1%) regarded the program to be beneficial to the students and most of them (78.6%) had positive global evaluation of the project. In short, while the program implementers expressed concerns about the program design and the implementation process, they generally regarded the program as helpful to the students and they had positive global evaluation of the program.

Interim evaluation of the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 1 Curriculum) of the Project P.A.T.H.S.: First year of the full implementation phase

To understand the implementation quality of the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 1 Curriculum) of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) in the full implementation phase, 100 schools were randomly selected to participate in personal and/or telephone interviews regarding the quality of the implementation process of the Tier 1 Program. In the interviews, the participants described the responses of the students to the program, the perceived benefits of the program, the perceived good aspects of the program, and the areas requiring improvement, difficulties encountered in the implementation process, and perceived attributes of the worker-support scheme (“Co-Walker Scheme”). Results showed that most workers perceived that the students had positive responses to the program and the program was beneficial to the students. They also identified several good aspects in the program, although negative comments on the program design and difficulties in the implementation process were also recorded. Roughly half of the respondents had positive comments on the “Co-Walker Scheme”. In sum, the respondents generally regarded the program as beneficial to the students and they were satisfied with the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 1 Curriculum) in the full implementation phase, although some implementation difficulties were also expressed.

Interim Evaluation of the Secondary 2 Program of Project P.A.T.H.S.: Insights Based on the Experimental Implementation Phase

An interim evaluation was conducted to understand the implementation quality of the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 2 Curriculum) of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programs) in the Experimental Implementation Phase. Twenty-five schools were randomly selected to participate in personal and/or telephone interviews to provide information on the implementation details of the program and perceived attributes of the worker-support scheme (“Co-Walker Scheme”). Results showed that a majority of the workers perceived that the students had positive responses to the program and the program was helpful to the students. They also identified several good aspects in the program and the Co-Walker Scheme, albeit expressing some negative comments on the program design and difficulties in the implementation process. In conjunction with other findings reported previously, the present findings suggest that the Tier 1 Program is well received by different stakeholders and it promotes the positive development of secondary school students in Hong Kong.

Promoting psychosocial competencies in university students: evaluation based on a one-group pre-test/post-test design

Abstract At The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a two-credit gene\xadral education course entitled “Tomorrow’s Leaders” was developed to promote intra- and interpersonal competencies in university students. The course was piloted in four classes of students in the 2010/11 academic year. Pre-test and post-test data utilizing the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale (CPYDS) were collected from 50 students taking the course. Positive changes in the program participants based on the total scale and subscale scores were observed. The present study provides pioneering support for the effectiveness of the course in promoting holistic development of Chinese university students in Hong Kong.

Implementation of a Positive Youth Development Program in a Chinese Context: The Role of Policy, Program, People, Process, and Place

In this paper, a case study is presented based on one school, conducted to examine the factors that influenced the process and quality of implementation of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. Through interviews with the school contact person and focus group interviews with the instructors, an integration of the findings showed that several factors related to the program, people, process, policy, and place (5 “P”s) facilitated the implementation process of the Tier 1 Program in the school. Obstacles and difficulties with reference to the 5 “P”s that affected the quality of implementation were also identified. Overall, the quality of program implementation in the school was good, and the program was well received by the program implementers. Implications of the present findings for future program implementation with reference to school administrative arrangements and implementation issues are discussed.

Focus group evaluation from the perspective of program implementers: Findings based on the secondary 2 program

Nine focus groups comprising 23 program implementers recruited from nine schools were conducted to evaluate the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 2 Program) of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes). Qualitative findings showed that a majority of the program implementers regarded the program as beneficial to the program participants in different psychosocial domains. The program implementers also described the program positively and positive metaphors were used to represent the program. In conjunction with the previous research findings, the present study provides further support for the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of Project P.A.T.H.S. in promoting holistic development among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong.