This study examines a collaborative creation and application of an evaluation process for a teen shelter. An independent researcher collaborated with the key administrators of a teen shelter to create an agency-specific evaluation process that gathered both quantitative and qualitative data from three separate participant groups: teen clients of the shelter, their parents, and the staff who work at the shelter. Results of the creation process indicate that collaborating with key administrators is imperative when developing agency-specific evaluations with the goal of program improvement. Application results indicate that the clients and staff at this particular shelter felt the program was very helpful. Responses included participants' ideas as to what was helpful and what aspects of the program made the experience beneficial. Participants offered positive feedback about the effective aspects of the program, as well as suggestions for improving some weaker aspects of the program. Shelter administrators were pleased with the evaluation process and results and were enthusiastic about applying the results toward program improvement. / Master of Science

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An experimental, randomized, control-group, pretest-postest design was employed in this study to examine the efficacy of the use of two short-term group counseling interventions employing Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy with at-risk adolescents in changing their beliefs, altering their attitude toward school, and moderating behaviors that are problematic in an educational setting. Forty-eight subjects were included in this study from an alternative evening high school setting and were assessed in the initial stage of treatment using The Idea Inventory and The Majoribanks Attitude-To-School Inventory. The School Social Behavior Scale was employed at this beginning point to observe these students by teachers and administrators with regard to social competence and anti-social behaviors. Subjects were selected from a pool of regularly attending students in an alternative high school program and randomly assigned to three groups, one employing REBT concepts and techniques alone, one using REBT concepts and techniques in conjunction with the therapeutic board game, Let's Get Rational, and a control group. The treatment and control group designations were also randomly assigned to the counseling groups. Ten weekly 50 minute group counseling sessions were conducted by two master's level counselors employing the tenets of REBT with adolescents. Group participants had the opportunity to learn new interpersonal skills and behaviors that may be helpful to them in staying in school. At the conclusion of the 10 week treatment group sessions, the subjects in the three groups were re-assessed employing the same instruments mentioned before to determine if the activities in the group sessions made significant differences in the rational thinking, attitude to school, and school social behaviors of these at-risk students in an alternative setting. Data were analyzed using descritpive statistics in addition to a factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) to measure the pretest and posttest performance and understanding of the subjects. Results revealed that the differences in the scores of the treatment groups were significant the REBT group employing the game, Let's Get Rational, contributing to students learning and understanding of the tenets of REBT at the .05 alpha level on the four dependent variables. There were no significant differences between genders regarding the four dependent variables, and there was a lack of a significant interaction between the intervention approach taken and the gender of the group member. There was no significant interaction between the gender of the subject and the treatment group placement. The results from both REBT groups support the efficacy of using the tenets of REBT with school aged populations who are at risk for failure. Appropriate conclusions and recommendations based upon the study findings were made. Implications for secondary school counselors and those counselors working with at-risk students were delineated. / Ed. D.

Substance use is a growing concern among adolescents because it is a threat to their well-being and associated with negative outcomes in later life (NIH, 2014). Adolescence is a developmentally important time where independence grows, risks are taken, and some begin to experiment with substances (Burrow-Sanchez, 2006). Further, there is a high association between substance use and risk-taking behaviors, which can lead to involvement in the juvenile justice system. The rates of substance use are more alarming for juvenile delinquents (78%) (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 2004). Along with risk factors associated with early onset substance use, researchers have identified several protective factors including involvement in positive relationships with parents. In this dissertation, I studied gender-specific relationships between parent and child that were associated with lower rates of substance use among at-risk adolescents. I investigated if this relationship mitigated the effects of negative peer association on substance use among adolescents. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to complete analysis using secondary data. The sample consisted of 166 adolescents who were involved in the juvenile justice system. Results showed that higher relationship quality with mothers was found to be statistically significant in predicting lower substance use. Overall, gender was not found to predict substance use, nor did it moderate the relationship between negative peer association and substance use. Results from this study can inform prevention and intervention efforts by heightening awareness regarding the protective nature of relationships with parents, specifically with mothers for at-risk adolescents. Further research is needed to explore these gender differences more in-depth. It will be important to continue to explore gender-specific relationships and the various aspects of parenting that can lower the risk for substance use among at-risk adolescents. / Ph. D. / Gender-specific parent-child relationships were studied in this dissertation to explore protective relationships that are associated with lower rates of substance use among at-risk adolescents. This study included an investigation on relationships that mitigate the influence of negative peer association on substance use among adolescents. The sample included 166 adolescents who were involved in the juvenile justice system. Results showed that higher relationship quality with mothers predicted lower substance use for teens. These results can inform prevention and intervention efforts by improving awareness regarding relationships with parents that appear to be protective, specifically with mothers and at-risk adolescents. Further research is needed to explore these gender differences more in-depth. It will be important to continue to explore gender-specific relationships and the various aspects of parenting that can lower the risk for substance use among at-risk adolescents.

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