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Using a youth-led participatory action inquiry and photovoice methodology, this study investigated the self-perceptions of Black girls in a suburban area of Northern California. The objective of the project was to explore the perspectives and lives of Black girls. It is through gained insight from their lived experiences that we can come to understand their needs and develop approaches to advance their own holistic empowerment. By gathering self-perceptions of Black girls using photovoice, the project aimed to inform youth workers, educators, and youth-serving organizations such as Magic Black Girls Leadership Institute (MBG) on how to meet the needs and cultivate developmental assets among Black girls. Magic Black Girls was conceived to empower young, Black women to create their own space to grow, become personally aware of their own worth, and stand in their own power. The findings of this study indicate a need for positive counterspaces in which Black girls can generate a counter narrative, gain cultural awareness, experience a sense of community, experience joy, and build skills of activist leadership. The developmental tasks of adolescence for Black young people are complicated by the added context of oppression and racial discrimination which makes it essential to recognize and take action to create supportive environment that nurtures the positive development of Black girls. Further, the findings of this study contended that the use of innovative, holistic youth empowerment strategies are essential in the formation of spaces dedicated to encouraging, enlightening and empowering of young Black girls.

Le présent projet avait comme objectif d’évaluer, chez des adolescents participant à une équipe sportive, si l’accompagnement d’un entraîneur humaniste formé par l’organisme Pour 3 Points (P3P) était associé à des niveaux d’anxiété sociale et généralisée inférieurs comparativement à l’accompagnement par un entraîneur n’ayant pas été formé par cet organisme. À partir des études faites au Québec sur l’organisme de P3P, il était attendu que les adolescents encadrés par un entraîneur humaniste auraient moins de symptômes d’anxiété sociale et/ou d’anxiété généralisée que les adolescents encadrés par un entraîneur « régulier ». Cette hypothèse a été testée auprès d’un échantillon (n = 144) constitué d’adolescents entre 12 et 17 ans (m = 14,404, ÉT = 1,611) issus de 15 équipes sportives provenant de milieux scolaires et communautaires de la grande région de Montréal. Ces adolescents étaient répartis en deux groupes, soit les adolescents encadrés par un entraîneur formé par P3P (n = 44) et les adolescents encadrés par un entraîneur régulier (n = 100). Des variables de contrôle, telles que le sexe, l’âge et l’indice de milieu socioéconomique ont été ajoutés aux analyses ANCOVA. Les résultats obtenus ne démontrent aucune différence significative entre le groupe P3P et le groupe non-P3P. Bien que l’hypothèse de recherche n’ait pas été confirmée, il demeure pertinent d’étudier le rôle des entraîneurs sportifs relativement aux symptômes anxieux des adolescents athlètes qu’ils accompagnent. Aucune étude ne s’était penchée sur l’impact potentiel associé au fait d’être encadré par un entraîneur humaniste sur les comportements intériorisés des adolescents. Ainsi, cette étude permet d’ouvrir le sujet pour de futures recherches. / The objective of this project was to evaluate, in adolescents participating in a sports team, whether the accompaniment of a humanist trainer trained by the organization Pour 3 Points (P3P) was associated with lower levels of social and generalized anxiety in adolescents participating in a sports team compared to coaching by a coach whom P3P has not trained. Based on studies done in Quebec on the P3P organization on the subject, we expected that adolescents supervised by a humanist coach would have fewer symptoms of social anxiety and/or generalized anxiety than adolescents accompanied by a "regular" trainer. This hypothesis was tested with a sample (n = 144) of adolescents between 12 and 17 years old (M = 14.404, SD = 1.611) from 15 sports teams from school and community settings in greater Montreal. These adolescents were divided into two groups, adolescents supervised by a coach trained by P3P (n = 44) and adolescents supervised by a regular coach (n = 100). We conducted ANCOVA analyses that accounted for control variables, such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status. The results showed no significant difference between the intervention and comparison groups. Although the research hypothesis has not been confirmed, it remains relevant to study the role of sports coaches concerning athlete-adolescents' anxiety symptoms. No study had looked at the potential impact of being accompanied by a humanistic coach on the internalized behaviors of youth. Thus, this study opens up the subject for future research.

Underserved youth (e.g., from families facing inadequate housing, food insecurity, financial instability) are disproportionately exposed to traumatic experiences (e.g., family discord or violence, neglect, poverty, racism), which can lead to several negative life-long consequences (e.g., affective and somatic disturbances, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation). Community organizations that target underserved youth may be ideally situated to offset the negative consequences of trauma through leveraging a trauma-sensitive sport model for youth programming. A trauma-sensitive sport model involves a blend of positive youth development approaches (i.e., creating safe environments for youth to experience positive relationships, autonomy, and opportunities to build skills), trauma-sensitive approaches (e.g., considering the potential effects of trauma on youth’s participation and development, and prioritising their needs for safety, voice, empowerment, choice, and collaboration), and program designs that leverage and re-design sporting activities to help youth navigate trauma symptoms, build a social support system, and develop various resilience-related skills (e.g., emotional regulation, decision-making). Little research has examined the implementation and effectiveness of a trauma-sensitive sport model for youth programming in a community setting. Use of this model can contribute to greater capacities of youth sport leaders to promote underserved youth’s healthy participation and development. This dissertation was conducted in partnership with BGC Canada, a national non-profit community organization that serves disadvantaged communities. From 2016-2021, a trauma-sensitive sport model for youth programming was implemented in this organization through the Bounce Back League (BBL) initiative. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the knowledge-to-action processes involved in translating this model in a community program setting. The knowledge-to-action cycle (KTAC; Graham et al., 2006) was used to conceptually guide the studies carried out in this dissertation, in outlining key phases for consideration in translating a trauma-sensitive sport model. While most of these phases are described in this dissertation, the empirical articles focused on assessing four phases of this cycle, which included: (a) assess barriers and facilitators to knowledge use, (b) select, tailor, and implement interventions, (c) monitor knowledge use, and (d) evaluate outcomes. Intrinsic case study methodologies were used to understand community-based knowledge translation processes and outcomes within the case of the BBL initiative. A community-based participatory research approach was used to engage in equitable collaboration between researchers and community members for the development of this initiative. Utilisation-focused evaluation principles were used to work with community members to determine what to evaluate, how to evaluate, and how results would be used. Grounded in a pragmatic paradigm, a mixed methods research design was used to collect data through the initiative, which included individual and group interviews with leaders, leader-reported logbooks, leaders self-reported questionnaires, leaders' assessments of youth's participation, communications on an online messaging platform (Slack), and researchers' observations of training opportunities and leaders' practices. The purpose of Article 1 was to outline the overarching process of integrating a trauma-sensitive sport model within the BBL program, from 2016-2021. Several stages of program development were described, including: (a) collaboratively planning the program; (b) piloting the program to three clubs; (c) adapting the program using pilot insights; (d) expanding the adapted program to ten clubs; and (e) creating opportunities to maintain, sustain, and scale-out practices throughout grant duration and beyond. Lessons learned regarding the leadership team’s experiences in terms of developing, adapting, and integrating a trauma-sensitive sport model for youth programming in this community context were shared. The purpose of Article 2 was to explore factors involved in the implementation of a trauma-sensitive sport model for youth programming in BBL. This article paralleled the KTAC phase of assess barriers and facilitators to knowledge use. A mixed-methods evaluation of the pilot phase of BBL was conducted. Three clubs participated in training, implementation, and evaluation of BBL. The data were collected through interviews, logbooks, and assessments. The quantitative data were interpreted using descriptive statistics and comparative t-tests; the qualitative data were interpreted using thematic and content analyses. The RE-AIM framework was used to categorise the various processes and outcomes involved in program implementation. The results showed that programs reached a large number of youth but struggled to retain youth from season to season. The leaders perceived that the intentional structure of the program, opportunities to practice self-regulation, relationship focus, and life skill focus, were all linked to positive participation in youth members. Components of leaders' training and program delivery were noted as successful, but the sustained benefits of these successes were challenged by leader turnover and funding limitations. In line with the KTAC phases, insights were generated on what works and what does not in facilitating this type of programming in a community setting for underserved youth and helped inform future adaptations to the program as it was rolled out (discussed in Article 1). The purpose of Article 3 was to explore leaders' learning experiences from participating in an initial training workshop and prior to their implementation of programming. This article paralleled the select, tailor, and implement interventions phase and the evaluate outcomes phase of the KTAC model. The value-creation framework was used to explore learning experiences based on the interactions and values that leaders discussed. Participants were leaders who attended initial training workshops. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data through observations, interviews, and self-reported questionnaires. The quantitative data were interpreted using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks Tests; the qualitative data were interpreted using thematic analysis. The results showed that the leaders: (a) valued having a variety of learning opportunities that were relevant to their roles and contexts, (b) appreciated the diverse focus on foundational and practical content, and (c) shared an interest to learn how to support trauma-exposed youth and facilitate better programming. Implications were discussed for the improvement of training opportunities to better meet leaders' needs within a community organization and support leaders' intentions to apply knowledge into action. Article 4 builds on the previous study, where the purpose was to explore leaders' learning experiences as they implemented programming and while they participated in continuing training and development activities. This article also paralleled the select, tailor, and implement interventions phase and the evaluate outcomes phase of the KTAC model. The participants were leaders who were involved in implementing BBL at their clubs. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data through interviews, observations, surveys, and communications on an online messaging platform (Slack). The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, data charting, and non-parametric analyses; the qualitative data were interpreted using thematic analysis. The results indicated that the leaders learned through various interactions throughout their practice (e.g., implementing programs at their homes sites, receiving mentoring, conversations with peers), and discussed gains in applied value (e.g., program facilitation strategies, youth-support skills), realised value (e.g., youth's receptivity and behaviour change), and transformative value (e.g., transfer of leaders' skills, influence on club culture). Implications were discussed for the improvement of training opportunities to promote ongoing social learning and maintenance of program practices. The purpose of Article 5 was to explore the fidelity and quality of leaders' application of a trauma-sensitive sport model to programming. This article paralleled the monitor knowledge use phase of the KTAC model. The promising practices criteria were used as an evaluation framework to categorise dimensions of quality relevant to program effectiveness. Leaders from 11 BBL programs participated. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data through observations, interviews, and logbooks. The quantitative data were interpreted using descriptive statistics; the qualitative data were interpreted using thematic analysis. The results showed that: (a) all programs showed evidence of supportive adult and youth relationships, (b) programs led by trained leaders maintained program fidelity and implemented more features to a stronger extent than untrained leaders, (c) trained leaders may have compromised mastery orientation opportunities in favour of other program components. Implications were discussed related to what may facilitate or constrain program fidelity and quality in this setting, and how training and development opportunities can mitigate challenges in leaders' capacities. This dissertation offered an evaluation of the knowledge-to-action processes involved in integrating a trauma-sensitive sport model into BGC Canada. The results of this dissertation provided insights of how BGC Canada leaders learned and facilitated a trauma-sensitive sport model for youth programming, the differences training and development may contribute to the quality of their program practices, and how involvement in this initiative resulted in changes in leaders' behaviours, skills, and identities, as well as positive youth developmental outcomes. Practical implications were shared on how BGC Canada and similar community organizations can enhance their partnership and facilitate these interventions. As well, the value of taking a systems-based approach to planning future interventions with a trauma-sensitive sport model was also discussed to maximise multi-level impacts. Academic implications were shared on how future research can also take a systems-based approach to evaluating knowledge translation processes in youth sport interventions.

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<p dir="ltr">Higher education is vital for fostering new knowledge and applying existing knowledge for societal and economic advancement. Despite the private and public benefits, college enrollment rates are declining in the United States. Colleges and universities also face a significant demographic cliff in the next decade. Identifying new students for higher education in the United States will be essential for the vitality of higher education institutions and for meeting societal educational needs. Youth-serving organizations often introduce youths to pre-collegiate experiences to advance interest in higher education through a positive youth development framework. Youth-serving organizations must demonstrate impact during a tumultuous time for adolescents. They may rely on short-term impacts to justify resource investment, but youth-serving organizations struggle to capture long-term outcomes due to methodological challenges. Secondary data sources like the National Student Clearinghouse can provide youth-serving organizations an opportunity to examine long-term programmatic outcomes such as college readiness. This study provides the most comprehensive examination of Indiana 4-H and its contribution to college readiness to date. Major findings include that Indiana 4-H high school graduates enroll in postsecondary institutions at a higher rate than the state population across all observed demographics. Recommendations highlight future research and practice needs at national, organizational, and individual levels.</p>

L’adolescence est une période de croissance et de construction de l’identité, mais elle marque aussi l’émergence de diverses difficultés socio-émotionnelles, notamment sous forme de manifestations dépressives ou anxieuses, de retrait social ou d’isolement. Plusieurs interventions visent à diminuer ces manifestations, mais peu le font en mettant l’accent sur le développement des forces des jeunes. Pourtant, plusieurs modèles théoriques soulignent l'importance de soutenir le développement positif des jeunes afin de réduire ces difficultés et de favoriser leur épanouissement. Dans cette optique, les activités parascolaires représenteraient un contexte privilégié. Cette thèse présente une première évaluation des effets et des mécanismes d’action d’Art en tête, un programme parascolaire artistique axé sur les forces et conçu en partenariat à l’intention des jeunes du 2e cycle du secondaire vivant avec des difficultés socio-émotionnelles afin de renforcer leur adaptation psychosociale et scolaire. Le premier article examine les effets d’Art en tête sur l’adaptation psychosociale des jeunes (N=50 ; âge moyen = 15,60 ; 68 % genre féminin) en utilisant un devis quasi expérimental à mesures répétées (pré-programme, post-programme et suivi cinq mois) avec un groupe de comparaison sur liste d’attente. Les résultats d’analyses de régression indiquent que, comparativement à leurs pairs sur liste d’attente (n = 27), les jeunes ayant participé au programme (n = 23) rapportaient significativement moins de symptômes dépressifs au post-programme, ainsi que des niveaux plus élevés d’estime de soi positive, de fonctionnement social et d’auto-efficacité au suivi. Des différences marginalement significatives ont également été observées en faveur du groupe ayant pris part au programme sur l’estime de soi négative et l’auto-efficacité en post-programme, puis sur les symptômes anxieux et dépressifs et le bien-être subjectif au suivi. Les tailles d’effet (entre β = .16 et β = .25) sont comparables ou supérieures à celles compilées dans des méta-analyses récentes d’études évaluant des programmes de promotion et de prévention ciblant les problèmes intériorisés à l’adolescence. Le deuxième article présente une évaluation en méthodes mixtes du déploiement des relations sociales au sein du programme et de leur lien avec les bienfaits perçus de ce dernier. Des indices de relations avec les pairs et avec les adultes, puis de climat relationnel, ont été recueillis par questionnaire au sein d’un sous-échantillon de jeunes participant au programme (n = 18) à la suite de quatre ateliers. Les résultats d’ANOVAS à mesures répétées ont indiqué que le vécu relationnel des jeunes s’est significativement amélioré au fil du programme. L’analyse thématique réalisée sur 18 entrevues individuelles semi-structurées a mis en évidence l’appréciation marquée des jeunes envers les adultes du programme et le développement d’amitiés avec les pairs au sein d’un climat positif. Le vécu relationnel des jeunes a aussi été associé à divers indicateurs de bien-être et d’adaptation psychosociale et scolaire. Ces résultats suggèrent que le programme parascolaire artistique Art en tête soutient l’adaptation psychosociale des jeunes du secondaire présentant des difficultés socio-émotionnelles. Ils soulignent la pertinence et la complémentarité des approches de développement positif dans le continuum de services en santé mentale jeunesse, notamment sous forme d’activités parascolaires à caractère artistique. / Adolescence is a period of intense growth and identity development, but it also marks the onset of various socio-emotional difficulties, particularly in the form of depressive or anxious symptoms, social withdrawal, or isolation. Many interventions aim at reducing these problems, but few do so with a focus on developing youth’s strengths. Yet, several theoretical models emphasize the importance of supporting positive youth development to diminish these difficulties and foster youth flourishing. In this regard, extracurricular activities stand out as an optimal setting. This thesis offers a first assessment of the effects and mechanisms of action of Art in Mind, a strengths-based after-school organized art activity designed in partnership and aimed at enhancing the psychosocial and academic adjustment of upper secondary school students experiencing socio-emotional difficulties. The first article examines the effects of Art in Mind on the psychosocial adjustment of adolescents (N = 50; mean age = 15.60; 68% female) using a quasi-experimental design with repeated measures (pre-program, post-program and 5-month follow-up) and a wait-list comparison group. Results from regression analyses indicated that, compared to their wait-listed peers (n = 27), youth who participated in the program (n = 23) reported significantly fewer depressive symptoms at post-program, and higher levels of positive self-esteem, social functioning and self-efficacy at follow-up. Marginally significant differences in favor of the program group were also observed on negative self-esteem and self-efficacy at post-program, and on anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as subjective well-being at follow-up. Effect sizes (ranging from β = .16 to β = .25) are comparable to or larger than those reported in recent meta-analyses of studies evaluating promotion and prevention programs targeting internalizing problems. The second article presents a mixed-methods assessment of how social relationships unfold within the program and their association with perceived program effects. In a subsample of program participants (n = 18), relationships with peers and with adults, as well as relational climate, were measured with self-reported questionnaires following four workshops and investigated through individual semi-structured post-program interviews. Results from repeated measures ANOVAs showed that youth's relational experiences improved significantly throughout the program. The thematic analysis of the interviews revealed that participants strongly appreciated the program facilitators and developed friendly relationships with peers in an overall positive group climate. These relational experiences were associated with several indicators of well-being and psychosocial and academic adjustment in participants. These results suggest that the after-school organized art activity Art in Mind supports the psychosocial adjustment of high school students with socio-emotional difficulties. They underscore the relevance and complementarity of positive developmental approaches within the continuum of mental health services provided to young people, notably in the form of after-school organized art-based activities.

Youth sport is acknowledged as an ideal setting for promoting positive youth development. In particular, youth sport participation has been linked to life skills development and psychological well-being. The coaching climate has been proposed to play a role in facilitating such positive outcomes. Nonetheless, few measures exist to examine life skills development through sport and it is unclear how positive youth development may be facilitated by the coach. Using existing and newly developed measures, this thesis examined how the coaching climate is related to life skills development and psychological well-being in youth sport participants. Phase 1 of this programme of research investigated Benson and Saito’s (2001) conceptual framework for youth development theory and research within sport. Study 1 examined a model whereby the coaching climate is related to life skills development (personal and social skills, cognitive skills, goal setting, and initiative); which, in turn, is related to participants’ psychological well-being (self-esteem, positive affect, and satisfaction with life). Data from 202 youth sport participants suggested that an autonomy supportive coaching climate was positively related to all four life skills. Further analysis revealed that the development of personal and social skills mediated the relationships between coach autonomy support and all three indices of psychological well-being. However, the validity of the scale used to measure life skills was brought into question during this study. Therefore, the studies which follow developed and validated a new scale which could accurately assess eight key life skills young people learn through sport. Phase 2 of this programme of research involved developing and validating a scale which measures life skills development through sport. Study 2 outlines the initial development of a scale which would assess whether young people learn the following life skills through sport: teamwork, goal setting, time management, emotional skills, interpersonal communication, social skills, leadership, and problem solving and decision making. This study involved defining each of the eight life skills, deciding what components made up each life skill and developing items which could assess each life skill. The initial item pool was reviewed by 39 academics, with between two and seven experts assessing the items for each of the eight life skills. Using the ratings and comments provided by experts, the first version of the Life Skills Scale for Sport (LSSS) was developed. Study 3 reduced the number of items contained within the LSSS from 144 to 47 items using both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and descriptive statistics. For this task, 338 youth sport participants completed the LSSS. EFA results supported the unidimensional factor structure of each of the eight subscales. Each subscale also displayed adequate internal consistency reliability. Study 4 examined the factor structure of the LSSS using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with an independent sample of 223 youth sport participants. After the removal of four emotional skills items, seven of the eight subscales and the revised 43-item scale displayed adequate model fit. Results supported both the convergent and discriminant validity of the LSSS and each of the eight subscales displayed adequate internal consistency reliability. Study 5 assessed the test-retest reliability of the LSSS with an independent sample of 37 youth sport participants. Each participant completed the scale on two occasions which were two weeks apart. Results revealed that time 1 and time 2 scores were relatively unchanged over this two-week period, providing evidence of test-retest reliability. Phase 3 of this programme of research involved re-testing Benson and Saito’s (2001) framework. Study 6 retested the coaching climate – life skills development – psychological well-being model from Study 1 using the LSSS. Data from 326 youth sport participants suggested that an autonomy supportive coaching climate was positively related to young people learning teamwork, goal setting, time management, emotional skills, interpersonal communication, social skills, leadership, and problem solving and decision making. The total amount of life skills a young person developed through sport was positively related to their self-esteem, positive affect and satisfaction with life. Again, the factor structure and reliability of the scale was supported. The findings from this PhD research suggest that the coaching climate plays an important role in young peoples’ development through sport. Specifically, an autonomy supportive coaching climate was positively related to life skills development and psychological well-being in youth sport participants. This thesis also provides researchers with a valid and reliable measure of life skills development through sport. Future research using the LSSS should examine other factors (e.g., peer relationships) which may promote positive youth development through sport. Additionally, future studies can use the LSSS to examine the efficacy of existing programmes (e.g., the SUPER programme) which teach life skills through sport. Such research will help guide coaches and sports programmes efforts to promote positive youth development through sport.

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