As obesity and related diseases become increasingly prevalent, there is a great need for programs for at-risk female adolescents that will encourage physical activity and other healthy behaviors. Enjoyment is one factor that has been associated with exercise participation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a physical activity program on at-risk female adolescents' enjoyment of physical activity. Participants (n= 50) from a residential treatment facility participated in a non-competitive, non-threatening physical activity program for ten weeks. Fifteen of the participants comprised a control group and did not participate in the structured program. Participants completed the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) at the beginning and end of the program. In addition, their exercise heart rates were obtained at each session. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze the PACES scores. Results indicated a significant group by time interaction between the three cottages (p= .002). Further analysis revealed PACES scores increased for one treatment cottage, but decreased for the other treatment cottage and the control group. The mean percent of time participants spent in their target heart rate zone (>140 bpm) was 53.5%. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study aims to explore and describe the Youth Care learner's relational interaction with her educators in order to establish what could enhance this relationship with her educators. The specific focus is on the female Youth Care learners' experiences of this relationship and how they impact on the learners' sense of well-being within a particular Youth Care Centre. The participants for this study consisted of eight female learners from the Youth Care Centre. The research methods which were used are semi-structured interviews with each participant. I also conducted focus groups with educators which resulted in confirmation of data. The analysis of the interview guides' data provided themes which are discussed according to certain categories that emerged in the data produced during the interviews. The study shows that various factors such as lack of empathy, trust, respect and understanding impact on the educator-learner relationship within a Youth Care Centre. These factors directly impact on Youth Care learners' well-being. The study shows that the presence of these factors could be used to decrease the number of Youth Care learners who have sad or hopeless feelings. The Youth Care learners also made suggestions on how this relationship with their educators could be enhanced. Thus, it can be concluded that Youth Care educators who possess superior competency in the different realms of emotional skills have many advantages that lead to mutually satisfying and responsible interpersonal relationships. This research therefore calls for a greater focus on the development of the emotional skills of Youth Care educators, which could lead to better interactions with their learners. I conclude by suggesting that further studies be conducted to assess the emotional skills of Youth Care educators and to determine in which realm they need improvement. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ondersoek is daarop gemik om die aard van die jeugsorgleerder se verhouding met haar opvoeders te eksploreer en te beskryf met die doel om vas te stel wat gedoen kan word ten einde hierdie verhouding te verbeter. Die spesifieke fokus is op hoe jeugsorgleerders hierdie verhoudinge ervaar en die uitwerking daarvan op die leerders se verhouding met en gehegtheid aan hulle opvoeders in 'n besondere Jeugsorgsentrum. Die deelnemers aan die studie was agt vroulike leerders van die Jeugsorgsentrum. Die navorsingsmetodiek het bestaan uit semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude wat op elke deelnemer toegepas is. Opvoeders was ook by fokusgroep besprekings betrokke, wat gelei het tot bevestiging van my data. Data-analise van die vraelyste het die navorser voorsien van temas wat bespreek is volgens kategorieë wat na vore gekom het tydens die proses van dataversameling gedurende die individuele onderhoude. Die ondersoek toon dat 'n verskeidenheid faktore soos gebrek aan empatie, vertroue, respek en begrip 'n beduidende invloed op opvoeder - leerder verhoudinge binne 'n Jeugsorgsentrum uitoefen. Hierdie faktore het 'n direkte invloed op jeugsorgleerders se welsyn. Die ondersoek toon dat die aanwesigheid van hierdie faktore aangewend kan word om die aantal leerders te verminder wat gevoelens van hartseer of hopeloosheid ervaar. Die jeugsorgleerders het ook voorstelle gemaak wat gedoen kan word om hierdie verhoudinge te verbeter. Daar kan dus afgelei word dat dit voordelig is vir opvoeders van Jeugsorgsentrums om oor superieure emosionele vaardighede te beskik, omdat dit wedersyds bevredigende en verantwoordelike interpersoonlike verhoudings tot gevolg het. Hierdie navorsing vra dus vir 'n groter fokus op die ontwikkeling van die emosionele vaardighede van opvoeders, wat kan bydra tot verbeterde verhoudings met hulle leerders. Ten slotte wil ek verdere navorsing op hierdie terrein aanbeveel ten einde die emosionele vaardighede van die opvoeders te bepaal en om vas te stel op watter gebied hulle kan verbeter.

Many youth are able to be successful in the traditional school setting. Large numbers are not successful. Dropout rates are alarming. There is little research that examines the drop out problem from the perspective of the youth. Traditionally programs that are designed to help have been designed by adults. This qualitative study focused on the voices of youth. Participants in this study were male clients aged fifteen to seventeen who were adjudicated and court mandated to receive treatment in a drug treatment center. All of the participants had a history of delinquency and poor academic achievement. They had dropped out of school prior to entering the treatment program. This qualitative study addressed two questions: 1. What are the factors that prevent at-risk youth from being successful in school? 2. What can schools do to help these youth be successful at school? This study provided information about what schools could have done to help these youth be more successful. It also looked at their current academic success in the treatment program as a possible model to help other youth. Five youth volunteered to participate in the study. All interviews were confidential. Interviews were also conducted with a probation officer, program administrator, teacher, and a parent that had a youth in the program in order to triangulate results. The voices of students supported the literature with respect to the factors that contribute to students being at risk for delinquency and dropping out of school. Some of these factors include issues surrounding anger management, academic issues, nurturing at school, family situations, school at a treatment center, hiring teachers, childhood experiences, drug use, obtaining drugs, crime and drugs, treatment programs, dual diagnosis, communication and issues surrounding success and failure. The strength of this qualitative research project lies in the fact that the real voices of students did support the quantitative literature in this field. / Graduation date: 2004

The social and environmental challenges of the coming decades will require that individuals possess environmental literacy: the understanding of natural systems combined with a sense of care for the earth, and the confidence and competency to act on its behalf. At the same time, disengaged youth need education environments that foster belonging and promote affective outcomes. The youth conservation corps model provides a natural context for engaging academically at-risk youth in environmental science education, while fostering connection to nature and student self-efficacy in ways that are experiential, relevant, and relationship-based. The focus of this study was a conservation corps program that integrates habitat restoration fieldwork and environmental science curriculum. The participants of this study were eight high school seniors who participated in the program for credit toward their high school diplomas. Data were collected through both quantitative and qualitative measures. Students completed a pre-test to assess their understanding and application of conceptual knowledge in ecosystem relationships and biodiversity. Upon completion of a six-week curriculum, they completed a post-test assessing knowledge in the same areas, two retrospective pre-post surveys measuring connection to nature and self-efficacy, and a post-evaluation measuring affective outcomes. Individual interviews were conducted in order to provide further insights and to identify elements of the program that contributed to positive outcomes. Results showed statistically significant increases in all outcome areas as well as positive student evaluation of affective outcomes. The outdoor and experiential components of the program were found to contribute most significantly to the positive outcomes.