The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide school administrators with effective programs that are successful in lessening high-risk behaviors among students. Qualitative research methodology was used to collect data through personal interviews and document analysis. The sample population consisted of five senior high school principals administering in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
The research questions investigated key components included in senior high school prevention programs to address high-risk behaviors among students. The methods and indicators of success utilized to determine the effectiveness of the high schools prevention programs were also examined.
As a result of the study, it was found that all of the senior high schools implement preventative and reactive programs to address drug, alcohol and tobacco use and violent activity among students. Specific programs to reduce sexual activity among students were only implemented in one of the five senior high schools participating in this study. Key components included in the programming efforts to reduce high-risk behaviors include increasing student academic achievement, engaging students in their school community, strategies to develop restraint and resistance skills, conflict resolution skills and efforts to build meaningful student-adult relationships.
Only one school objectively measures its programs effectiveness in reducing high-risk behaviors among students. The remainder of the schools utilize subjective evaluations to support the effectiveness of the programming efforts.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PITT/oai:PITTETD:etd-04072006-121213 |
| Date | 19 April 2006 |
| Creators | Teppert, Georgia R. |
| Contributors | Dr. Susan Goodwin, Dr. Richard K. Seckinger, Dr. Joseph Werlininch, Dr. Charlene Trovato, Dr. William Stavisky |
| Publisher | University of Pittsburgh |
| Source Sets | University of Pittsburgh |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-04072006-121213/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Pittsburgh or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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