Empowering adolescent girls: application of an empowerment program in rural Manitoba

This study examined the impact of an in-school empowerment program on adolescent girls in rural Manitoba. In this mixed methods research study, the sample, grade seven girls from four rural schools, participated in an eight-lesson empowerment program over three to five months. The Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale was used as the standardized instrument in gathering quantitative data. Participant interviews and program materials were used to gather qualitative data. The research results support the effectiveness of the empowerment program for adolescent girls. The quantitative data suggest a positive impact of the empowerment program with evident increases in test scores in global self-concept, and across the Social, Competence, Affect, Academic, Family, and Physical domains. The qualitative data also support the empowerment program, with both participants and counsellors perceiving the empowerment program as a positive experience with evident benefits to participants, and recommending the program to other adolescent girls.Includes bibliographical references (pages 96-104). "A thesis presented to the Faculty of Education, Brandon University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education.