“I Think I'll Do Good”: Hopeful Future Expectations and Critical Reflection in Oppressed Youth

Critical consciousness (CC) and hopeful future expectations (HFE) are believed to promote positive development in youth who face structural inequalities (Callina et al., 2014; Heberle et al., 2020; Mcwhirter & McWhirter, 2008). Although both CC and HFE hold promise for enhancing the positive development of oppressed youth, gaps in the literature leave unanswered questions about the processes through which these constructs might promote versus inhibit youth thriving. Specifically, despite CC’s promise of liberation and contribution to thriving, progression through the necessary benchmarks (critical reflection, action, and motivation) remains scantily understood and is not guaranteed to result in a thriving young person. Additionally, no literature considers the mutual associations between CC and HFE or the impact personal and contextual factors might have on the aforementioned associations. This study used a mixed-methods approach to examine the associations between CC and HFE and the impact of developmentally related moderators on the aforementioned associations. The study used secondary data collected as part of an evaluation of the Boys Hope Girls Hope (BHGH) Academy programs at six sites around the U.S. In the first (quantitative) strand, I analyzed survey data from a sample of 282 youth of color from low-income households who were members of the BHGH program. In the second (qualitative) strand of analysis, I analyzed interview data from a subset of the sample (n = 61). In line with the life course perspective that frames this study, findings suggest personal and contextual factors do play a role in the associations between CC and HFE. In particular, results raise concerns about promoting CC, specifically its subcomponent, critical reflection, in early adolescence. Additionally, findings suggest a complex relationship between critical reflection and U.S. meritocratic systems such that increased reflection appears to motivate youth toward action that perpetuate systems of inequality rather than actions to dismantle them. Better understanding the associations between critical reflection and hopeful future expectations adds to the growing literature on whether and how promoting critical consciousness skills in adolescent populations is useful. This information is helpful in the design of programs and interventions geared toward increasing critical consciousness in poor youth of color

4-S Positive Youth Development in Latin America: Professional Schools in Costa Rica

As youth development programs established in the United States expand globally, researchers must evaluate their impacts in diverse contexts. The work described in this article established a baseline for assessing the impact of a 4-S youth program at professional technical high schools in Costa Rica. The 4-S program is equivalent to 4-H in English-speaking countries. Results indicate that members of the 4-S program exhibited significantly higher levels of positive youth development than youths in the comparison group (p \u3c .001). We consider how these findings speak to the importance of promoting programs such as 4-S, and we conclude by discussing the implications of this work for practitioners

Flux: Insights into the Social Aspects of Life Transitions

Life transitions are often conceptualized and studied as individual experiences. But in reality, transitions are rarely individual: they are relational. We offer a set of insights into the social aspects of transitions. Transitions are experienced with and alongside others in states of interdependence. Family and other relationships can be key sources of support for transitions but also create risks. Changes in the transition patterns of cohorts are fertile ground for intergenerational tension in families and societies. Much of the action relevant to understanding life transitions is also found in the mind, in processes related to inequality, and in invisible forces related to history, demography, and institutions. Illustrations reinforce the principle that to understand the personal, we must look beyond the personal. Because transitions have strong social aspects, they can be strengthened through interventions, institutions, and policies

Flying Under the Radar : An Exploratory Assessment of Portland’s Burmese Refugee Parent Needs

War and persecution have devastating consequences, and the United States (U.S.) has a time-honored commitment to providing refuge to those most afflicted. Over the last four decades, the U.S. has provided sanctuary to more than 3.2 million refugees through its resettlement programs (U.S. Department of State, 2015a). Burma’s long-standing civil war has made it one of the major contributors to the U.S. resettled refugee population (South & Jolliffe, 2015; U.S. Department of State, 2015a; 2016d, n.d.-a). Because of the vast differences between U.S. and Burmese people and their lived experiences, Burmese refugees as a group are potentially more vulnerable to resettlement-related stressors. The stressors of resettlement are especially amplified for refugee parents (e.g., Berry, 2005; Dumbrill, 2009; Renzaho & Vignievic, 2011). Refugee parents face challenges that go beyond the difficulties faced by non-refugee, native parents, in part because refugee parents are faced with increased familial conflict as a result of resettlement challenges (Atwell, Gifford, &McDonald-Wilmsen, 2009; Reed, Fazel, Jones, Panter-Brick, & Stein, 2012). The purpose of this study is therefore to identify the needs of Portland’s Burmese refugee parents, both from the perspective of Burmese refugee parents and the perspectives of Portland-based social service providers. Using a life course perspective, the main research questions of this study are: (a) What are the most prevalent Burmese refugee parent needs, as perceived by Burmese refugee parents? (b) Do these perceived needs vary based on refugee participant age? (c) What are the needs of Burmese refugee parents according to U.S. social systems representatives? This study uses primary and secondary data in the form of in-depth, one-on-one interviews gathered between 2015 and 2017. Burmese refugee parents (N = 32) and local social service providers (N= 10) shared stories and experiences reflecting challenges and needs faced by refugees living in the Portland metro area. Social service providers shared stories from a professional perspective. Each provider was a representative from one of five social domains namely, education, employment, health care, safety and security, and social networks. Overall, the findings of this study highlight the fact that Burmese refugee parents and social service providers view the needs of the Burmese refugee community differently. Most notable are differences between the relative importance of what refugees need in theory versus in practice. Findings also suggest there are differences in the needs of Burmese refugees based on age, such that indicate there is a need for programs designed with age in mind. The information gathered from social service representatives in this study can be used by various organizations in the design of resettlement programs that work to effectively fulfill U.S. commitments to refugees

Revisiting the Utility of Retrospective Pre-Post Designs: The Need for Mixed-Method Pilot Data

The retrospective pre-post design affords many benefits to program staff and, accordingly, has piqued renewed interest among applied program evaluators. In particular, the field has witnessed increasing application of a post-program-only data collection strategy in which only posttest and retrospective pretest data are collected. A post-program-only assessment strategy takes considerably less time than is required for collecting pre-program data and presumably has the added benefit of eliminating the impact of response-shift bias. Response-shift bias occurs when the knowledge, skills, or experiences participants gain through program participation leads them to interpret questionnaire items in a qualitatively different manner at pretest versus posttest. In this article, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses associated with administering retrospective pretest assessments and underscore the importance of thoroughly evaluating any application of a retrospective measurement strategy prior to its broader implementation. We provide a practical illustration of this evaluation process using a mixed-method study that assesses one measure of parenting education program effectiveness—the Parenting Skills Ladder.24 month embargo; available online 9 July 2018This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]