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How do I work this? A mixed‐methods evaluation of relationship education for high school youth
Ist Teil von
Family relations, 2024-02, Vol.73 (1), p.340-358
Ort / Verlag
Hoboken, USA: Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Erscheinungsjahr
2024
Quelle
Wiley-Blackwell subscription journals
Beschreibungen/Notizen
Objective
Guided by social exchange theory, we used mixed methods to examine youth romantic relationship concerns, perceived gains from a relationship education curriculum, and the extent to which the curriculum addressed adolescents' concerns.
Background
Adolescents' relationships influence the health of their future romantic relationships. Relationship education is increasingly offered to youth in the United States, but few studies examine how well these programs address youth concerns.
Methods
Phenomenological content analysis was used to analyze short‐response qualitative data (n = 267) about romantic relationship concerns (pretest) and programmatic gains (posttest). Themes were then compared to examine how well the curriculum addressed youth concerns. Quantitative pretest–posttest outcomes were also examined among a larger sample (n = 9,130). Complementarity was used to consider qualitative and quantitative findings together.
Results
Participants' pretest concerns included relationship knowledge (i.e., how, with whom, and when to have a relationship), and relationship risks (e.g., cheating, coercion). Posttest themes suggested that program content largely addressed participants' concerns (i.e., increased knowledge, ability to discern healthy and unhealthy relationships). Quantitative analyses yielded significant changes in four measures of participant attitudes pretest to posttest, with increased relationship knowledge and healthier attitudes.
Conclusions
Youth perceived that relationship education gave them tools that addressed their stated concerns; quantitative data suggest the program had its intended effect.
Implications
Youth relationship education is a positive preventative intervention.