VIRGINIA ADOLESCENT RESILIENCY ASSESSMENT V.A.R.A.

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VIRGINIA ADOLESCENT RESILIENCY ASSESSMENTV.A.R.A.

• Angela J. Huebner, Ph.D.
• Assistant Professor Extension Specialist

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PURPOSE

• Examines community specific risk and protective
  factors
• Uses results to inform local positive youth
  development programming efforts.
• Builds collaboration between local communities,
  county extension and University.

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THEORETICAL BASE

• 1) Bronfenbrenners Ecological Model
• -Person-Process-Context Model
• 2) Community-Based Action Research
• Stephen Small, U. of Wisconsin
• 3) Theories
• --Double ABC-X Model (McCubbin 1981)
• --Social Control Theory (Hirschi, 1969
  Gottfredson Hirshi, 1990)

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COMMUNITY-BASED ACTION RESEARCH (SMALL, 1995)
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PARTICIPANTS

• 7th-12th grade students
• Whole classroom design
• Survey is coded by classroom only
• Anonymous individual responses
• Voluntary participation
• School board approval

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METHOD SURVEY DESIGN

• Community (C.) discusses local youth issues of
  interest
• Dr Huebner provided survey template of questions.
  (range 140-170)
• C. reviewed survey questions to determine which
  would be appropriate for their community.
• C. adjusted language of questions to reflect
  local slang (e.g. black tans are local brand
  of cigarillos).
• Dr. Huebner formatted questionnaire and sent to
  CIT for copying and administration.
• Scantron sheets are provided by testing center.

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MEASURES

• demographics
• health care
• how youth spend their time
• student worries
• tobacco, alcohol drug use
• diet exercise
• connection to family friends
• peer pressure
• parental monitoring

• parent-youth communication
• parental expectations
• community expectations
• school connection
• sexual behavior
• depression suicide
• delinquent behaviors
• self-esteem scale
• locus of control

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SURVEY IMPLEMENTATION

• Teachers implement surveys in classrooms.
• Purpose of survey will be described students
  will have option not to complete
• Local mental health resource card will be
  distributed with each survey booklet
• Teacher is available to answer questions during
  survey administration
• Students put completed survey into a sealed
  slotted box.
• Surveys returned to Dr. Huebner

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DATA CLEANING

• Surveys are examined for out-of-range-responses
  and patterned answers.
• Invalid surveys are removed
• Remaining surveys are forwarded to VT Test
  Scoring Services

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IMPACT

• Community receives formal report and executive
  summary of data which will be shared with
  community and school.
• Community can use the information to inform local
  positive youth development efforts.
• VCE will continue involvement of identifying
  potential programs, implementation and
  evaluation.
• Specific evaluations are dependent on targeted
  program area.

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For more information

• Contact
• Dr. Angela Huebner
• Northern Virginia Center
• 7054 Haycock Road, Rm. 461
• Falls Church, VA 22043
• [phone]
• ahuebner_at_vt.edu