ERIC Number: EJ958410
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-May
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0090-4392
EISSN: N/A
Gender Differences in the Relational Health of Youth Participating in a Social Competency Program
Liang, Belle; Tracy, Allison; Kenny, Maureen; Brogan, Deirdre
Journal of Community Psychology, v36 n4 p499-514 May 2008
This study is designed to explore the effects of previous participation in Open Circle: Social Competency Program (SCP) on the relational health of 153 Caucasian middle school students who reported having recent and consecutive exposure to the program in elementary school. SCP is designed to foster social skills among children that enable them to communicate better, work out conflicts, and build stronger relationships. Our study shows a consistent pattern of evidence that sustained participation in SCP during elementary school encourages the development of quality relationships with peer friends, mentors, and communities among boys as they start into their middle school years. This pattern is not as consistent among girls, who tend to develop relationships of relatively high quality (e.g., those characterized by authenticity, mutual engagement, empowerment, and the ability to deal with differences within the relationship in a way that fosters growth) even in the absence of or minimal participation in SCP. (Contains 4 tables, 3 figures, and 1 footnote.)
Descriptors: Evidence, Middle School Students, Gender Differences, Interpersonal Competence, Interpersonal Relationship, Children, Conflict, Empowerment, Student Participation, White Students, Elementary Education, Peer Relationship, Mentors, Program Effectiveness, Youth Programs
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A