By: Samantha Chapman and Stephanie McNeal

THE INFLUENCE OF CHARACTER

DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION ON ADOLESCENT

BEHAVIOR

The research conducted in this study specifically examines how adolescents self-evaluate their behavior through the use of the “Positive Youth Development Inventory” (PYDI).

 The researchers goal with this topic is to evaluate to what extent character development education aff ects adolescent behaviors

WHAT DOES THIS RESEARCH EXAMINE?

Character education is not a single approach model, but instead is a term that covers a multitude of various

eff orts aimed to teach various qualities such as empathy, responsibility, and civic virtues.

(Gibson, 2009)

WHAT IS CHARACTER EDUCATION?

Approximately 1.5 million adolescents ranging from 12 to 18 years old reported being victimized by violence while in school (Jeong & Lee, 2013).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012)

conducted a Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey nationwide on adolescents in America to identify what behaviors they participated in. This nationwide survey revealed that the amount of violent behaviors, substance use, and the early initiation of engaging in sexual activity are now occurring at problematic levels for American youth (Acock et al., 2009).

When individuals are initiated into these risky behaviors at a young age, they are at an increased risk of continual engagement in these behaviors during adolescent and adult years (Acock et al., 2009).

IS THE LACK OF POSITIVE CHARACTER A PROBLEM?

R1: To what extent does character development education affect adolescent behaviors?

R2: Is there a correlation between the behaviors of adolescents who attend religious activities regularly and a positive self-evaluation of their own behaviors?

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

O1: To assess the adolescent’s perception on his or her own behavior through the use of self-evaluations through the “Positive Youth Development Inventory” survey.

O2: To assess areas where improvements need to be made in current character development education.

O3: To provide an opportunity for increased self-awareness of adolescents.

O4: To provide an increased awareness about the eff ects character development education has on adolescent behaviors.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

H1: Character development education positively affects adolescent behaviors.

H2: There is a direct positive correlation between participants who attend religious activities regularly, and those who identify with a positive self-evaluation of their own behaviors.

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Two Theoretical bases

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, developed by Albert Bandura in 1963.

Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development created in 1929.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

(Ashford & Lecroy, 2010)

Collect data from 25 diff erent participants male or female Participants needed to be adolescents between the ages of

11-15 Participants needed to be classifi ed in either the 7 t h or 8 t h

grade. Participants would complete seven demographic questions

and 55 survey questions from the “Positive Youth Development Inventory” (PYDI)

Maximum completion time is an estimated ten minutes Recruitment of participants through involvement in faith-

based organizations located within Erath County Completed surveys were to be placed in a secured box to

ensure anonymity and confi dentiality Incentives were to be provided to encourage survey

completion

ORIGINAL METHODS AND RESEARCH DESIGN

Also know as the PYDI

Created by Oregon State University in 2012

Consists of 55 survey questions

Participants rank their responses using a likert scale of 1 to 4

POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT INVENTORY

(Arnold, Nott, & Meinhold, 2012)

Collect data from 10 diff erent participants male or female

Participants were not required to meet previous criteria

Participants did have to reside in Erath County Participants completed seven demographic questions

and 55 survey questions from the “Positive Youth Development Inventory” (PYDI)

Completion time stayed the same as the original research design.

Recruitment of participants through volunteering Completed mock surveys were kept in a secure folder

and were turned into the primary researcherNo incentives were provided to participants

MOCK METHODS AND RESEARCH DESIGN

IRB approval was received on November 21, 2014

The type of research design utilized in this quantitative study was a correlational research design.

The researchers expected to find a negative correlation between variable A, character development education, and variable B, negative adolescent behaviors.

The researchers also expected to find a positive correlation between variable C, behaviors of adolescents who attend religious activities regularly, and variable D, a positive self-evaluation from those adolescents of their behaviors.

ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

Out of the 100% (n=10) of the part ic ipants surveyed part ic ipants sel f- ident ifi ed:

Gender 70% (n=7) female, and 30% (n=3) maleEthnic i ty 70% (n=7) Caucas ian, 20% (n=2) Afr ican American, and 10% (n=1) Hispanic .L iv ing Si tuat ion 30% (n=3) ident ifi ed l iv ing wi th someone other than thei r mother, father,

s tepparent, and s ib l ings. 30% (n=3) d isc losed l iv ing only wi th thei r mother. 30% (n=3) revealed l iv ing wi th thei r mother, father, and s ib l ings. 10% (n=1) d isc losed l iv ing only wi th thei r s ib l ings.

Rel ig ious involvement 60% (n=6) d isc losed part ic ipat ion regular ly in re l ig ious act iv i ty , 20% (n=2)

d isc losed never part ic ipat ing, and 20% (n=2) d isc losed part ic ipat ing sometimesElementary Enro l lment 60% (n=6) attended a publ ic e lementary school in Erath County, whi le 40% (n=4)

d id not. Current Res idence 100% (n=10) of the part ic ipants ident ifi ed as current ly res id ing in Erath County.

The following results are mock results because they came from mock data due to the delayed approval of the IRB.

ANALYSIS AND RESULTS CONTINUED

R1: To what extent does character development education aff ect adolescent behaviors?

Researchers identified 30 questions that acted as behavioral red flags if responded to negatively.These questions were concerned with self-esteem,

empathy for others, willingness to reach out to other individuals, and overall responsibility for their actions.

Examples of questions that were not concerning the individuals character and were not “red flags” are

- “I feel I am a good athlete” - “I am a creative person”

Of the 30 “red flag” questions only 20% (n=2) of participants who were enrolled in public elementary school in Erath county responded in a negative manner.

RESEARCH QUESTION 1 RESULTS

R2: Is there a correlation between the behaviors of adolescents who attend religious activities regularly and a positive self-evaluation of their own behaviors?

Using the “red flag” method, we found that 100% (n=10) of the individuals who attended religious activities regularly gave positive self-evaluations.

RESEARCH QUESTION 2 RESULTS

O1: To assess the adolescent’s perception on his or her own behavior through the use of self-evaluations through the “Positive Youth Development Inventory” survey.

O2: To assess areas where improvements need to be made in current character development education.

O3: To provide an opportunity for increased self-awareness of adolescents.

O4: To provide an increased awareness about the eff ects character development education has on adolescent behaviors.

Objective two was not met

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES RESULTS

H1: Character development education positively aff ects adolescent behaviors.

Hypothesis one is supported by the mock results.

H2: There is a direct positive correlation between participants who attend religious activities regularly, and those who identify with a positive self-evaluation of their own behaviors.

Hypothesis two is supported by the mock results.

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Strengths In depth literature reviews Strong theoretical basis Utilization of legitimate

objective PYDI survey Clear and measurable

objectives Clear and measurable

hypothesis Confi dentiality was kept

for all participants

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS

Limitations

Lack of IRB approval prior to

the completion of the

research

Mock data was used

Mock data was not collected

from pre-specifi ed target

group

There was a lack in diversity

of participants ethnically in

the mock data overall

The PYDI survey allowed

participants to self-evaluate

The research’s risk of harm toward participants was minimal to nonexistent

No physical or mental harm administered to anyone who participated in the completion of the survey

Ethically the benefit of identifying the eff ects of character education outweighed the cost of the minimal to nonexistent risks toward participants.

Researchers withheld the professional, ethical standards of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) while conducting this research.

NASW code of ethic 1.07 (a) expands on privacy and confidentiality stating, “Social workers should not solicit private information from clients unless it is essential to providing services or conducting social work evaluation or research.”

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

(NASW, 2000, p. 10)

The researchers believe that an individual’s character has an aff ect on the individual personally. For example the individual’s character could impact the individual’s self-esteem, peer relationships, and self-image. The lack of such character would also have the same eff ects. Individuals who receive character education can have a positive impact on the micro level with not only themselves, but with fellow individuals. The research conducted assisted the micro level by advocating for an increase in character education by providing the public with literature on the matter, and conducting data that reveals the infl uence such education has on the behaviors of individuals as a whole, which increases an individual’s opportunity to receive character education. Additionally, this research provided participants with the opportunity for increased self-awareness pertaining to their own personal behaviors and character.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK: MICRO

On the mezzo level the research can assist in educating various school districts about the implications of character education, and the eff ects the education has on individuals as they age. By providing school districts with this education classrooms could begin to include additional character education curriculum in the students coursework over all grade levels. This in turn could have a positive eff ect on student’s homes, families, peer groups, schools, and classrooms specifically.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK: MEZZO

Pertaining to the macro level, Erath County could begin a community wide outreach to better the character of themselves and others. A social worker could begin advocating for increased community awareness about character education that could be done in the homes and school systems through involvement in school board meetings, town hall meetings, city council meetings, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, and any other community events. The increased awareness and betterment of the community could in turn spark other community’s interests to participate in the same tasks. Ultimately, communities could unite together to advocate for legislation that would require the school systems to provide character education in curriculum in order to reach students who are not being reached through their homes, or other outlets.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK: MACRO

We each collected 5 surveys from diff erent individuals to collect the mock data.

We wrote all drafts together, and our fi nal paper together.

We corresponded in person, over the phone, and online throughout the entire research project.

The data entry was completed together in person.

This PowerPoint presentation was also completed together in person.

All meetings with the Writing Center were attending together, as well as meeting with Dr. Hall.

THE GROUP

Acock, A., Beets, M.W., Burns, K., Durlak, J . , DPhil, Flay, B.R., Washburn, I . J (2009). Use of a social and character development program to prevent substance use, violent behaviors, and sexual activity among elementary-school students in Hawaii. American Journal of Public Health , 99(8), 1438-1445.Arnold, M. E., Nott, B. D. & Meinhold, J . L. (2012). The Positive Youth

Development Inventory (PYDI). Corvall is, OR: Oregon State University 4-H Youth Development Program.Ashford, J . B., & Lecroy, C. W. (2010). Human behavior in the social

environment: A multidimensional perspective (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.Gibson, A. (2009). The infl uence of character education on students and staff development in an educational setting (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/305017627/A9671A1A79554189PQ/1?accountid=7078Jeong, S., Lee, B.H. (2013). A multi level examination of peer victimization and bullying preventions in schools. Journal of Criminology,2013(1), 1-10. doi:10.1155/2013/735397.National Association of Social Workers. (2000). NASW Code of Ethics .

Washington, DC: NASW.

REFERENCES