This
was an in-depth qualitative study aimed at understanding
development in youth programs. We collected intensive data
from youth, from adult leaders, and from participant observation
in 12 high quality youth programs. The research generated a grounded
theory on how developmental processes occur and what
adult leaders do to support them.
We surveyed a large representative sample of
high school juniors about their experiences in youth development
programs, including extracurricular activities and
community-based programs. The objective was to determine how
often adolescents report these different categories of
developmental experiences across types of programs, types of
adolescents, and lower and higher SES communities.
