%0 Journal Article %J J Adolesc Health %D 2012 %T Sustainability of the Communities That Care prevention system by coalitions participating in the Community Youth Development Study. %A Gloppen, Kari M %A Arthur, Michael W %A Hawkins, J D %A Shapiro, Valerie B %K Adolescent %K Adolescent Health Services %K Community Health Services %K Humans %K Interviews as Topic %K Preventive Health Services %K Program Evaluation %K Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic %K United States %X

PURPOSE: Community prevention coalitions are a common strategy to mobilize stakeholders to implement tested and effective prevention programs to promote adolescent health and well-being. This article examines the sustainability of Communities That Care (CTC) coalitions approximately 20 months after study support for the intervention ended.

METHODS: The Community Youth Development Study is a community-randomized trial of the CTC prevention system. Using data from 2007 and 2009 coalition leader interviews, this study reports changes in coalition activities from a period of study support for CTC (2007) to 20 months following the end of study support for CTC (2009), measured by the extent to which coalitions continued to meet specific benchmarks.

RESULTS: Twenty months after study support for CTC implementation ended, 11 of 12 CTC coalitions in the Community Youth Development Study still existed. The 11 remaining coalitions continued to report significantly higher scores on the benchmarks of phases 2 through 5 of the CTC system than did prevention coalitions in the control communities. At the 20-month follow-up, two-thirds of the CTC coalitions reported having a paid staff person.

CONCLUSIONS: This study found that the CTC coalitions maintained a relatively high level of implementation fidelity to the CTC system 20 months after the study support for the intervention ended. However, the downward trend in some of the measured benchmarks indicates that continued high-quality training and technical assistance may be important to ensure that CTC coalitions maintain a science-based approach to prevention, and continue to achieve public health impacts on adolescent health and behavior outcomes.

%B J Adolesc Health %V 51 %P 259-64 %8 2012 Sep %G eng %N 3 %R 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.12.018 %0 Journal Article %J J Adolesc Health %D 2010 %T A review of positive youth development programs that promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health. %A Gavin, Loretta E %A Catalano, Richard F %A David-Ferdon, Corinne %A Gloppen, Kari M %A Markham, Christine M %K Adolescent %K Adolescent Behavior %K Adolescent Development %K Female %K Humans %K Male %K Reproductive Behavior %K Sexual Behavior %X

PURPOSE: Positive youth development (PYD) may be a promising strategy for promoting adolescent health. A systematic review of the published data was conducted to identify and describe PYD programs that improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

METHODS: Eight databases were searched for articles about PYD programs published between 1985 and 2007. Programs included met the following criteria: fostered at least one of 12 PYD goals in multiple socialization domains (i.e., family, school, community) or addressed two or more goals in at least one socialization domain; allocated at least half of the program activities to promoting general PYD outcomes (as compared with a focus on direct sexual health content); included youth younger than 20 years old; and used an experimental or quasi-experimental evaluation design.

RESULTS: Thirty programs met the inclusion criteria, 15 of which had evidence of improving at least one adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcome. Program effects were moderate and well-sustained. Program goals addressed by approximately 50% or more of the effective programs included promoting prosocial bonding, cognitive competence, social competence, emotional competence, belief in the future, and self-determination. Effective programs were significantly more likely than those that did not have an impact to strengthen the school context and to deliver activities in a supportive atmosphere. Effective programs were also more likely to build skills, enhance bonding, strengthen the family, engage youth in real roles and activities, empower youth, communicate expectations, and be stable and relatively long-lasting, although these differences between effective and ineffective programs were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: PYD programs can promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and tested, effective PYD programs should be part of a comprehensive approach to promoting adolescent health. However, more research is needed before a specific list of program characteristics can be viewed as a "recipe" for success.

%B J Adolesc Health %V 46 %P S75-91 %8 2010 Mar %G eng %N 3 Suppl %R 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.11.215