OVERVIEW

Across Ages is a positive youth development, mentoring, and community service program designed to curtail substance use in high-risk children.  Variations of the program with and without a mentoring component have been evaluated with school-age children in Philadelphia and Massachusetts .  Participation in the program with the mentoring component was shown to result in lower levels of problem behavior and alcohol use, reduced likelihood of initiation of marijuana use, more positive social skills, more involvement with community service, more positive attitudes toward school, the future, and older people, and improved school attendance.  However, many impacts dissipated within six months after program end.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: High-risk school-age children

Across Ages is a school-based multi-component program designed to curtail substance use in high-risk children.  Variations of the program with and without a mentoring component have been evaluated with school-age children in Philadelphia and Massachusetts . 

Components of the program include mentoring, positive youth development, and community service.  Older adults (55 and older), go through a rigorous selection process, and then are matched with students with the goal of increasing knowledge and reducing the prevalence of substance abuse.  Mentors and mentees are expected to meet for at least four hours per week.  Aside from mentoring provided by older adults, students also provided services for frail elders and were given school-based life skills training (Positive Youth Development Curriculum; Weissberg, Caplan, & Bennetto, 1988).  Mentors also interacted with parents, thus acting as models, during weekend workshops with the students.   

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

LoSciuto, L., Rajala, A., Townsend, T.N., & Taylor, A.S. (1996). An outcome evaluation of Across Ages: An intergenerational mentoring approach to drug prevention. Journal of Adolescent Research, 11, 116-129.

Evaluated population: 562 sixth-graders from mainly low-income families living in Philadelphia

Objective:
To evaluate the effectiveness of mentoring, teaching a life skills curriculum, and being exposed to community service learning in delaying, curtailing, or preventing substance use
Measurement instrument:
Examined program's effects on 11 youth development constructs, including social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral competencies, bonding, resiliency, self-efficacy, recognition for positive behavior, positive identity, opportunities for positive social involvement, and positive social norms
Evaluation:
Type: Experimental-2 experimental groups and 1 control group (Positive Youth Development Curriculum/community service/parent workshop; Positive Youth Development Curriculum/community service/parent workshop/mentoring; and youth in the control group. Randomized pretest and post-test).
Statistical techniques: ANCOVAs and ANOVA comparing two groups at a time. Significance level < .05.
Outcome:
Mentoring group had increased positive attitudes regarding school, the future, and older people; increased knowledge about older people; improved reactions to situations involving drug use; and higher rates of community service. Participation also significantly improved school attendance. The Positive Youth Development Curriculum/community service/parent workshop strategy improved participants' knowledge about older people. Mentor involvement was positively associated with improved attendance at school.

Aseltine, R., Dupre, M., & Lamlein, P. (2000). Mentoring as a drug prevention strategy: An evaluation of Across Ages. Adolescent and Family Health, 1, 11-20.

Evaluated population: Approximately 400 sixth-graders living in Massachusetts

Objective:
To assess whether the various elements of the program were effective in improving student outcomes in four areas: personal and social resources, school performance, problem behavior, including substance use, and attitudes toward the elderly.
Measurement instrument:
Self-control, self-confidence, cooperation, family bonding, school bonding, absences from school, grades, alcohol use, marijuana use, problem behavior, attitudes toward ATOD use, attitudes toward helping others, and attitudes toward the elderly
Evaluation:
Type: experimental (mentor/curriculum/community service condition, curriculum/community service condition, and control condition); randomized pre-test, post-test seven to eight months after assignment, and six months after program ends.
Statistical techniques: t-tests (of estimates controlling for background characteristics)
Outcome:
Mentoring group had significantly lower levels of problem behavior and alcohol use and significantly higher levels of self-control, cooperation, attachment to school and family, school absences, and attitudes towards the elderly and helping as compared with the control group. Levels of self-control, school bonding and problem behavior for mentored youth were significantly different from both the control group and a group who received other program components not including mentoring. Six-month follow-up data revealed a lack of persistence in the program effects with the exception of cooperation, and evidence that mentoring reduces future initiation of marijuana use.
Other information:
District chosen was 40th in nation for poverty.
Approximately 72% of district were minorities, and 77% met the requirements for low income.
Attrition rates were low: More than 90% of those who completed the pre-test also completed the post-test. However, many students who did not complete the pre-test interview could be characterized as very needy students - those who were chronically absent from school, were kicked out for behavioral difficulties, or failed to meet academic requirements.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

Link to program curriculum: http://templecil.org/Acrossageshome.htm#Anchor-Publication-47518 

References:

Aseltine, R., Dupre, M., & Lamlein, P. (2000). Mentoring as a drug prevention strategy: An evaluation of Across Ages. Adolescent and Family Health, 1, 11-20.

LoSciuto, L., Rajala, A., Townsend, T.N., & Taylor, A.S. (1996). An outcome evaluation of Across Ages: An intergenerational mentoring approach to drug prevention. Journal of Adolescent Research, 11, 116-129.

Weissberg, R. P., Caplan, M. Z., & Bennetto, L. (1988). The Yale-New Haven Social Problem-Solving Program for young adolescents. New Haven , CT : Yale University , Department of Psychology.

Program also discussed in the following Child Trends publication(s):

Michelson, E., Zaff, J. F., & Hair, E. (2002). Civic engagement programs and youth development: A synthesis. Washington, DC: Child Trends.

Zaff, J. F., & Calkins, J. (2001). Background for community-level work on mental health and externalizing disorders in adolescence: Reviewing the literature on contributing factors. Washington, DC: Child Trends.

Zaff, J. F., Calkins, J., Bridges, L. J., & Margie, N. (2002). Promoting positive mental and emotional health in teens: Some lessons from research (Research brief). Washington , DC : Child Trends. 

SUMMARY & CATEGORIZATION

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 6^th-graders / Program age ranges in the Guide: 12-14

Program components: Mentoring/tutoring, School-based, Service/vocational, Parent/family

Measured outcomes: Citizenship, Behavioral problems, Social/emotional

Program information last updated 3/15/07

© Child Trends 2003