OVERVIEW

The Woodrock Youth Development Project (WYDP)-- initiated in 1991 in Pennsylvania-- was a comprehensive, multi-component program designed to reduce alcohol, tobacco, and drug use among at-risk elementary and middle school minority students. Program components include social skills and drug resistance training, mentoring, regular meetings with teachers, home visits and parenting classes. Experimental evaluations indicate that participation in the program decreased drug use, and improved race relations and school attendance.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: At-risk elementary and middle school minority students

The Woodrock Youth Development Project (WYDP) initiated in 1991 in Pennsylvania was a comprehensive, multi-component program designed to reduce alcohol, tobacco, and drug use among at-risk elementary and middle school minority students. The program's approach incorporated educating participants about substance use, changing norms about substance use, as well as promoting problem-solving, coping, and refusal skills, and "improving self-perception by increasing academic achievement and fostering a sense of cultural pride" (LoSciuto, Freeman, Harrington, Altman, & Lanphear, 1997, abstract). WYDP program components included social skill and competence training, and drug-resistance training, peer mentoring, extracurricular activities (clubs, retreats), regular meetings with teachers (goal-setting, progress checks), home visits to participants' families, and parenting classes. The program is also designed to improve attitudes about racial/ethnic diversity.

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM
 

LoSciuto, L., Freeman, M. A., Harrington, E., Altman, B., & Lanphear, A. (1997). An outcome evaluation of the Woodrock Youth Development Project. Journal of Early Adolescence, 17(1), 51-66.

LoSciuto, L., Hilbert, S. M., Fox, M. M., Porcellini, L., & Lanphear, A. (1999). A two-year evaluation of the Woodrock Youth Development Project. Journal of Early Adolescence, 19(4), 488-507.

Evaluated population: 718 (244 experimental, 474 control) 6- to 14-year-olds in four Philadelphia schools, from two different cohort years. (Original study sample was 822, before attrition.) The sample was half female, 45% Latino, 19% white, 12% African American, 10% Asian, and 2% American Indian. Control and experimental groups had similar scores on all measured characteristics.

Approach: For the experimental evaluation, schools in four Philadelphia cities were randomized to control or experimental conditions.

Results: An interim evaluation showed that participation in the program led to reductions in drug use for all ages, as well as increases in self-esteem and interracial relations for younger participants (6-9 years old). This two-year evaluation indicated that participation in Woodrock Youth Development led to significantly lower levels of lifetime and past month drug use, improved reported race-relations, and increased school attendance.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

References:

LoSciuto, L., Freeman, M. A., Harrington, E., Altman, B., & Lanphear, A. (1997). An outcome evaluation of the Woodrock Youth Development Project. Journal of Early Adolescence, 17(1), 51-66.

LoSciuto, L., Hilbert, S. M., Fox, M. M., Porcellini, L., & Lanphear, A. (1999). A two-year evaluation of the Woodrock Youth Development Project. Journal of Early Adolescence, 19(4), 488-507.

Website: www.woodrock.org

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 6-14 / Program age ranges in the Guide: 6-11, 12-14

Program components: home visiting, mentoring/tutoring, parent or family component, school-based

Measured outcomes: education and cognitive development, social and emotional health, behavioral problems

Program information last updated 3/16/07

© Child Trends 2003