Interventions for At-Risk Adolescents: Self-Esteem and Empowerment as Predictors of Increased Work Effort,

Brad ConnFollow

Document Type

Article

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Publication Date

11-10-2024

Keywords

at-risk youth, work effort, empowerment, self-esteem

Abstract

The principal investigator examined various predictors of change in work effort in at-risk youth that participated in the afterschool program, A World Fit for Kids (WFIT) (N=41). The program assists participants (ages 15-19) in academic achievement, life skills and employment training. Through employment training, participants learn to develop sports coaching skills, which then leads to the responsibility of coaching a latency aged sports team, a paid employment position. The purpose of the study was to see if factors including age, race, gender, intervention program, self-esteem, and empowerment contributed to a change in work effort. Additionally, self-esteem was moderated by empowerment subscales competence and impact on the WFIT participants post work effort. Results show, age, race and gender had no effect on change in work effort; however, intervention of program, empowerment, and competence were shown to be predictors of change in work effort. Additionally, self-esteem, moderated by competence, showed a significant effect on post work effort. These results demonstrate that participating in after school programs along with having s t r o n g l e v e l s o f s e l f - w o r t h a n d assertiveness, as measured by a selfreported Work Effort Scale, increase levels of work-effort. These findings suggest that after-school programs may assist participants in realizing their potential in school and in future employment. Limitations of this study include a small sample size, a non-equivalent control group, and attrition of participants.

Publication Title

Journal of Performance Psychology

Issue

18

First Page

1

Last Page

19

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