Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113761

Marlene J. Berg, MUP, Institute for Community Research, 2 Hartford Sq. West - Suite 100, Hartford, CT 06106, 860-278-2044, marlene.berg@icrweb.org and Gary J. Burkholder, PHD, School of Psychology, Walden University, 155 Fifth Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55401.

This session provides an overview of how the Youth Action Research for Prevention (YARP) R&D project of the Institute for Community Research translates youth development and prevention theory into practice through intervention and assessment. YARP aims to decrease and delay the incidence of substance use and associated risks, and to increase school bonding and positive peer norms among low-income, urban adolescents through the conduct of youth-led, adult-supported community based participatory action research for risk prevention. Youth are trained in action research methods as a means of strengthening their inquiry and critical thinking skills and improving their understanding of sexual, alcohol, drug and other health risks. Through engagement in the action research process, youth examine issues from an eco-critical perspective, engage in making positive changes in their communities, and build support networks of young people and adults. In this presentation we will: 1) illustrate how theoretical constructs and science-based principals of prevention are transformed into a research and demonstration project; 2) describe how quantitative and qualitative instruments are designed to measure the efficacy of the intervention, document fidelity and understand factors that effect outcomes; 3) present initial research findings on final and mediating outcomes, and 4) suggest next steps in how to move from research and development to a best practice model.

Learning Objectives:

• Develop an understanding of how to deconstruct and operationalize theory into measurable constructs.
• Learn how to translate theory into day-to-day program operations.
• Articulate the steps necessary to move from theory to practice to assessment to best practice.

Keywords: Participatory Action Research, Intervention

Related Web page: www.incommunityresearch.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation