On Point was informed that the positive results of a randomized control trial (RCT) have been published in The Journal of Adolescent and Family Health. Dr. Chris Horne, associate professor of Public Administration at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, was the independent evaluator of this project and responsible for submitting program findings to the Journal for review.
“Previous research reported a weakening in youth's tendencies toward values and positive self-perception that protect them from risky behaviors, particularly during the middle school years (Scales, Benson, Roehlkepartain, Sesma, and Van Dulmen, 2006). These findings provide evidence that Positive Youth Development approaches, in general, and Life On Point, specifically, can help reverse this propensity by the promotion of pro-social norms, social support, and resistance to risky behaviors. The program’s substantial effects on positive development indicators support broader implementation and evaluation of Life On Point and similar Positive Youth Development programs" (Horne, 2014).
“After 16 years of program development and 11 years of program evaluation, I am elated that The Journal of Adolescent and Family Health published these strong results. Completing a randomized control trial in a school setting requires great cooperation from school administration and staff, parents and youth, the evaluator, funders, and the Life On Point facilitators. We are grateful to all who assisted in this effort, and we look forward to replicating the study to further inform our program development,” stated Amy Pearson, On Point’s Executive Director and Author of Life On Point. Results represent young lives touched, many of whom have remained in On Point’s program. Ms. Pearson also added, “We have the honor of watching them continue to grow into their sparks and find their voices as On Point and our community joins families in walking beside them.” She is reminded of the power of the program from one recent Life On Point graduating senior, “This group has become a family to me and I’ve learned so much. I’m a much stronger person now than I was when I joined several years ago.”
Kimothy Warren, Program Director for the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program for the State of Tennessee, commented on the Life On Point Program, “The Tennessee Department of Health has worked closely with On Point for several risk avoidance education projects. We were pleased to review the program evaluation, which suggests that the Life On Point Program is, indeed, providing students with the life skills and essential assets to successfully achieve their future life goals.” Robert H. (Scott) Maclellan of the R.L. and K.H. Maclellan Foundation stated, “The community has a responsibility to our youth to see that they are educated and grow up with healthy lifestyles. It is exciting to see that our local Life On Point program helps accomplish those goals according to Dr. Christopher Horne’s research and peer reviewed article.”
"Seventy-seven students at an urban public middle school participated in the evaluation during the 2011-2012 academic year. These students were assigned to treatment (n = 39) and control groups (n =38) using random assignment, stratified to balance the groups by sex, race, and grade, with each student having an equal probability of being assigned to either group" (Horne, 2014). Students assigned to the treatment group participated in Life On Point during the fall semester, while the control group participated in programming during the spring, after the trial concluded.
Dr. Horne’s findings were published in The Journal of Adolescent and Family Health on January 13, 2014. To read the article: http://scholar.utc.edu/jafh/vol6/iss1/2/