Abstract
Background
HealthWise South Africa: Life Skills for Adolescents (HW) is an evidence-based substance use and sexual risk prevention program
that emphasizes the positive use of leisure time. Since 2000, this program has evolved from pilot testing through an efficacy
trial involving over 7,000 youth in the Cape Town area. Beginning in 2011, through 2015, we are undertaking a new study that
expands HW to all schools in the Metro South Education District.
that emphasizes the positive use of leisure time. Since 2000, this program has evolved from pilot testing through an efficacy
trial involving over 7,000 youth in the Cape Town area. Beginning in 2011, through 2015, we are undertaking a new study that
expands HW to all schools in the Metro South Education District.
Objective
This paper describes a research study designed in partnership with our South African collaborators that examines three factors
hypothesized to affect the quality and fidelity of HW implementation: enhanced teacher training; teacher support, structure
and supervision; and enhanced school environment.
hypothesized to affect the quality and fidelity of HW implementation: enhanced teacher training; teacher support, structure
and supervision; and enhanced school environment.
Methods
Teachers and students from 56 schools in the Cape Town area will participate in this study. Teacher observations are the primary
means of collecting data on factors affecting implementation quality. These factors address the practical concerns of teachers
and schools related to likelihood of use and cost-effectiveness, and are hypothesized to be “active ingredients” related to
high-quality program implementation in real-world settings. An innovative factorial experimental design was chosen to enable
estimation of the individual effect of each of the three factors.
means of collecting data on factors affecting implementation quality. These factors address the practical concerns of teachers
and schools related to likelihood of use and cost-effectiveness, and are hypothesized to be “active ingredients” related to
high-quality program implementation in real-world settings. An innovative factorial experimental design was chosen to enable
estimation of the individual effect of each of the three factors.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-18
- DOI 10.1007/s10566-011-9164-4
- Authors
- Linda L. Caldwell, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Edward A. Smith, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Linda M. Collins, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- John W. Graham, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Mary Lai, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Lisa Wegner, The University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
- Tania Vergnani, The University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
- Catherine Matthews, The University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Joachim Jacobs, The University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
- Journal Child and Youth Care Forum
- Online ISSN 1573-3319
- Print ISSN 1053-1890