Go for the Gold: Relationship Education Program Evaluation. Scholarly Project. Submitted to. The School of Education and Allied Profession of the

Transcription

1 Running Head: GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 1 Go for the Gold: Relationship Education Program Evaluation Scholarly Project Submitted to The School of Education and Allied Profession of the UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree Master of Science in School Counseling By Amanda Jane Grimm UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON Dayton, Ohio April 2011

2 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 2 APPROVED BY: Michelle Hall

3 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 3 Michelle Hall

4 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 4 Abstract Research shows that high school is an invaluable time to teach adolescents healthy relationship skills. This research is designed to evaluate the program, Go for the Gold, a 2 week classroom guidance designed to teach adolescents the skills needed for healthy relationships. Go for the Gold focuses on healthy dating, how to recognize controlling and unhealthy behaviors, smart money skills, conflict resolution skills, and cohabitation and marriage. The evidence gathered here shows a change in opinions among students exposed to the program. This change in attitudes and opinions also remained true across genders. Future research should look to compare those taking this program with those in a control group, unexposed to this material. Keywords: healthy relationships, Go for the Gold, adolescents, relationship skills

5 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 5 Table of Contents Abstract...3 Table of Contents...4 Introduction...6 Definition of Relationship Education...6 Statement of Problem...6 Purpose of Project...6 Organization of Paper...7 Literature Review...8 Importance of Relationship Education in High School...8 Background...10 Curriculum Overview...12 Purpose and Hypothesis...13 Methodology...14 Subjects...14 Procedures...15 Measures...16 Program Evaluation...20 Results...20 Analysis of Pre-Test/Post-Test...20 Feedback from Participants...31 Discussion...35 Limitations and Recommendations...35 Implications for Future Research...36

6 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 6 Conclusion...37 References...38 Appendices...40 Appendix A Pre-Survey...40 Appendix B Post-Survey...42 Appendix C Program Outline...44 Appendix D Teacher Agreement Letter...45

7 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 7 Introduction Go for the Gold! High School Relationship Education Program Evaluation Definition of Relationship Education Relationship education can be found in many forms. At its core relationship education is designed to teach students, whether they are adults or adolescents, the skills needed to develop healthy relationships with other individuals. These skills often include communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, self-awareness, self-esteem and recognition of the difference between healthy and unhealthy behaviors. Relationship education can be taught in a classroom setting, as part of a seminar, in weekend workshops or one on one with a couple. For the purpose of this research we will be examining relationship education taught in high school classrooms by an outside source, through the Go for the Gold program. Statement of the Problem The Go for the Gold program has been taught in various high schools throughout Dayton and surrounding communities since To date, there has been little or no evidence to show the results of this program. Pre and post surveys have been administered to students, collected and compiled. By comparing the results of both the pre and post survey answers we will be able to determine if this program has had an impact upon the attitudes and opinions of Miami Valley high school students, specifically changing their views towards more healthy relationship awareness.

8 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 8 Purpose of Project The purpose of this research is to determine the results of the Go for the Gold program. Because this program was not originally set up with data collection and analysis in mind, the analysis will be limited in scope. Through this initial research I hope to provide evidence that demonstrates the efficacy of the program. Through subsequent research it would be beneficial to study a control group in comparison to those students gaining exposure to the program. It would also be beneficial to perform a longitudinal study examining student behaviors pre and post exposure as well. This research is meant to be the ground work to allow more in-depth evaluation to follow. Organization of Paper Throughout this paper the importance of relationship education will be outlined, specifically focusing on the imperativeness of teaching these skills to teenagers during their high school years. Also, the background and curriculum of the specific program in review, Go for the Gold, will be addressed. This paper will then outline the procedures for surveying students. The paper will then review the demographics of the subjects used. The data collected over three years of program implementation will then be analyzed in order to provide evidence about the impact of this relationship education program on high school students throughout the Miami Valley area. Finally, there are many implications for future research that can be gained from this initial study of the Go for the Gold program, which will be outlined in the discussion section of this paper.

9 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 9 Literature Review Importance of Relationship Education in High School In their publication, Raley, Crissey and Muller (2007) present evidence demonstrating that high school is both an appropriate and an important time to discuss relationships with teenagers and teach them skills for healthy relationships. Through their work they have found that the romantic relationships teenagers engage in during high school do have a significant impact on their decision to marry and the roles they take within their adult relationships. They further discovered a strong link between the healthy or abusive nature of these relationships and the healthy or abusive nature of students future relationships (Raley, Crissey & Muller, 2007). Furthermore, it has been shown that much of an adolescent s well-being can be linked to the quality of the romantic relationship he or she is in. This can go so far as to say that a teenager s self-esteem, level of depression and motivation can all be linked to the quality of the dating relationship one chooses to be in (Joyner & Udry, 2000). As school counselors it is our responsibility to enhance the positive relationship experiences our teenagers have and to lessen the prevalence of negative and abusive relationships teenagers enter into. The statistics pertaining to teenage abuse and dating violence are strikingly high. In 2009 the Center for Disease Control conducted a nationwide survey of middle and high school students. Through their survey they found that about 10% of teenagers reported being physically hurt by their dating partner in the last year (Center for Disease Control, 2009). In addition, Foshee, Lindner and Bauman (1996), researchers studying the Safe Dates project found through their research that one in four teenagers reports being abused by their dating partner in some

10 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 10 way, whether it is physical, verbal, sexual or emotional, each year (Foshee, Lindner, & Bauman, 1996). Because high school dating relationships, a growing number of which have become negative and harmful, can have such a broad impact on both the present and future well-being of our youth, it is important to instruct high school students in ways to form and maintain healthy relationships. Many believe that this is simply a problem where males are perpetrating violence against females and that males need to be taught relationship skills. It may be surprising for some to learn that in mid-adolescence girls perpetrate just as much dating abuse as boys. While the method of abuse may not be the same, with boys tending to do more physical damage and girls tending to take control and manipulate more, the occurrences are generally equal across genders (Wolfe, Scott & Crooks, 2005). In a follow-up study of the Safe Dates project, conducted by Foshee, Bauman, Greene, Koch, Lindner and MacDougall (2000) it was found that 34% of the dating females and 37% of dating males in their study had reported being the victim of violence perpetrated by their dating partner (Foshee, Bauman, Greene, Koch, Lindner & MacDougall, 2000). In this case males reported experiencing abuse more than females. Wolfe (2005) puts forth in his research on adolescent females and their relationships, that there is a growing need for exploration into effective interventions that will prevent and lessen teen dating violence in our nation. He speculates that there needs to be an increase in healthy role models for teenagers, as well as a chance for teens, both males and females, to learn and practice the skills necessary to build and maintain healthy relationships. Finally, he puts forth that this is not something that only a select group of teenagers will benefit from. Rather he believes all teens could utilize relationship skills in creating healthy relationships for themselves and encouraging them for their friends as well (Wolfe et al., 2005).

11 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 11 As Weisz and Black (2009) found, many teens who are in the midst of a violent relationship do not recognize the violence being done to them as serious. They often think that this is normal or is in fact a way that one is showing affection (Weisz & Black, 2009). Not having seen other examples negating this, teens may then continue in relationships of violence, unless informed that these methods are unhealthy. In addition, in order for teens to understand what is not healthy, they must also know what is healthy. Teens should be given the knowledge of a healthy relationship so they can then create their expectations for what is involved in a healthy relationship (Weisz & Black, 2009; Wolfe, et al., 2005) Teenagers not only need to learn the warning signs of what to avoid in relationships but must also learn what skills and attitudes are necessary for creating and maintaining healthy romantic relationships. Background In 2005, Congress passed Senate Bill Part of this bill, known as the Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 was to allocate $500 million over the next 5 years to organizations that would promote healthy marriage in a variety of forms. One such form that an organization could pursue in promoting healthy marriages is to provide education in high schools on the value of marriage, relationship skills and budgeting (Senate Bill 1932, 2005). Elizabeth s New Life Center (ENLC), a local non-profit in Dayton, Ohio applied to be awarded a portion of the grant money from Senate Bill 1932, being handled through the Administration for Children and Families. ENLC received a Healthy Marriage Initiative Grant and opened a grant-funded organization known as Marriage Works! Ohio. It is through Marriage Works! Ohio that the Go for the Gold high school education program was developed and implemented in local schools.

12 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 12 This grant was awarded as a demonstration grant, meaning that Marriage Works! Ohio must demonstrate a program to be used to meet the grant goals. As outlined above, teaching teenagers healthy relationship skills now may decrease abuse and divorce in future generations. In 2007, Gardner and Boellard (2007) reviewed the long term impact of a similar high school relationship course, Connections: Relationships and Marriage, and did in fact find that four years after taking the class, there was a significant change in the behavior from the students who took this class compared to those who did not (Gardner & Boellard, 2007), demonstrating that these types of programs can be successful. Similar programs that have seen success are The Loving Well Project, Love U2: Relationship Smarts, and the above mentioned Connections: Relationships and Marriage (Gardner & Boellard, 2007). These programs, specifically Connections: Relationships and Marriage and Love U2: Increasing your Relationship Smarts, have been studied over a period of time and have been found to have a positive effect on the students exposed to the programs (Gardner, Giese & Parrott, 2004 ; Adler-Baeder, Kerpelman, Schramm, Higginbotham & Paulk, 2007). In addition, The Loving Well Project, which was aimed at limiting the sexual risks taken by 8 th grade students, found that of the students who identified themselves as virgins before the program, 8% of students who participated in the class had sex by the end of their 8 th grade year, compared to the larger 28% of students from the control group who reported having sex before the end of the year (Gardner & Boellard, 2007). Through various studies we hope to demonstrate similar results from Go for the Gold. Go for the Gold, the program developed and implemented by Marriage Works!Ohio and studied in this article, is an eight hour, 10 day curriculum focused on creating healthy

13 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 13 relationships. This is done by focusing on building healthy relationship skills, promoting a positive regard for marriage, teaching students about the warning signs of abusive relationships and effectively learning how to handle conflict and finances in a relationship. This program has been in effect in high schools in its current state since To date, there has been no valid research done demonstrating the value, importance or success of the program. Through this research I hope to provide evidence that this program was successful in reaching high school students throughout the greater Dayton area. Curriculum Overview This study focuses on the current curriculum utilized for the Go for the Gold program, which has undergone various changes before being adapted into the current program. For the purposes of this study, only surveys from students who were exposed to the current eight hour curriculum will be utilized. This curriculum is research-based with credit being given to Boys Town and Dr. Joe S. McIlhaney and Dr. Freda McKissic Bush, authors of Hooked: New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting our Children. The primary author of the curriculum is Terri Harsh. Go for the Gold was taught in various high schools, but was not taught by the normal instructor. Rather the program was taught by a pair of presenters from outside of the school setting. When Turnbull, van Schaik and van Wersch (2010) studied the preferences of high school students regarding relationship education there was an overwhelmingly positive response to having relationship education taught by someone outside of the school system. Teens admitted that they listened more attentively and paid better attention to the material when it was not taught by their teacher or parent. Teens expressed feeling more free from judgment when taught by

14 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 14 someone from outside and also more able to trust the information being taught to them (Turnbull, van Schaik & van Wersch, 2010). The curriculum is designed to be taught in the form of lessons, outlined as days. The curriculum is eight hours long but in order to accommodate the full lesson and both a pre test and post test the program was taught over the course of ten school days in fifty minute sessions each. On Day 1 a pre-survey was given (Appendix A) to gain demographic information and measure students attitudes and opinions prior to exposure. On Day 10 a post-survey (Appendix B) was given to measure the change in opinions and attitudes. In his study of Connections: Relationships and Marriage, Gardner puts forth that it is necessary to perform pre and post test evaluations in order to understand the relevance and importance of relationship education (Gardner et al., 2004). The outline of the material for the 10 day program can be found in Appendix C. The main attitudes being examined in this study are students attitudes toward marriage, students knowledge of financial skills, students attitudes towards unhealthy and risky relationships and students attitudes towards conflict and conflict resolution skills. Purpose and Hypothesis Over the past three years, matched pre and post surveys have been collected from 5,938 subjects. I anticipate using these results to answer several hypotheses. I offer the following hypothesis: there will be a change in attitude and opinions from pre to post survey. This change will also be observable when dealing with students views towards marriage it will be more positive after the program. In addition, after exposure to the program, students will feel more competent with handling conflict, will have a greater understanding of abusive and dangerous

15 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 15 dating scenarios and will develop a greater financial competency following this program. Finally, the results will remain the same across gender sub-groups.

16 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 16 Subjects Methodology The Go for the Gold program was taught in 23 high schools throughout six counties in the greater Dayton area. These counties, Miami, Montgomery, Butler, Greene, Shelby and Warren, have great diversity between them when it comes to race, socio-economic status and urban, suburban and rural settings. Schools were not chosen for participation based on any specific criteria, other than existing within one of the six specified counties. Initially, health teachers and life-skills instructors at the various schools were contacted by members of the Go for the Gold team. The teacher was then sent a preview of the curriculum that would be taught to his her students. The curriculum covers three mandatory standards in Ohio s Health curriculum relationship skills, abusive relationships and finances. The teacher would then review the materials and notify Marriage Works! Ohio if he or she felt that they would like to participate in the program. The teacher would then be asked to sign the attached paperwork (Appendix D) allowing the team of presenters to come to the class on the specified dates. A total of 5,937 high school students completed both the pre and post surveys. Over 8,000 students were exposed to the program but only those who completed both a pre and post survey were utilized. Those that were excluded were left out because there was not a matched pair.

17 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 17 Of the sample of 5,937 students 51.4% were female and 48% were male, with.6% leaving this question blank. For race, students were only able to select one option. Of the sample, 73.4% were Caucasian, 13.3% were African American, 3.5% were biracial, 2.7% were Hispanic, 0.1% were Native American, 1.3% were Asian American and 5.3% identified themselves as Other. The average age for students in the sample population was 15.6 years old. The ages of those students exposed to the program ranged from 13 years old to 18 years old. Throughout this program, 33.6% of the students exposed were 9 th grade students. 40.3% were 10 th grade students. 11.9% were 11 th grade students and 13.8% were 12 th grade students. In Ohio, high school students are required to have taken health by their 11 th grade year and are required to pass health order to graduate from high school. Finally, within this set of participants, 57.6% report never having sexual intercourse. 31.9% report having sex and that it was their choice and 10.1% chose no comment as an answer to this question. Of those who reported having sex, the average age at which a student had sex the first time was 14.6 years old, within a range from 11 years old to 16 years old. Procedures While this program was taught by two co-presenters, the procedure followed for gathering data consisted of a separate individual, specifically trained, administering the pre survey on day 1 and the post survey on day 10. Having the pre and post survey administered by someone other than the presenters allows for any presenter bias to be negated. This allows students to more honestly evaluate the program and their learning rather than feel pressure to impress the presenters.

18 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 18 Before the program was taught, every student in the class was given a PDA, with a specific number, on which the survey was contained. Each class was numbered as well as each PDA, allowing for the students answers to remain anonymous. The survey administrator kept track of which number PDA each student was assigned so as to be able to return the same number for the post survey. Following the post survey this listing was destroyed, allowing all answers to be completely anonymous. Students were then instructed as to how to use the PDA to take the survey. They were also notified that this survey is optional and that it is their choice as to whether or not to take the survey. Some students did choose not to complete the survey, but there are no exact numbers kept on the amount who did this. Students were also informed that no one would be able to read these answers or identify whose PDA was whose and were also informed that some questions were very personal. For this reason, students were instructed that if they felt more comfortable skipping a question that was possible as well. The following procedure was followed for the post test, immediately following the lessons for day 10. Any student who was not present to take the pre test did not take the post test, so as to allow for matched sets of data to be gathered. Pre and post test data was then collected, matched and compared by percentage of student answers to determine if there was a change in student answers from pre to post survey. Measures The pre and post surveys (Appendix B & C) administered, assessed student demographics, students future plans, students relationship beliefs, student behavior, students thoughts on risky behaviors, students conflict beliefs and students beliefs on money and

19 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 19 spending. These measures were developed by members of Marriage Works! Ohio in order to determine if there was any change from pre to post survey. For the purpose of this research the survey responses of pre and post were compared based on percentages of answers. In addition, this questionnaire was translated into a Likert scale survey. Because these measures were not designed for statistical analysis some of the questions can be confusing and misleading. In order to use the Likert scale each answer selection is coded with a corresponding value. This questionnaire is primarily a 4 measure survey, with answers ranging from Agree a Lot = 4 in a standard question and = 1 in a reversal question, Agree a Little = 3 in a standard question and =2 in a reversal question, Disagree a Little = 2 in a standard question and =3 in a reversal question and Disagree a Lot = 1 in a standard question and = 4 in a reversal question. Answers left blank received a score of 0. Reversal questions are those written in the negative, attempting to ensure participants are thoroughly reading the questions. For future research the measures should all be written with 5 measurs, the middle choice reflecting a neutral option. When using a Likert scale, if a participant does not have a neutral option he or she will often either leave the question blank or feel forced to pick either agree or disagree with the options given, which can sometimes lead one to disagree out of frustration (Thorndike, 2005). In addition, in future research studies, the survey questions should be analyzed by a team of researchers to determine their validity and accuracy of measurement. Once the data set was transferred to a Likert scoring the data became more accessible to analysis. Data was analyzed as a full program, scoring each participant s full pre-survey in comparison to full post-survey. Data was also analyzed in various topical matters as well. These topics include: students attitudes towards marriage, students views on risky behaviors, students attitudes towards conflict and resolution, students views on premarital sex and

20 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 20 cohabitation and students views towards responsible financial management. For the purpose of this research the areas of attitude towards marriage, views on risky and abusive behaviors, attitudes toward conflict and views towards responsible financial management will be reviewed. Students attitudes toward marriage. An essential part of the Healthy Marriage Initiative Grant was for a program to improve students attitudes towards marriage, making them more positive. 4 questions were combined to assess this change. Each question was answered on a 4 point scale from Agree a Lot to Disagree a Lot. Sample questions include: Married people live longer than single or divorced people. I want to be married at some point in my life. Marriage is a good thing. Married couples, who don t cheat, say they are more satisfied with their sex lives than cohabiters (people living together). Possible scores range from 4 to 16. Students views on risky behaviors. In light of the increase in risky and abusive teenage relationships this program worked to improve student knowledge of abuse and attitudes towards asking for help. 3 questions were used to assess this change. Each was answered on a 4 point scale from Agree a Lot to Disagree a Lot. One question was written as a reversal question. Sample questions include: Drinking alcohol, either before or while on a date, is a risky behavior. It would be difficult to say no if the person I was dating wanted me to have sex. I could talk to my parent or guardian if I felt threatened in a relationship. Possible scores range from 3 to 12. Students attitudes toward conflict and resolution. An important element of the grant was also to teach students conflict resolution skills and knowledge of healthy ways to handle conflict. In addition, students were to learn the importance of resolving conflicts in their relationships. Five questions were used to assess learning and growth in this area. All were graded on a 4 point

21 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 21 scale, four of which measured Agree a Lot to Disagree a Lot and the final one measured 4 distinct answers on a rate of most to least correct. Three questions were written as reversal questions. Sample questions include: Conflict in a relationship can be good. An apology can solve any argument. If a friend betrays me I should still trust them. It is important for me to know how to calm the strong emotions I sometimes feel when I am in an argument. What is the best way to tell if a relationship is going to last? Answer possibilities with their corresponding scoring for the last question were: Having money (1), Having sex (2), Resolving problems (4) and Loving each other (3). Possible scores range from 5 to 20. Students views toward responsible financial management. The government grant stressed that any program implemented would seek to improve students awareness of financial responsibility. For that purpose three questions were included which focused on financial knowledge and awareness. These three questions were written on a four point scale, ranging from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. Two questions were written as reversals. Sample questions include: In my purchases, I can tell the difference between the things I really need and the things I just want. I can save money by making the minimum payment on a credit card. Using credit cards is the best way for me to buy the things I want. Possible scores range from 3 to 12.

22 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 22 Program Evaluation Results Analyzing the data collected over the past three years provides evidence that the Go for the Gold program did make an impact on the students exposed to it. For the overall program as well as each of the categories, attitudes toward marriage, views toward risky and abusive situations, views toward conflict and resolution and attitudes toward responsible financial habits, students average scores rose on the post-survey compared to the pre-survey. This means that in each situation students views moved from less healthy to more healthy after being exposed to Go for the Gold. This also holds true across genders, as both the scores of females and males, when analyzed separately, also moved from less healthy to more healthy. For every category the females experienced a greater amount of change towards a healthier attitude. When looking at the separate categories the strongest changes took place in students views toward marriage and their attitudes toward conflict and resolution. While not as profound of a change took place for views towards risky and abusive behavior and views towards responsible financial management, a small change did take place. The following analysis breaks down the results as they apply to each distinct category. Analysis of Pre-Test/Post-Test Full program

23 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 23 When analyzing the results of the full program there was a change in student opinions and attitudes from pre-survey to post-survey. The overall score that demonstrated complete agreement with Go for the Gold healthy relationship standards, taking reversal questions in consideration, was an 89. After taking the pre-test the average score for all students was After taking the post-test the overall average was There was a change of points towards the healthy standards following the post test. This demonstrates that the Go for the Gold program did elicit a change in the attitudes and opinions of those who attended the program. The p score for this data was less than.0001, demonstrating that this change is statistically significant. Figure 1 (below) highlights the change in scores for the overall program, each separate attitude and as they apply to males and females. Furthermore, when broken down by gender, the average female score on the pre-test was and the average post-test score was 71.70, demonstrating an average change of towards healthier attitudes. For males, the average score on the pre-test was and the average post-test score was This shows a change of points towards healthier attitudes. The p score for both sets of data was less than.0001, demonstrating that both the male and female changes are statistically significant. Both the male and female results are in line with the average change that occurred.

24 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 24 Students attitudes toward marriage When analyzing the four questions dealing with students attitudes towards marriage the mean score, out of a possible 16, for pre-test attitudes was The post-test average score was 13.70, demonstrating a change of This demonstrates that there was a change towards having more positive attitudes towards marriage. The p score for this data was less than.0001, demonstrating that this change is statistically significant. When broken down by gender, the average female score on the pre-test was and the Figure 1: Changes in Mean in Distinct Areas, overall and across genders. average female score on the post-test was 13.78, demonstrating a change of These results show that the change in female opinion towards a more positive view of marriage was congruent with the overall change that took place. The average male score on the pre-test was and the average male score on the post-test was 13.68, demonstrating a change of The p score for both sets of data was less than.0001, demonstrating that both the male and female changes are statistically significant. Both males and females experienced a change towards a more positive view of marriage.

25 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 25 Attitudes toward Marriage 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Disagree a lot Disagree a little Agree a little Agree a lot Figure 2: Attitudes toward Marriage When looking at the four questions separately there is also significant change present. Figure 2 (above) demonstrates the change from negative to positive attitudes, highlighting the four specific questions in focus. For both wanting to get married and agreeing that marriage is a good thing, a high percentage of students already held a positive attitude towards marriage. Interestingly, 95.3% of participants were in agreement (either by selecting agree a lot or agree a little) with wanting to one day marry on the pre test but 94.7 % were in agreement after the posttest. This reflects a small change, showing that the percentage in agreement actually lessened, but those who chose agree a lot increased at a greater rate. As far as students who agreed that marriage is a good thing, 94.7% of students were in agreement on the pre-test and 96.3% were in agreement on the post-test, demonstrating a positive change in the attitudes towards marriage. On the pre-test 48.1% of students were in agreement

26 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 26 that married people live longer, while on the post-test 72.3% of students were in agreement. Finally, when looking at the question of married people who do not cheat having a better sex life, on the pre-test 75.4% of students were in agreement, while on the post-test 85.6% were in agreement. All of these changes demonstrate a positive change towards a more positive view of marriage. Students views on risky behaviors. When analyzing the three questions dealing with students views towards risky and abusive situations the mean score, out of a possible 12, for pre-test views was The post-test average score was 9.82, demonstrating a change of This demonstrates that there was a change from less healthy views toward risky and abusive behaviors to more healthy. The p score for this data was less than.0001, demonstrating that this change is statistically significant. The change was not as drastic or pronounced as the change towards a more positive view of marriage, but a positive change did occur. When broken down by gender, the average female score on the pre-test was 9.95 and the average female score on the post-test was 10.34, demonstrating a change of The average male score on the pre-test was 8.94 and the average male score on the post-test was 9.27, demonstrating a change of The p score for both sets of data was less than.0001, demonstrating that both the male and female changes are statistically significant. Both males and females experienced a change towards a healthier awareness of risk and abuse in dating relationships. These results show that both the change in female opinion and male opinion towards a healthier awareness of risky and abusive situations were congruent with the overall change that took place, across genders.

27 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 27 Views towards Risky and Abusive Situations 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Disagree a lot Disagree a little Agree a little Agree a lot Drinking Pre Drinking Post Say No Pre Say No Post Talk to parent pre Talk to parent post Figure 3: Views towards Risky and Abusive Situations When looking at the three questions separately there is also significant change present. Figure 3 (above) demonstrates the change from negative to positive attitudes, highlighting the three specific questions in focus. For knowing that drinking before or while on a date can be risky, 86.8% of students were in agreement with this statement on the pre-test. This demonstrates that a high percentage of students had a strong awareness of this risk. After the post-test, 92.4% of students were in agreement with this statement, showing an increase of 5.6% in the amount of students who can recognize the risk involved with drinking alcohol while on a date. The next question, analyzing a student s personal view of their ability to stand up for themselves in a risky situation, was written as a reversal. On the pre-test 62.9% of students believed it would not be difficult to say no to their dating partner if he or she wanted to have sex. By the post-test 64% of students thought it would not be difficult. While this is not a large

28 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 28 change this does demonstrate that a higher percentage of students believed they could speak up for themselves in a dangerous or pressuring situation, after exposure to this program. Finally, when looking at a student s ability to ask for help in a risky situation, specifically by speaking to one s parents, 79.9% of students, on the pre-test were in agreement that they could speak to a parent about their concerns. In comparison, 82.8% of students felt that they could talk to a parent after being exposed to this program. This is very important, as Weisz and Black (2009) found in their study of teens seeking help while in abusive situations, it is rare for an adolescent to talk to a parent about their relationship concerns, especially when abuse is involved (Weisz & Black, 2009). To increase a student s comfort in seeking help from parents is a change toward a more positive and healthier awareness of relationships and abuse and may possibly impact that teenager s safety. Students attitudes toward conflict and resolution. One goal of the program was for students to understand the importance of conflict in leading towards growth and furthermore to understand appropriate and healthy ways to solve a conflict. Figure 4 (below) illustrates that an increased percentage of students did understand the importance of conflict in a relationship, as it is necessary to work through a conflict in order to resolve a problem. On the pre-test only 35% of students believed that resolving problems was the best way to tell if a relationship is going to last, but after taking the post-test 71% believed that resolving problems was essential in a relationship being able to last.

29 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION % 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Resolving problems What is the best way to tell if a relationship is going to last? Loving each other Having sex Having money Pre test Post test Figure 4: Best way to tell if a relationship is going to last When analyzing the five questions dealing with students attitudes toward conflict and resolution, the mean score, out of a possible 20, for pre-test attitudes was The post-test average score was 16.55, demonstrating a change of This demonstrates that there was a change from less healthy attitudes toward conflict to more healthy. The p score for this data was less than.0001, demonstrating that this change is statistically significant. This was one of the more highly pronounced changes in mean. When broken down by gender, the average female score on the pre-test was and the average female score on the post-test was 16.91, demonstrating a change of The average male score on the pre-test was and the average male score on the post-test was 16.17, demonstrating a change of The p score for both sets of data was less than.0001, demonstrating that both the male and female changes are statistically significant. Both males and females experienced a change towards a healthier awareness of conflict and resolution, but

30 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 30 the female participants experienced a greater overall increase in their awareness. These results show that both the change in female opinion and male opinion towards a healthier awareness of conflict were congruent with the overall change that took place, across genders. When looking at the four remaining questions from this category separately, there is also significant change present. Figure 5 (below) demonstrates the change from less healthy to more healthy attitudes towards the importance of conflict and healthy resolution, highlighting the four remaining questions in focus. On the pre-test, 66.6% of students agreed that some conflict in a relationship can be a good thing. After exposure to the program 83% of students believed that some conflict can be a good thing. Being able to recognize the importance of working through differences is very important in a relationship. The increase by 17% of students who recognized that conflict can be good demonstrates a change towards a healthier and less avoidant attitude and awareness towards conflict. The next question, analyzing a student s view towards true conflict resolution, was written as a reversal. This question asked students to agree or disagree with the statement, an apology can solve any argument, which is unhealthy when no resolution has occurred. On the pre-test 68.2% of students disagreed with this statement, demonstrating their knowledge that resolution is important in addition to an apology. On the post-test 73.1% of students disagreed with the idea that an apology can solve any argument. This demonstrates a change towards a healthier attitude towards resolving arguments when they occur.

31 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 31 Attitudes toward conflict 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Disagree a lot Disagree a little Agree a little Agree a lot Figure 5: Students views toward effective conflict resolution The next question was also written as a reversal, analyzing a student s response to betrayal from a friend. The question is written, If a friend betrays me, I should still trust them. 80.1% of students were in disagreement with this statement, meaning they believed they should no longer trust that friend, which shows that a student has learned from the betrayal and is protecting him or herself, which is a healthy response. On the post-test 79.4% of students were in disagreement with this statement. For this question there is a change from more healthy to less healthy. But the question is vague and could be confusing to a student, as there is no time line as to when they would trust the friend again, whether it be in a day or a year, which could impact a student s answer. Finally, this section analyzes students awareness of the importance of calming his or her emotions when in an argument. On the pre-test, 91.8% of students agreed that it is important to

32 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 32 know how to calm one s emotions when in an argument, which is a healthy practice and awareness to have. On the post-test 93.3% of students agreed that knowing how to calm one s emotions is important. This demonstrates a change towards a healthier awareness of how to respond when in a disagreement or situation of conflict. Students views toward financial responsibility The final section of importance for this analysis is the students awareness of financial responsibility and student s demonstrating attitudes toward healthy financial decision making. When analyzing the three questions dealing with students attitudes healthy financial decision making, the mean score, out of a possible 12, for pre-test attitudes was The post-test average score was 9.96, demonstrating a change of This demonstrates that there was a change from less healthy attitudes toward finances to more healthy, although it was not a very pronounced change. The p score for this data was less than.0001, demonstrating that this change is statistically significant. When broken down by gender, the average female score on the pre-test was 9.83 and the average female score on the post-test was 10.08, demonstrating a change of The average male score on the pre-test was 9.75 and the average male score on the post-test was 9.84, demonstrating a change of The p score for the female data was less than.0001 and the p score for the male data was 0.017, demonstrating that both the male and female changes are statistically significant. Both males and females experienced a change towards a healthier awareness of financial responsibility, but the female participants experienced a greater overall increase in their awareness. These results show that both the change in female opinion and male

33 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 33 opinion towards a healthier awareness of financial responsibility were congruent with the overall change that took place, across genders. Financial Responsibility 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Purchases Pre Purchases Post Minimum Payment Pre Minimum Payment Post Credit Cards Pre Credit Cards Post Disagree a lot Disagree a little Agree a little Agree a lot Figure 6: Students views towards financial responsibility When looking at the three questions from this category separately, there is also significant change present. Figure 6 (above) demonstrates the change from less healthy to more healthy attitudes towards financial responsibility, highlighting the three questions in focus. On the pre-test, 93.3% of students agreed that in their purchases they can tell the difference between the things they want and those they need. This demonstrates a healthy awareness of their financial decisions. On the post-test 94% of students agreed that they could tell the difference in their purchases. While there were a high percentage of students with financial awareness on the pre-test the amount of students with that same awareness did increase on the post-test, but not by a large amount.

34 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 34 The next question, analyzing a student s knowledge of credit cards and healthy ways to use them, was written as a reversal. This question asked students to agree or disagree with the statement, I can save money by making the minimum payment on a credit card, which is not a responsible way to manage one s finances. On the pre-test 66.7% of students disagreed with this statement, demonstrating their knowledge that it is important to pay more than the minimum payment on a credit card. On the post-test 68.7% of students disagreed with this statement, demonstrating an increase in their awareness of responsible financial decision-making. The final question on this section was also written as a reversal, as it asks students to agree or disagree with the statement, Using credit cards is the best way for me to buy the things I want, which is also an irresponsible financial mindset. On the pre-test 85.1% of students were in disagreement with this statement, showing that they did not believe credit cards to be the best way to buy the things they wanted. On the post-test this number increased to 85.9%. This was not a large increase but does show an increase in students views toward responsible money management. Feedback from Participants Full program The post-survey ends with students evaluation of their learning. 72.8% of students believed that they learned a lot in this program. 67.3% rated the program excellent and 87.4% felt that they had learned enough knowledge and skills to be able to have a healthy relationship. In order to truly assess if this were because of the program, this question should have also been included on the pre-survey as well. This addition would help researchers to determine how confident students felt prior to the program in comparison to the confidence level at the end of

35 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 35 the program. In addition to survey results, students often provide written feedback as to how this program has impacted their lives. The following statements are a small collection of impact stories gathered over the past 3 years. Positive view toward marriage Speaking to a changing and more positive attitude towards marriage, a student at Beavercreek High School wrote, Before this program, I was not even considering getting married. I have seen my parents fight my whole life, and I decided that I did not want that. Thank you for showing me that I can build a healthy relationship. Also, a student from Stivers high school wrote, I feel like I learned that too many people accept things that are less than love, and they don t realize that true love is possible. So it s like they take what they can get, and I don t want to do that! I learned ways to find someone who I ll have a successful marriage with. Views on risky behaviors Speaking to a changing view towards abusive and risky situations students gave powerful feedback. A student from Sidney high school wrote, I learned that abuse needs to stop. And I need to stop hitting my girlfriend. Also, a student from Stivers high school wrote, My boyfriend was really abusive but I guess I was just oblivious to it before. So I dumped him. And if I ever miss him, I can always just pull out that brochure on abuse and mentally check off everything on the list and remember how bad he was. Finally, one student from Hamilton high school was able to help his mother to recognize the abuse in her own relationship. This student wrote, The part about controlling relationships really hit home because my mom was currently in a controlling relationship. They broke up maybe a week before this program started. I took that pamphlet

36 GO FOR THE GOLD RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION 36 paper (Date Violence Brochure) to her. Then she took it and every single one of those boxes (indicating you are in an abusive relationship) was checked. That s when she realized she was in a bad relationship. Thanks. Attitude toward conflict and resolution Several students addressed the impact this program had on their views toward conflict and conflict resolution. One student from Hamilton wrote, From this program I ve learned that I need to be more open and that I need to learn how to deal with conflict. I have always been more passive and ignored the problem. But now I realize that I need to be more assertive, and I am going to work on it. In addition, a student from Northridge high school wrote, This program made an impact on me by showing and explaining how a real relationship should be, and how to resolve problems to keep a healthy relationship. I would recommend this program to all my friends so it would make an impact on their life like mine because this program has saved my relationship with my girlfriend as we read parts of the book every time I come over as we feel we can try to do these things. Life-changing impact Finally, two stories of impact showed a striking impact from this program. Students are given hotline numbers to call if they were ever in a dangerous or life-threatening situation. One student from Hamilton high school wrote, I want to thank you very much for giving the hotline numbers out. Without those numbers and your help a 7 th grader would have taken his own life. Thank you. In addition, a student from Lebanon high school wrote, This is how this program helped me and my friend. My friend wanted to kill herself last night. She told me and I spent 4+ hours talking to her. Through the things Go for the Gold taught me and the book, I was able to