Objective outcome evaluation of the project P.A.T.H.S. : longitudinal study based on indicators of positive youth development

To assess the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S., eight waves of data were collected from students of 19 experimental schools (N = 2,850 at Wave 8) and 24 control schools (N = 3,640 at Wave 8). At each wave, students responded to measures of positive youth development indexed by the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale. Results showed that participants who joined the program and perceived the program to be beneficial showed better growth rate in positive youth development as compared to the control participants. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale could basically assess 15 aspects of positive youth development, including bonding, resilience, cognitive competence, social competence, emotional competence, behavioral competence, moral competence, self-determination, self-efficacy, clear and positive identity, spirituality, beliefs in the future, prosocial norms, prosocial involvement, and recognition for positive behavior.