Measuring youth empowerment: validation of a Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth in an urban community context

Abstract

Sociopolitical control (SPC) is generally considered to be a vital element of the intrapersonal component of psychological empowerment, despite contradictory findings concerning the dimensionality of the construct when applied to a youth population. This study tested the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y), which was designed to represent the two hypothesized dimensions of leadership competence and policy control, using data from a sample of urban youth (n 5 865) located in the northeastern United States. Results indicated that the hypothesized 2-factor model provided an adequate model-to-data fit, and that this model was a significantly better fit to the data than the 1-factor model. Further analysis showed that SPC profile groups differed significantly on measures of community and school participation, neighborhood attachment, perceived school importance, and drug use. Findings provide empirical support for the validity of the SPCS-Y and its underlying

Conceptualizing and Measuring Youth–Adult Partnership in Community Programs: A Cross National Study

“…Recent research, however, suggests that the increased item complexity resulting from this practice can confuse youth respondents, causing them to misunderstand an item or answer differently than they would to positively worded statements (Barnette 1996(Barnette , 2000. As a result, researchers in youth-related fields have called for the abandonment of the use of negatively worded items in the design of their measures (Peterson et al 2011). Following this line of reasoning, we included only positively-worded items in the Y-AP measure out of concern with how youth from highly disparate cultures would interpret negativelyworded items.…”

“…Items (e.g., ''I generally accomplish what I set out to do;'' I have a positive attitude about myself'') were answered using a five-point Likert-type scale from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. Empowerment (a = .73) was assessed using an eight-item scale adaptation of the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (Peterson et al 2011). Respondents answered items (e.g., ''I would rather have a leadership role when I'm involved in a group project;'' ''My opinion is important because it could someday make a difference in my community or school'') using a five-point Likert-type scale ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strong Agree.…”

Training Of Social Educator As Organizer Of Social Activity Of Adolescents

“…These qualities of the adult leader of the "natural" groupings attract teenagers and range it to a special type of caregiver. The peculiar position of the adult, whom the children choose as their mentor, tutor and voluntarily follow his advices, experience and behaviors, is an essential educational characteristic of a new type of educator (Peterson, et al, 2011;Zeldin, Christens, Powers, 2013).…”

“…In educational socialization of the children's association the researchers (Anderson-Butcher, Newsome, Ferrari, 2003;Akiva, Cortina, Jacquelynne, Eccles, Smith, 2013;Peterson, et al, 2011) visualize the possibility and the necessity "to see the child as he is", understand his needs and interests in the natural environment of activities of the children community (and not through some artificial tests, quests, trainings), shape and develop this community taking into account the data on the actual children (Selivanova, & Belyaev, 2014;Anderson-Butcher, Newsome, Ferrari, 2003;Blanchet-Cohen, Brunson, 2014;Peterson, et al, 2011).…”

“…Freinet, "the functional environment" which starts with filling the children's community with essential life values combined with the everyday realities and is manifested in timely pedagogical support of its individual members in their complicated problem life situations, in shaping the environment that becomes a factor for development for the child (Zeldin, Christens, Powers, 2013) The rearing activities of the social educator focus at his civic position (Peterson, et al, 2011;Zeldin, Christens, Powers, 2013).…”