title: Translating theory into practice: results of a 2-year trial for the LEAD programme.
abstract: This paper presents data for 2 years of a continuing study aimed to reduce the risk of first-time involvement by minority youth with the juvenile justice system. A quasi-experimental design was used to test a 14-week expressive art curriculum (LEAD: leadership, education, achievement and development) implemented in two rural communities. A total of 70 African American youth participated in the programme over a 2-year period. Pre- and post-test differences were examined for protective factors, behavioural self-control, self-esteem and resilience measures. When compared with the after-school programme (control group), youth in the LEAD programme in both communities had more dramatic increases in post-test scores following the intervention. The combined data from year 1 and year 2 provide positive findings in support of LEAD as a prevention programme for young offenders. The placement of the programme within an African American church in year 2 improved the processes of the LEAD programme and seemed to provide a better fit with the original design of the programme, highlighting the importance of the context, in which the programme was provided.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269 2026, USA. deborah.shelton@uconn.edu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shelton
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001154:Art; D003479:Curriculum; D004493:Education; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016730:Program Development; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012922:Social Change