Date of Award

5-13-1999

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Department

Social Work

First Advisor

Clarice Staff, D.S.W.

Second Advisor

Michael Schock, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Tony Wagner, M.S.W.

Abstract

This exploratory research compares the decision-making skills between youth board members and youth non-board members within the context of a community-based youth group. The goal was to determine whether youth board members were more advanced in their decision-making skills than youth non-board members and were these skills utilized in other area of life.

The research design is both quantitative and qualitative: the survey had twelve questions and the interview had six open-ended questions. Twenty adolescents answered the written survey and, of these twenty, there were ten adolescents who were interviewed. The survey questions covered the areas of future work, ideology, and sexual/social expression. It was found that the older adolescent board members had a greater skill for decision-making while the younger adolescent who were non-members were the least developed in their decision-making process. This exploratory research supports the concept that community-based youth groups can enhance adolescents' capacity to develop skills for making decisions when the adolescent serves as a board member.

Identifier

SC 11.MSW.1999.Skjold.MB

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