The Healthy "Little" Lives Project: A training program for Big Sister mentors
by Kaufman, Michelle R., Ph.D., UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT, 2009, 137 pages; 3367362

Abstract:

Big Brothers/Big Sisters is a national program aimed at providing adult mentors for disadvantaged children. The current study tested whether Big Sister mentors could be trained to increase communication with their Little Sisters about sexual health issues, including delay of sexual debut, pregnancy, and STDs/HIV. The study tested an intervention based on social cognitive theory, the Healthy "Little" Lives Project, in which a sexual health communication program (experimental group) was tested against an attention-matched control condition (bullying/peer pressure). It was hypothesized that Big Sisters randomly assigned to the experimental group would have higher levels of self-efficacy, more positive outcome expectancies for sex-based communication, and a greater number of conversation enactments than those in the comparison group following completion of the program session. None of the major hypotheses were supported. However, level of self-efficacy for talking about sexual health issues increased within subjects, regardless of study condition. In addition, Big Sisters in the experimental group talked for a longer amount of time with their Little Sisters about romantic relationships with boys as compared to those in the control condition at the two week follow-up. In addition, most Big Sisters who participated in the study found the program helpful and enjoyable. Possible explanations for the lack of significant effects for the intervention are discussed.

 
Advisor
SchoolUNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
SourceDAI/B 70-07, p. , Oct 2009
Source TypeDissertation
SubjectsSocial psychology; Women's studies
Publication Number3367362
Adobe PDF Access the complete dissertation:
 

» Find an electronic copy at your library.
  Use the link below to access a full citation record of this graduate work:
  http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl%3furl_ver=Z39.88-2004%26res_dat=xri:pqdiss%26rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation%26rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3367362
  If your library subscribes to the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database, you may be entitled to a free electronic version of this graduate work. If not, you will have the option to purchase one, and access a 24 page preview for free (if available).

About ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
With over 2.3 million records, the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) database is the most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses in the world. It is the database of record for graduate research.

The database includes citations of graduate works ranging from the first U.S. dissertation, accepted in 1861, to those accepted as recently as last semester. Of the 2.3 million graduate works included in the database, ProQuest offers more than 1.9 million in full text formats. Of those, over 860,000 are available in PDF format. More than 60,000 dissertations and theses are added to the database each year.

If you have questions, please feel free to visit the ProQuest Web site - http://www.proquest.com - or call ProQuest Hotline Customer Support at 1-800-521-3042.