PARTNERS WORKS!
Science-based pre-test/post-test evaluation tools enables us to collect data which demonstrates the positive effectiveness of our mentoring programs. Participating youth demonstrate and increase in: self-esteem, bonding to adults and school, future orientation, and decreased: delinquency, substance use, and violent behavior. OMNI Research and Training, in Denver, is contracted to analyze all data.

Several contributing factors are particularly prevalent within our Junior Partners. For example, in Routt County, "availability/use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs" (ATOD) is high as community norms are favorable towards their use and the local economy is heavily driven by tourism. The mentioned risk factor directly relates to the prevalence of another risk factor: "family history of problem behavior/parent criminality", as this behavior is often is a result of ATOD abuse which correlates with high rates of domestic violence. These co-occurring risk factors contribute to "family management problems". A high cost of living results in many families having both parents working full-time outside the home (or for single parents to have several jobs). This results in "poor parental supervision and/or monitoring", possibly leading to youth reports of lacking "role models" and feeling little "social support from adults" and "positive social norms".

In 2008, PRC served 75 Junior Partners through One-to-One. 65% were low income, 33% had a parent that has been/is incarcerated, 47% had a parent who has/is abusing drugs or alcohol, 68% are from single-parent families, and 56% are reported victims of abuse/neglect.

Based on Albert Bandura's social learning theory, positive and negative reinforcement for one's behavior, coupled with observing the behavior of others, provides the basis for how children learn to behave. As one develops, positive and negative reinforcements are internalized, determining how one acts as an adult. Social Development Theory (L.S. Vygotsky) emphasizes that protective factors can effectively serve to buffer the effects of youth risk factors. By matching and supporting at-risk youth in mentoring relationships with caring, responsible adults who engage them in healthy activities, and offer continuing encouragement for their positive behaviors and choices, youth are more likely to avoid high risk behaviors (alcohol use and violence) and to develop pro-socially.

Partners Mentoring Services Effectiveness Index (PMSEI)

Since 1999, Partners Mentoring Association (PMA) has commissioned OMNI Institute to provide evaluation services including analyses and reporting of progress towards achieving outcomes. This data was culled from the aforementioned pre- and post-tests.

The PMSEI contains questions within the following 14 scales:

• Demographic Characteristics / Youth Risk Factors
• Self-esteem
• Little Commitment to School
• Academic Success
• Self-efficacy
• Self-control
• Bonding to Adults
• Decision-making Skills
• Individual Delinquency
• Lifetime Substance Use / Age of First Use (12 and older only)
• 30-day Substance Use (12 and older only)
• Attitudes Against Substance Use (12 and older only)
• Perceived Harm of Substance Use (12 and older only)
• Commitment to not Use Substances (12 and older only)

Outcome Results

The following is a set of benchmarks to determine the magnitude of effect sizes:

.20 = small effect size

.50 = moderate effect size

.80 = large effect size

Results from the risk analyses showed strong and consistent evidence for the efficacy of PMA programming. Key findings for these high-risk youth were as follows:

• High-risk youth showed a statistically significant increase in bonding to adults from pre-test to post-test, with a very large effect size of 1.71
• High-risk youth showed a statistically significant increase in self-esteem from pre-test to post-test, with a very large effect size of 1.23
• High-risk youth showed a statistically significant decrease in individual delinquency from pre-test to post-test, with a very large effect size of 1.24
• High-risk youth showed a statistically significant increase in overall perceived harm of ATOD use from pre-test to post-test, with a very large effect size of 1.39
• Youth's perceived harm of smoking one or more packs of cigarettes per day, smoking marijuana occasionally, smoking marijuana regularly, having four to five alcoholic drinks every day, and having five or more alcoholic drinks once or twice each weekend all showed statistically significant increases, with medium to very large effect sizes
• High-risk youth showed a statistically significant increase in overall attitudes against ATOD use from pre-test to post-test, with a medium effect size of 0.52
• Youth's attitudes against alcohol and cigarettes showed statistically significant increases with medium effect sizes of 0.56 and 0.48, respectively.

For the full report summary, please see attachment below.