Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Date

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Social & Behavioral Sciences

Committee Chair

Satish Kedia

Committee Member

Alex Parkhouse

Committee Member

Xichen Mou

Committee Member

Yong Yang

Abstract

Behavioral outcomes in adolescents and youth reflect broader patterns of mental health and community support. Violent behaviors, substance misuse, and poor mental health disproportionately impact those living with unmet needs in settings concentrated with structural marginalization. These contexts often limit youths’ access to supportive systems that improve their alignment with prosocial outcomes. Local agencies and governments could encourage empowerment based programming to promote healthier developmental trajectories. This dissertation applies the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework, integrated with Social Disorganization and Social Control theories, to examine how youth empowerment programs moderate the relationship between youths’ structural contexts and their subsequent developmental outcomes. Using secondary data, national evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and longitudinal data from a community based program in Memphis, TN, three papers evaluate empowerment programming across distinct contexts. The first paper analyzes 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data from adolescents ages 12–17 (n = 11,969), showing that being an adolescent male (RR = 1.41), Black (RR = 1.33), living in poverty (RR = 1.25), and reporting average or poor health (RR = 1.41 and 1.54, respectively) were strong predictors (p<0.0001) of delinquent behavior. Activity involvement further differentiated risk, with only faith based activities having a protective effect. The second paper systematically reviews sixteen RCTs of empowerment programming for foster involved youth, finding that programs integrating PYD elements within culturally aligned, high quality contexts produced the most durable developmental gains. Programs incorporating connection and competence demonstrated meaningful developmental and transition related improvements, despite variability in methodological rigor and risk of bias. The third paper evaluates student survey scores in a local youth leadership program (n = 143), assessing changes in civic engagement, diversity appreciation, and leadership attitudes over five years (2020–2025). Total scores did not improve based on higher participation intensity, though sociodemographic characteristics such as income and race/ethnicity differentially shaped outcomes. Collectively, findings underscore the diversity of program implementation and effectiveness in multiple contexts and highlight the potential of PYD aligned programming for improving youth outcomes. This exploration of empowerment based programs offers meaningful implications for community stakeholders, policymakers, youth serving organizations, and juvenile justice officials in communities facing structural disinvestment.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest/Clarivate.

Notes

Open Access.

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