Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to be exposed to prolonged and cumulative stress, which can lead to several risk factors (Fraser, Kirby, & Smokowski, 2004; Garmezy, 1993). They are more likely to have negative life outcomes such as poor academic achievement, lack of a sustained familial support structure, emotional distress, and behavioral struggles (Fraser et al., 2004; Garmezy, 1993; Gonzales, George, Fernandez, & Huerta, 2005; Halpern, 1999; Kalil & Ziol-Guest, 2008; Li, Nussbaum, & Richards, 2007). Common programs, such as 4-H, the Boys and Girls Club, and the YMCA, provide viable options for children to negotiate such potential negative outcomes and contribute to building protective factors. After-school programs are one of the most prominent strategies in promoting positive youth development.
The Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) program is a common curriculum used in physical education, summer, and after school programs, particularly with underserved minority children (Hellison, 1995; 2003; 2011; Hellison & Martinek, 2006; Hellison & Walsh, 2002). TPSR is a responsibility-based program which can be used as both a preventative measure and an intervention to support a value and belief system that supports prosocial behaviors in children.
There were two purposes of this study: (1) To understand how 2nd and 3rd grade students who are underserved create meaning in a TPSR structured program and transfer TPSR values to the classroom and YMCA afterschool program; and (2) To explore what factors influenced responsible behaviors in 2nd and 3rd grade students participating in a community-based after school program. A case study strategy with a social constructivist perspective and social development theory were used as guides for this study.
Data collection methods included interviews, live and video-taped observations, document analysis, source journals, picture illustrations, researcher journal, and grading reports. Data were analyzed thematically to create both preliminary and advanced codes. In addition, the data was mapped on individually themed poster boards, using different colored post-it notes to represent each data source and determine final thematic representations.
The findings indicated that a TPSR program must be adapted to accommodate children of this age group, by changing the format of the TPSR lesson plan, the activity curriculum, and the discussion time. Most children cognitively understood the responsibility values of TPSR, although they demonstrated it inconsistently throughout the 8-week program. Responsibility values of caring and honesty emerged from the data which was an indicator that these values should be addressed up front in the program and included in the TPSR framework. Findings also indicate that the interactions amongst adults and peers impact participant behaviors and therefore, adults modeling caring, responsible, and supportive behaviors are of utmost importance to children.