Publication year
2018
Citation Title
Experiencing and learning about emotions: A longitudinal analysis of youth program participants.
Journal Name
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Journal Volume
47
Issue Number
8
Page Numbers
1684-1696
DOI
10.1007/s10964-018-0885-7
Summary
Youth experience a range of emotions that have implications on learning outcomes and emotion socialization. This study investigated the role of youth's positive and negative emotions in different project-based programs and learning about emotions from varying sources, as well as the association between learning and emotional experiences. The findings indicated that positive emotions generally occurred more frequently than negative emotions in some project-based youth programs.
Key Findings
Youth in leadership, arts, and STEM programs reported that they experienced positive emotions, such as satisfaction and excitement, more than negative emotions, such as disappointment and anger.
In Arts programs, youth reported higher levels of emotional learning from peers than those in STEM programs. Youth in Arts programs also reported lower levels of learning from staff than those in Leadership programs.
Youth's positive emotions were associated with emotional learning from staff, peers, or self, regardless of program type.
Youth who reported experiencing higher negative emotions were less likely to learn about emotions on their own (e.g., self-reflection), and more likely to engage in emotional learning with peers.
Implications for Military Professionals
Develop modules on emotion coaching and self-regulation that can be easily integrated with other after-school youth activities
Collaborate with organizations connected with youth to emphasize the importance of emotion-related skills, such as self-control
Implications for Program Leaders
Develop education programming for youth development professionals on emotion-related skills, such as self-awareness and self-regulation
Encourage activities and curricula, such as supervised focus group discussions, that foster positive resolutions to youth's negative emotional reactions
Implications for Policy Makers
Encourage the development of programs that foster a positive program climate for youth in all communities
Recommend integrating parenting education of emotional learning into existing programs to benefit youth's personal development and promote positive home environment
Methods
Participants were recruited from 14 Leadership, Arts, and STEM-focused programs for youth in high school.
Youth completed questionnaires to measure subjective experiences, positive and negative emotions, and emotions from different sources at the beginning of the program cycle. The same questionnaire was completed again during the program cycle, within one school year.
Analysis explored the role of youth's emotions in the different project-based programs, emotional learning from varying sources, and the association between emotional learning and emotional experiences.
Participants
The initial assessment included 355 youth. The final assessment was completed by 319 youth.
Gender distribution during the initial assessment was not reported. During the second assessment, the sample was 57% female and 43% male.
Participants' ages ranged from 13 years to 18 years (M=15.8, SD=1.41).
Racial composition was 33% Latino, 29% Black, and 32% White, while 6% were other ethnicities.
Limitations
The study investigated emotional learning, but the hypothesis was mostly based on other emotional constructs, such as emotion regulation and social-emotional learning, instead of emotional learning. Findings may have differed if emotional learning was conceptualized or analyzed differently.
The results cannot be generalized to general project-based, youth programs because the current study focused primarily on high-quality, project-based programs.
The type of program may have varied depending on location, structure, and staff, etc. These variations were not discussed in the study; therefore, it is unclear how these factors may have affected youth's emotional learning experience.
Avenues for Future Research
Use collateral reports from program leaders or peers to establish the validity of the different aspects of emotion
Explore the effectiveness of emotion coaching in youth programs
Investigate the potential sources of variation, such as location, structure, and staff background, that may affect youth's positive and negative emotions
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
Organized youth programs provide a context where adolescents experience strong emotions and may develop new ways of
thinking about and dealing with emotions. The current study examined youth’s reports of positive and negative emotions
arising during the course of their work in different types of project-based programs; learning about emotions from different
sources (e.g., from observing peers, interacting with adult staff, or engaging in self-reflection); and longitudinal associations
between emotional experiences and learning. Quantitative data were collected at two time points from 319 youth (57%
female; M age = 15.8 years; 33% Latino, 29% Black, 32% White, 6% other) participating in 14 Midwestern programs
focused on Leadership, Arts and Performance (Arts), and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Overall,
positive emotions occurred more frequently than negative emotions, but emotional experiences differed based on the focus
of the program. There were few significant differences in emotional learning from various sources (self, peers, staff) across
the three types of programs. Multiple regression models controlling for prior learning indicated that, consistent with theory,
positive emotions predicted subsequent learning about emotions from all sources. In contrast, negative emotions predicted
increased learning from peers but decreased learning from self, suggesting that experiencing negative (vs. positive) emotions
may lead youth to attend to different sources of information. The study’s findings have implications for theory, research, and
practice.
thinking about and dealing with emotions. The current study examined youth’s reports of positive and negative emotions
arising during the course of their work in different types of project-based programs; learning about emotions from different
sources (e.g., from observing peers, interacting with adult staff, or engaging in self-reflection); and longitudinal associations
between emotional experiences and learning. Quantitative data were collected at two time points from 319 youth (57%
female; M age = 15.8 years; 33% Latino, 29% Black, 32% White, 6% other) participating in 14 Midwestern programs
focused on Leadership, Arts and Performance (Arts), and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Overall,
positive emotions occurred more frequently than negative emotions, but emotional experiences differed based on the focus
of the program. There were few significant differences in emotional learning from various sources (self, peers, staff) across
the three types of programs. Multiple regression models controlling for prior learning indicated that, consistent with theory,
positive emotions predicted subsequent learning about emotions from all sources. In contrast, negative emotions predicted
increased learning from peers but decreased learning from self, suggesting that experiencing negative (vs. positive) emotions
may lead youth to attend to different sources of information. The study’s findings have implications for theory, research, and
practice.
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