Child Trends: What Works For Male Adolescents

"115 programs reviewed to uncover what works for adolescent males..."

Priority Areas Of Evaluation

• Academic Achievement (such as school performance, grades)
• Delinquency (violence, crime, arrests, juvenile detention, recidivism)
• Externalizing or Acting out behaviors (behavior problems such as aggression, hyperactivity, or violence)
• Mental Health/Internalizing (Depression) Outcomes (depression symptomatology, social rejection, and suicide)
• Physical Health and Nutrition (dietary habits, BMI, weight or physical activity)
• Reproductive Health & Sexuality (such as sexual activity, condom and contraceptive use, impregnation or births)
• Social Skills (getting along with others, conflict resolution, or empathy)
• Substance Use (such as alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana or illicit drugs)

Summary Headings Of What Does Work

Academic Achievement

•  Adult tutoring and/or mentoring services
• Inclusion of parent-centered activities and trainings

Delinquency

• Intensive and high dosage programs
• Manualized curricula
• Family Inclusion

Externalising or acting out behaviours

• School-based interventions
• Trained professionals
• Structured curriculum-based interventions
• Family-cohesion components

Mental Health or internalising behaviours

• Parent-focused interventions

Physical Activity

• High frequency and high intensity programs
• Combining physical health education with exercise

Reproductive Health & Sexuality

• Experiential-learning activities
• Community- or clinic-based programs for male adolescents
• Mentoring for African American males
• Video- and/or audio-infused curriculums

Social Skills

• Parent education and training
• Adult mentoring
• Group sessions for elementary school-aged boys

Substance Use

• Manualized interventions for male children and adolescents
• Heavy focus on health consequences of substance use
• Self-esteem building activities
• Brief interventions for college-age adolescents