Subjective outcome evaluation of a positive youth development program in mainland China during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to replicate the evaluation findings of a youth program adopting a positive youth development (PYD) approach implemented during the pandemic years of 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 in China mainland using a validated subjective outcome evaluation (SOE) assessment tool. Methods: A 36-item SOE scale was used to investigate participants’ evaluation of the quality of the PYD program, the quality of the program implementers, and the perceived program benefits. The data were collected from 3,765 (Mage = 13.46, SD = 0.72, 50.4% females) and 2,786 (Mage = 16.24, SD = 0.68, 51.7% females) junior and senior high school students, respectively. Results: The SOE scale showed an invariant three-factor structure and adequate validity and reliability. Consistent with previous findings, student participants showed favorable perceptions of the youth program’s quality, the quality of the implementers, and the multifaceted benefits of project participation. In addition, senior grade students held more favorable evaluations in comparison to those of junior grade students. Conclusion: In conjunction with previous research conducted before COVID-19, the present findings support the psychometric properties of the SOE scale and the value of the PYD program across different times.