Promotion of thriving among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents : evidence from eight-wave data

Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluated the longitudinal effect of a positive youth development (PYD) program entitled “Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes” (Project P.A.T.H.S.) on perceived thriving among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong. Method: Individual growth curve modeling analyses were performed using eight waves of data collected over 5 years from 23 experimental schools (N = 3,607) and 24 control schools (N = 3,574). Results: Adolescent thriving declined faster among control school students relative to experimental school students. While the two groups did not differ at Wave 1 and Wave 2 on the mean thriving levels, experimental school students showed higher thriving levels at Wave 3 to Wave 7 than did the control group students. Such differences between the two groups were more salient among girls than among boys, suggesting a stronger intervention effect for girls. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that PYD programs can promote thriving in Chinese adolescents.