Service-learning Holds Promise to Promote Mental Health
The S-L program demonstrated effects on some distal but not proximal outcomes based on adolescent self and camp staff report. Overall, adolescents reported fewer Emotional Symptoms and Peer Problems, and more prosocial behaviors, after completing the program, and gains were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Camp staff also reported fewer Internalizing Behaviors among youth following completion of the program. Parent reports revealed no changes over time for adolescents’ social, emotional, and behavioral functioning, which may reflect that more time, duration, or depth may be needed for improvements to generalize to observable behaviors at home.In contrast to the qualitative data, we saw no improvement in the proximal outcomes in Community Belongingness and Social Responsibility. Given that the oppressive social climate can deeply impact their communities and their own civic development (e.g., Hope et al., Focus groups with youth and interviews with camp staff together revealed themes related to proximal and distal outcomes in the conceptual model. Specifically, youth expressed the importance of feeling valued and included and described elevated awareness (psychological engagement) about social and racial inequities that inspired their sense of social responsibility and community belongingness. Youth explicitly discussed applying what they learned and feeling more self-confident, increased self-efficacy, and ability to advocate for themselves. Interviews with staff also supported the conceptual model, as they described how the program provided ways to value and engage youth, and tools for positive youth development, and that with these they observed growing competencies in the areas of problem-solving and social-emotional wellness.