Uplifting Youth Voice through Multi-Level Features to Make a Splash for Positive Youth Development

This study explored how a multicomponent health promotion program for pre-adolescent girls could be adapted to support positive youth development across diverse cultural and community contexts. In summer 2022, trained research staff conducted six focus groups with 27 girls from urban and rural communities in the Midwestern United States. Participants reviewed the original program curriculum and provided feedback on program activities, structure, relationships, and implementation strategies. Sessions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using qualitative software and manual review. Girls provided feedback on multiple program components, resulting in 12 themes aligned with eight established features of positive developmental settings. A novel conceptual model was developed to organize these themes into multi-level adaptation strategies that stakeholders can use to make community-informed modifications to youth development programs. Participants identified support needs across environmental, interpersonal, and individual levels, including physical and emotional safety, supportive relationships, and opportunities for skill building. Findings suggest that strengthening supports across developmental setting features and incorporating youth perspectives into program planning may reduce participation barriers and improve engagement among girls from diverse backgrounds. These findings offer practical guidance for adapting and implementing youth programs in community settings.