Applying utilization-focused evaluation to high school hazing prevention: A pilot intervention.

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• School Climate Research
• Adolescent Behavior Studies

Background:

• Hazing contributes to negative school climates and hinders student learning.
• College-level hazing prevention strategies are established but not widely used in high schools.
• A gap exists in applying hazing prevention to the high school setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the gap in high school hazing prevention.
• To implement and evaluate a pilot hazing prevention training and assessment program in two Maine high schools.
• To share lessons learned from a collaborative, mixed-method approach.

Main Methods:

• Pilot project implementation in two high schools.
• Hazing prevention training for students, administrators, and staff.
• Mixed-method evaluation focusing on utilization.
• Collaborative approach with school personnel and student participants.

Main Results:

• The study details the design, methods, and lessons learned from the pilot project.
• The collaborative and utilization-focused approach guided the training and evaluation.
• Mixed-method data collection provided comprehensive insights.

Conclusions:

• The pilot project demonstrated a practical approach to hazing prevention in high schools.
• Collaboration and mixed-methods are effective for training and evaluation in this context.
• Findings offer valuable lessons for broader implementation of hazing prevention in secondary education.