Evaluating the adolescent peer leader aids education project

Abstract

A group of peer leaders, together with members of their peer group(s) was identified using sociometric methods. Peer leaders participated in an intervention involving the acquisition of authentic health and sexuality knowledge; the development of social and interpersonal skills; valuing activities and outdoor education. On return to their school and homes, the peer leaders were monitored, together with previously identified members of their peer groups, in order to assess the extent to which peer leader influence diffused to the school community. An instrument was administered to the school population before and after the peer leader intervention in order to measure eight outcome variables of concern to teenagers regarding human relationships. Instrument scales were reduced using factor analytic procedures, and data were subjected to ANOVA. These suggested a modest transfer of peer leader influence to the school population occurred. The study has implications for health and human relations curricula.