Gender differences in the relational health of youth participating in a social competency program

Abstract

Abstract This study is designed to explore the effects of previous participation in Open Circle: Social Competency Program (SCP) on the relational health of 153 Caucasian middle school students who reported having recent and consecutive exposure to the program in elementary school. SCP is designed to foster social skills among children that enable them to communicate better, work out conflicts, and build stronger relationships. Our study shows a consistent pattern of evidence that sustained participation in SCP during elementary school encourages the development of quality relationships with peer friends, mentors, and communities among boys as they start into their middle school years. This pattern is not as consistent among girls, who tend to develop relationships of relatively high quality (e.g., those characterized by authenticity, mutual engagement, empowerment, and the ability to deal with differences within the relationship in a way that fosters growth) even in the absence of or minimal participation in SCP. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.