Projects

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Current Lab Projects

  • Parental Anxiety and Overparenting within Out-of-School Time Youth Programs- This research program is exploring the influence of parental anxiety and overparenting behaviors on both youth outcomes as well as program provider operations and management. Partners have included the American Camp Association and the Youth Learning Institute.

  • Role of Fatigue in Influencing Camp Staff Performance- In cooperation with the Association of Camp Nursing, this study is examining perceptions of fatigue among camp healthcare providers and directors to better understand the influence of workplace-related fatigue on adverse events in camp and strategies for mitigating negative outcomes of fatigue.

  • Parent Perceptions of Camp Study- This multi-state study examined parental perceptions of camp experiences and the youth outcomes parents attribute to the camp experience. Data were also collected regarding parents' perceptions of the impact of year-round school on summer learning. Partners in this project have included Clemson University's Youth Learning Institute, Summer Scholars, the North Carolina Youth Camping Association, and the State 4-H Office at Virginia Tech.

  • USA Climbing Membership Research- Through Dr. Ryan Gagnon's leadership, Clemson University has been working closely with USA Climbing since 2014 to better understand member motivation and behavior as well as other issues emerging within indoor competition climbing related to positive youth development, ethnic and racial diversity, and parental involvement.

  • Role of Program Intentionality in Influencing Positive Youth Outcomes- This research addresses the question, "Does intentionality matter?" Specifically, we are working with youth program providers to examine the relationship between program providers' intention to target specific outcomes and changes in behavior identified by parents at the end of the program. Partners in this project include the Youth Learning Institute.

Current Affiliated Projects

  • Boys and Girls Club Teen Ambassadors Evaluation Project- As part of a research team comprised of Dr. Barry Garst, Dr. Ed Bowers, andDr. William Quinn, this project is evaluating a youth-led teen leadership model developed by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America designed to teach resiliency and reintegration skills to youth at the community level.

  • Role of Faith-Based Youth Ministries in the Provision of Positive Youth Development in South Carolina- As part of a collaborative PRTM faculty team lead by Dr. Harrison Pinkney, this project is focusing on identifying and addressing the needs of faith-based youth leaders. A highlight of this project is a biannual Faith Based Youth Leaders Summit held on the Clemson University campus.

  • Kenya Youth Development Leadership Project- Faculty from Clemson University (Dr. Larry Allen, Dr. Barry Garst, and Dr. Ed Bowers) and Maasai-Mara University (Dr. Kennedy Karani) are collaborating to identify the training needs of youth development workers in Kenya to support a systems approach for meeting the needs of Kenya's youth.

Previous Research

       Research Conducted through Clemson University

       Research Conducted through the American Camp Association  

      Research Conducted through Virginia Tech