Program Research

The independent third party research below has been conducted on evidence-based programs developed by Respect Group

Keeping Girls in Sport: Evaluating the Impact of an Online Coach Education Resource

We are excited to share an evaluation of the Keeping Girls in Sport (KGIS) program, created in partnership with Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, Canadian Women & Sport and the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC). KGIS was created to address the challenge of high dropout rates of girls from sport during adolescence, aiming to give coaches and youth leaders the tools to understand and address the barriers and facilitators to girls’ continued participation in sport.

Conducted by researchers from the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport & Recreation at the University of Alberta, in collaboration with Jumpstart Charities and funded by a Match Grant from the Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC), this survey evaluation provided insight into the impacts of the program on participants since its launch in October 2018. The majority of participants (99%) found different aspects of the program, including length, quality of interface, accessibility, understandability, and quality of content, as ‘Good’ (22%), ‘Very Good’ (42%), or ‘Excellent’ (35%) (Szabo et al., 2020).

Completing the program helped participants to gain a better understanding of both how to create positive training and competitive environments for girls and of the key, nuanced differences between girls and boys in sporting environments (Szabo et al., 2020). You can learn more about the Keeping Girls in Sport program and read the full evaluation here.

Reference:

Szabo, S., Di Buono, M., & Kennedy, M. (2020, October 9). Keeping Girls in Sport: Evaluating the impact of an online coach education resource. Sport Information Resource Centre. https://sirc.ca/blog/keeping-girls-in-sport/

Respect in Sport –  Parent Program Research
Ontario Minor Hockey Association

Examining the impact of the Respect in Sport Parent Program on the psychosocial experiences of minor hockey athletes (2020)

Katherine A. Tamminen , Carolyn E. McEwen , Gretchen Kerr & Peter Donnelly

Regarding Hockey Participation in General:
Overall, athletes’ experiences were quite positive: scores for enjoyment and commitment were fairly high at all time points; negative experiences were minimal/low at all time points, and athletes said they felt their parents were supportive (high parental support and low parental pressure).

Across all athletes, there were:

• improvements in antisocial behaviours toward opponents over time
• improvements in their opportunities to develop goal setting skills over time
• improvements in opportunities to develop initiative over time

Regarding the Parent Program in Particular:

• Athletes in leagues that implemented the program for a longer period of time had better prosocial behaviours toward teammates
• Athletes in leagues that implemented the program showed better improvements in antisocial behaviours toward opponents over time
• There was a trend for athletes in leagues with the program to report more opportunities to develop personal and social skills
• In general, the messages in the program seem to ‘trickle down’ from parents to athletes over time, and it appears to have its strongest impacts on interpersonal skills and experiences among athletes (improved behaviours with teammates and opponents)

Click here to read the study that examined the impact of the Respect in Sport Parent Program on athlete outcomes among minor hockey players over three years

Evaluation of “Being Trauma-Aware: Making A Difference in the Lives of Children and Youth”

The eight evaluation objectives were organized within four domains: knowledge, awareness, confidence and commitment; relevance to discipline and clients; cross-collaboration strategies; and, scaling and future development. To develop indicators, the evaluation approach was grounded in two models: New World Kirkpatrick’s Model and Implementation Science. A mixed-methods approach was taken, using quantitative and qualitative data, and data was collected through registration, surveys and focus groups. Findings show diversity in the sectors and professions represented. The majority of participants worked in their sector less than ten years (62%, n=375), while the remainder worked in their sector more than ten years. Most participants reported not having received previous training in trauma-awareness (70%, n=375). Among those who had not received previous training, the trend follows their time in sector: more participants reported having received training the longer they were in the sector. Participants showed high knowledge and awareness of child abuse, trauma and its effects. However, there were some knowledge gaps with respect to: what trauma means in the context of child advocacy centres; impacts of intergenerational trauma; stepping stones to being trauma-informed; and resilience. In addition, participants reported increased confidence in addressing issues of child abuse and trauma (+37%, n=375). Findings also show that the participants’ knowledge and confidence fell at the three-month follow-up, indicating the needs for ongoing reviews of course material and opportunities to discuss, reflect and act on the material. Participants understood the reach and effect of child abuse and trauma to multiple sectors, and valued collaborating across sectors. They believed that child advocacy centres model this well. Participants shared challenges and barriers to collaborating across sectors, which require organizational and systematic support. Overall, participants found the program valuable as a foundational course for multiple sectors to develop a common language about trauma and its impacts. Participants praised the design and delivery, and reported that the program reflected the diverse clientele that most organizations serve. They provided feedback for improvements to enhance learning, as well as ideas for additional training. At the three-month follow-up, it was too soon for changes in policies and procedures to have happened, and for the development of formal cross-sectoral collaborations. However, findings support the potential for an integrated and collaborative approach. The following quotes highlight the participants’ experiences with the course:

“[The] biggest takeaway for me – it has enlarged my compassion for the clients and made me think more about self-care and self-compassion.”

“People were commenting how valuable it was, people who hadn’t taken any courses or exposed to this formally.”

“The course has opened my eyes to the prevalence of trauma and its effects on society at large. Furthermore, this course has helped to better inform my practice when relating to and working with clients.”

Based on the evaluation findings, and the desire to rollout the course broadly and influence systemic change, the following 36 recommendations are made, framed by the three implementation drivers necessary for the success of an intervention (NIRN, 2014):

Being Trauma Aware: Program Evaluation Highlights

Megha Bhavsar, Evaluation Specialist, CAMH Dr. Latika Nirula, Director, Simulation & Teaching Excellence, CAMH May 2018

“The delivery is soft and compassionate and the information is very sound.” “Excellent example of a quality online learning experience by incorporating videos, scenarios and information.” “I also liked the opportunity to ruminate on what I was learning days after, before going to the next section.”

“The course has opened my eyes to the prevalence of trauma and its effects on society at large. Furthermore, this course has helped to better inform my practice when relating to and working with clients.”