Does Leadership Development Intervene in the Relationship Between Public Affairs Participation and Socioeconomic Status?

This study investigates the relationship between change in public affairs participation and involvement in a leadership development program for young adults in Pennsylvania at high and low socioeconomic-status levels. In a comparison grouping, the association between change in public affairs participation and socioeconomic status is positive, as in many previous findings; but among those involved in the leadership development program, the association between change in public affairs participation and socioeconomic status is negative. Thus, leadership development mediates the familiar relationship between public affairs participation and socioeconomic background.