An Evaluation Study of the Young Empowered Sisters (YES!) Program: Promoting Cultural Assets Among African American Adolescent Girls Through a Culturally Relevant School-Based Intervention

The present study examines the effects of a culturally relevant school-based intervention in promoting cultural assets (i.e., ethnic identity, collectivist orientation, racism awareness, and libratory youth activism) among a group of African American adolescent girls. The overall goal of the intervention was to promote cultural factors that can protect African American youth from the adverse effects of racism. A total of 74 African American girls participated in the study, of whom 36 were in the intervention group and 38 in the control group. Pre- and posttests were administered to assess intervention effects. Overall findings reveal that the intervention had significant and positive effects on ethnic identity, racism awareness, collectivism, and liberatory youth activism. Implications for risk prevention and promotion of psychosocial functioning among African American youth are discussed.