Qualitative evaluation of the project P.A.T.H.S. based on junior secondary school students in Hong Kong

Abstract

Four focus groups comprising 29 students recruited from four schools were conducted to understand the views of students participating in the Tier 1 Program of the P.A.T.H.S. Project. General qualitative data analyses utilizing intra-rater and inter-rater reliability techniques were carried out. Results showed that a majority of the participants described the program positively and positive metaphors were used to represent the program. The program participants stated beneficial effects of the program in several aspects of adolescent lives. Although negative comments were indentified in the responses of the participants, the program was in general perceived as beneficial. In conjunction with the previous research findings, the present study provides further support for the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of Project P.A.T.H.S. in promoting holistic development in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong.