from Global Newsletter July 2024
by Ya-Ching Chang and An-Ti Shih
Introduction
“Love-Passing” is a collaborative project between CTBC Bank and ICSW TAIWAN that combines exercise intervention and cognitive courses. Professor Fen-Ling Chen and Assistant Professor An-Ti Shih from the Department of Social Work at National Taipei University have been involved in discussions since September 2022. Leveraging their professional backgrounds, they assisted in establishing assessment methods and explored students' daily behaviors outside of club activities through focus group interviews, shaping feasible directions for future initiatives.
This project is specially designed to help at-risk youth from dysfunctional families who are in danger of dropping out of school. By integrating professional basketball training and educational support, the aim is to cultivate resilience, problem-solving skills, and a sense of belonging among the participants, ultimately leading to their positive development.
Participants in this program come from the “Tzi- Huei class”, a form of dropout prevention alternative education in Taiwan. Many students in these classes have continuous behavioral problem often linked to trauma or adverse childhood experiences. The Tzi-Huei class is specially designed to meet their unique needs through tailored educational and psychological support, which cannot be addressed in traditional education settings.
Adverse childhood experiences can cause significant negative impacts on individuals. These impacts include failure of the stress response regulatory system, learning difficulties, behavioral problems, mental disorders, suicide risk[1], higher dropout rates[2], and substance abuse[3]. Given these challenges, it is crucial to develop innovative and effective intervention programs that address both the psychological and educational needs of these youth.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that exercise benefits adolescents’ mental health[4-6]. Exercise produces several neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, which are crucial for youth development. Dopamine is associated with positive emotions, serotonin improves mood and memory, and norepinephrine is directly linked to attention[7]. These neurotransmitters play a vital role in enhancing the mental well-being and cognitive functions of adolescents.
Basketball, being one of the most popular sports among Taiwanese youth[8], serves as an ideal medium for this intervention. The group cohesion fostered through playing basketball can facilitate positive development and generate motivation[9]. Moreover, Taiwan has numerous basketball courts[10], making it easier for participants to continue the sport even after the project ends. This availability of facilities ensures that the benefits gained during the program can be sustained long-term.
Program Content
The” Love-Passing” project is divided into three stages, each designed to progressively build the skills and confidence of the participants:
| Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Establishing basketball club with professional coaches. | 1. Introducing "cognitive courses" to help participants take control of their lives. | 1. Facilitating Participation in school and external basketball events to learn to face success or failure |
| 2. New Taipei CTBC DEA players serve as guest coaches, providing mentorship. | 2. Conduct off-site training. | 2. (Evaluation) Establish a scholarship mechanism to encourage further studies. |
| 3. Inviting participants to watch the New Taipei CTBC DEA home game to strengthen their belief in basketball. |
Feedback from participants
The objectives of “Love-Passing” project are multifaceted. We aim for significant improvements in participants’ confidence, self- regulation, achievement motivation and family interactions compared to before the program. Due to the small number of participants and ethical considerations preventing random assignment control, a mix-method approach is used to evaluate the project’s outcomes. This includes self-answered surveys and observational data from teachers.
According to feedback from participants and teachers, the project has several strengths:
- Improved physical fitness: More than 40% of participants showed healthier BMI scores and 90% felt more energetic, indicating enhanced overall physical health.
- Learning cooperation: Initially, participants exhibited behaviors such as bullying peers and taking advantage of the weaker members. However, under the guidance of basketball coaches, they gradually realized that only through mutual cooperation and assistance could they lead their team to victory. Consequently, bullying behaviors decreased, replaced by cooperation, successfully fostering a spirit of teamwork among the adolescents.
- Greater willingness to follow discipline: 90% agreed that the basketball club helped them follow social rules more closely; Teachers generally believe that wearing the uniform (jersey) of the basketball club instills a sense of honor in the participants, making them aspire to be role models for other students and more willing to adhere to group discipline.
- Increased confidence: Teachers noted that the participants gain confidence by understanding and following the coaches’ instructions, which positively impacted their self-esteem.
- Establishing life goals and becoming more active in school life: The program helped participants set and pursue personal goals, increasing their engagement and motivation in academic and extracurricular activities.
Challenges
However, the project also faces challenges. For example, many participants are special education students who encounter more learning barriers and may feel frustrated during the process.
Additionally, the gender imbalance, with a majority of male participants, leading to exclusion for the sole female participant in some activities. This gender disparity impacts group dynamics and decreases the motivation of female participants. We are considering several strategies to address these challenges: Firstly, dividing the basketball club into small groups if necessary. Secondly, increasing the number of female students. Lastly, including assistant coaches to provide additional instruction.
Future Prospects
The “Love-Passing” project is ongoing, and the feedback we collect will guide future modifications and dissemination. We aim to continuously improve the program based on participant and teacher feedback, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of at-risk youth. Additionally, we will include experts in different areas into our research team, which may provide a broader view for our future work. We look forward to sharing more comprehensive result in the future!
