The Impact of Neighborhood Factors on Mental Health and Academic Outcomes for Adolescents Participating in the Prodigy Program

Abstract

The Prodigy Cultural Arts program provides art classes embedded with three types of self-regulation skills (problem solving, social skills, and anger management) in an after school community setting to at-risk youths. Empirical evidence supports the effectiveness of self-regulation skills programs and the arts in programs for at-risk youths, yet the impact of the environment on the youth participants is often ignored. This study examines neighborhood structural characteristics along with previously identified individual, mental health variables in school outcomes for adolescents attending the Prodigy Program. Findings suggest that neighborhood structural characteristics have some influence in program outcomes. Limitations of the study and future research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Neighborhood structural characteristics
• school outcomes
• mental health
• at-risk youth
• self-regulation

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