Building Relationship Skills Newsletter
January 2004

We need your help. We are beginning an academic research study of our Connections: Dating and Emotions program. The study will show the effects that the curriculum has on middle and high school teens. Specifically, we expect that the study will demonstrate how connections: Dating and Emotions influences students to develop stronger and healthier dating relationships.

There are several ways that this study can benefit you. First, if you are selected to participate in this evaluation, you will receive the Dating and Emotions Starter Package if you do not have it. Or, if you already have the program you will receive enough student materials for your students.

Second, it will give you and your class exposure as part of a national study. Third, you will be helping Family & Consumer science teachers evaluate one of the top programs in youth relationship education, enabling them to choose the best curriculum for their classes.

Evaluation participation requires:

1. Teaching the entire Connections: Dating & Emotions program during this upcoming semester in a school setting.

2. Two classes. One class takes a pre and post test WITH the curriculum. The 'control group' class takes the pre and post test WITHOUT the curriculum. This control class must have similar male/female student ratio and grade levels as the curriculum class.

3. Permission from the principal and the participating students' parents. We provide the necessary permission slips.

If you are interested in learning more about this study, please contact
Scott Gardner at 605-690-1732 or SCOTT_GARDNER@SDSTATE.EDU.

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