The resocialization of African -American male youth through afrocentric-based rites of passage programming: The need for adequate and accurate assessment

Educators, mental health professionals and religious and community leaders struggle arduously to find solutions to the problems facing today's African-American male adolescent---high homicide, suicide, dropout and unemployment rates as well as increased drug use and disproportionate involvement within the criminal justice system. The use of rites of passage programs has gained distinction as a vehicle of positive change. Little empirical evidence existed, however, to substantiate the efficacy of such programs. The purpose of this study was to create a standardized, objective measure to assess the efficacy of Afrocentric-based rites of passage programs. A 68-item assessment tool was developed based on the principles of the Nguzo Saba. The instrument was designed to measure changes within six constructs: (a) social responsibility; (b) ethnic attitudes concerning oneself; (c) ethnic attitudes concerning others; (d) gender-role expansion; (e) caring; and (f) self-reported behavior change. The newly created instrument was then used in conjunction with the Black Manhood Rites of Passage Training program to verify its ability to measure changes along these domains. Results showed that, while the ROPES instrument was judged to be highly reliable, it was largely ineffective in distinguishing between participants and non-participants of the BMT program.