Cowley, E. S., Watson, P. M., Foweather, L., Beltson, S., Mansfield, G., Whitcomb-Khan, G., Cacciatore, I., Thompson, A., Thijssen, D., & Wagenmakers, A. J. M. (2021). Formative Evaluation of a Home-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Adolescent Girls – The HERizon Project: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Children (Basel), 8(2), 76. https://doi.org/10.3390/children8020076

            Cowley et al. (2021) provide a formative evaluation of the UK, and Ireland-based program called the HERizon Project. It is similar to GOTR in that it promotes physical activity in adolescent girls. A literature review by the evaluators concluded that previous studies showed young girls’ body image, self-esteem, and competence could be barriers to physical activity. The literature review also showed physical activity increased when programs were girls-only and multicompetent. What is interesting about this study is that it took place during the height of the Covid-19 lockdown. This meant that the participants completed the program in their own homes, with support being provided through video calls. There was a total of 42 participants, 13-16 years old. The evaluation results concerning self-esteem and body satisfaction showed positive changes. Despite only seeing their peers through video calls, the participants felt they were in a supportive and caring environment. Future recommendations consisted of a larger sample size and a longer evaluation period. 

Choudhary, G., & Gulati, J. K. (2015). Developmental status of life skills among adolescent girls living in low socio-economic status. Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing, 6(3), 316. 

This article evaluates life skills such as self-esteem and emotional intelligence of young girls in low socio-economic conditions. This article is relevant because it highlights the need that my program seeks to address. The method used consisted of 150 girls ages 15 to 17 years old. An additional point to the article’s relevance is the participants’ socio-economic status. GOTR seeks to provide an environment of access and equity, making its program open to such participants. This study showed that girls from families with two parents, the mother as their primary caretaker, and siblings show higher levels of self-confidence and interpersonal skills. A point of interest in this study is how parents’ education level can positively or negatively impact the characteristics of the child. This points to additional factors contributing to programs like GOTR’s success in developing young girls’ life skills. 

Dinkel, Huberty, J., & Beets, M.W. (2015). Qualitative Evaluation of GoGirlGo! Insights From Staff on Using a Curriculum Within After-School Programs to Improve Physical Activity. Health Promotion Practice, 16(2), 184-192. https://doi.org/10.1177/152483

            This article is a qualitative assessment of an after-school program similar to Girls on the Run, where physical activity is encouraged in an environment exclusive to girls. The study conducted within this article included interviews consisting entirely of staff members to receive their input on the program’s effectiveness. For the study, 47 staff members from seven after-school programs were interviewed over five months, with a follow-up three months later. Each after-school program chosen implemented the GoGirilGo! curriculum. The study shows that scheduled time and space for the curriculum led to success, both staff and participants appreciated the girls-only environment, and improvements could be made. One particular area of improvement found was in staff training. In other words, if the staff were appropriately trained, there would be a higher chance of practical implementation. 

Gabriel, K. K., DeBate, R. D., High, R. R., & Racine, E. F. (2011). Girls on the Run: A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of a Developmentally Focused Youth Support Program. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 8, S285-S294. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.8.s2.s285

            Gabriel et al. evaluate Girls on the Run’s psychological impact on girls in grades 3-5. This study had a rather large sample size of 877 participants from 15 North Carolina schools that had either never been exposed to GOTR, were new to the program, or were previous participants. What I found interesting about this study was that the schools were given the choice to have the surveys administered by the evaluators or teachers. Because of this, the original sample size decreased due to teachers refusing to administer. The results of the study showed that in the areas of body image and self-esteem, when non-participants of GOTR were compared to previous participants, those who had been in contact with the GOTR program displayed higher self-esteem, whereas body image viewed showed no noticeable difference. Unlike studies before and since that I have encountered, Gabriel et al. used an entire school year to evaluate the program’s long-term impact. 

Iachini, A. L., Beets, M. W., Ball, Annahita, & Lohman, M. (2014). Process evaluation of “Girls on the Run”: Exploring implementation in a physical activity-based positive youth development program. Evaluation and Program Planning, 46, 1-9, ISSN 0149-7189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2014.05.001

This article provides a process evaluation of the effectiveness of GOTR using focus groups, site visits, and self-reporting across 29 locations. The results of this study revealed other factors that contributed to or proved to be a barrier to positive youth development, such as parental involvement, responsiveness to staff, and behavioral issues. Because this study used multiple locations, the evaluators could note the differences in program implementation, an area that could create conflict. Some locations were implementing the GOTR programs as intended. Others were not implementing all the activities. Due to this, the contributions and barriers to positive outcomes were revealed. That being said, the study’s results showed that the program’s effectiveness directly correlated to the program implementation. And that various factors influenced the implementation of the program. Future recommendations for research suggest collecting further data on the factors that influence program implementation. 

Temin, M., & Heck, C. J. (2020). Close to Home: Evidence on the Impact of Community-Based Girl Groups. Global Health Science and Practice, 8(2), 300-324. https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-20-00015

While this article did not evaluate a physical activity-based program, it is relevant due to its focus on the literature review of international girls-only community-based programs and their impact. The article reviews evaluations of 30 programs that have used various evaluation methods, such as experimental design, control/comparison groups, and quantitative data.  Almost all the programs focused on life skills. The qualifications that the evaluators used to determine what literature to review consisted of groups of 10 – 19-year-old girls who regularly met and a trained female mentor. While physical activity was not a component of these programs, many utilized other areas related to life skills teaching, such as financial literacy. Results of the literature review showed that regular meetings built support among peers and community members. There were also improvements seen in attitudes regarding gender and an increase in economic assets. Future research recommendations include gathering data through direct observation to compare with self-reported data. 

Weiss, M. R., Kipp, L. E., & Riley, A. (2023). Inspiring IDEA: Girls on the Run’s developmental approach to and assessment of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access programming. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1128680-1128680. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.202

            This article provides a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the effectiveness of the Girls on the Run IDEA strategy. The acronym IDEA stands for inclusion, diversity, equity, and access. This study utilized interviews and surveys from participants, caregivers, and coaches and focused on their experiences concerning the four IDEA components. Survey results revealed that between participants, caregivers, and coaches, GOTR provided an environment conducive to their IDEA strategy. One interesting aspect of this study was the limitation that was discussed, which benefited my evaluation. And that is self-selection. Favorable ratings and responses were most likely caused by the voluntary nature of the participants, coaches, and caregivers versus those who did not participate. Improvement opportunities were found in discussing social justice issues, providing an environment that was culturally responsive for all, and promoting life skills. 

Weiss, M. R., Kipp L. E., Reichter, A., & Bolter, N. D. (2020). Evaluating Girls on the Run in Promoting Positive Youth Development: Group Comparison on Life Skills Transfer and Social Processes. Pediatric Exercise Science. 32(3), 172-182. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2019-0252

            This article evaluates the GOTR program’s impact on life skills by comparing 215 participants and 692 non-participants using qualitative and quantitative means. It is important to note that the girls who did not participate in GOTR did participate in other sports activities. The evaluation methods consisted of self-reporting, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews. Research/literature review before the study showed that participation in sports or physical activity was not an automatic indicator that life skills and positive development would transfer beyond sports. Instead, these behaviors had to be taught in an environment that pushed for improvement. What sets this study apart is the comparison factor. Unlike previous studies with only GOTR participants, the results of this study give a better interpretation of whether the improvements can be traced back to the program itself and no other factors. Results showed that in life skills, GOTR participants compared favorably with non-participants who did not participate in any after-school activities. However, those girls who did not participate in activities outside of PE did pose a higher risk for adverse health outcomes. 

Weiss, M. R., Kipp, L. E., Reichter, A., Espinoza, S. M., & Bolter, N. D. (2019) Girls on the Run: Impact of a Physical Activity Youth Development Program on Psychosocial and Behavioral Outcomes. Pediatric Exercise Science, 31(3), 330-340. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2018-0168

            This article provides an additional evaluation of the effectiveness of Girls on the Run as a physical activity program designed to impact young girls’ social and psychological development positively. The methods used for this study consisted of surveys completed by 203 girls ages 8-11 years old. The areas measured in the study were looked at pre- and post-program, with a follow-up three months post-season. Coaches also participated in the study by providing quantitative data, such as how many girls completed the program. The study’s results showed that all participants showed an increase in confidence and connection, which are two out of the five C’s for positive youth development. Results also indicated that this increase persisted at follow-up. This was especially the case for girls below average in the areas before joining GOTR. Like previous studies, self-selection was noted as a limitation of the study. Recommendations for further research included participation from caregivers with varying perspectives with the hope of uncovering areas of improvement. 

Weiss, M. R., Kipp, L. E., Riley, A. (2021). “A Piece of Sanity in the Midst of Insane Times”: Girls on the Run Programming to Promote Physical Activity and Psychosocial Well-Being During COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 729291-72929. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.729291

Weiss et al., in this article, evaluate the impact of the GOTR when faced with challenges like those brought forth due to the pandemic. Lessons had to be modified from an in-person curriculum to a virtual or hybrid. Instead of focusing on participants, the evaluators sought out the perceptions of parents and coaches. The method used consisted of 1617 parents and 991 coaches across 1,077 teams. Data was collected via online surveys. Parental results showed a favorable review of the program regardless of how it was delivered. Parents also reported positive developments in their daughter’s well-being, becoming more confident and physically active. Coach results, however, showed a difference among methods of delivery. Coaches noted a more favorable outcome in relationships in person. Despite the restrictions, GOTR could still provide an environment that strengthened connections, sustained physical activity, and built confidence. Future research recommendations suggest gathering more data from diverse participants to ensure representation.