| Sumario: | Background: The College Orientation Workshop (COW) is an experiential education program combining military structure, physical and mental challenges, and classroom instruction to promote life success in mostly Black and Latino male youth. Purpose: This study examined physical and psychological benefits associated with the program. Follow-up psychological data were collected three- and six-months post-program. Methodology: Twenty-six male high school students participated in the assessment. Physical measures included: body weight, pull-ups, situps, and push-ups, 1.5 mile run time, resting blood pressure, and pulse rate. Psychological variables included: aspirational educational attainment, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, self-esteem, self-efficacy, perceived control, perceived stress, self-control, impulsivity, social support, and subjective socio-economic status (SES). Findings: Pre- to post-COW, significant increases occurred in aspirational educational attainment, social support, positive affect, life satisfaction, planning, blaming, sit-ups completed, push-ups completed, and body weight. Significant decreases occurred in run times, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and subjective SES. At 3 months, life satisfaction was significantly higher than baseline. Positive affect was elevated but not significant. At 6 months, self-esteem was significantly higher than baseline. Implications: Findings partially replicate and extend previous work indicating the COW Program may be an effective experiential, positive youth development program.
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