Date of Award

12-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Committee Chair/Advisor

Barry Garst

Committee Member

Harrison Pinckney

Committee Member

Aby Sene-Harper

Committee Member

Matthew Boyer

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Youth development professionals working in non-formal educational settings face the persistent challenge of translating evidence-based frameworks into effective practice. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examines how South Carolina 4-H agent/educators perceive and adopt the 4-H Thriving Model following mandatory statewide training. The study investigates the roles of professional identity, change readiness, and organizational factors in shaping innovation adoption decisions among Extension professionals who work with considerable autonomy within diverse community contexts.

The 4-H Thriving Model represents a comprehensive theory of change that connects program practices to the developmental processes that influence youth outcomes (Arnold and Gagnon, 2019). The model identifies four key components of high-quality developmental contexts: youth engagement, belonging, sparks, and relationships. When these elements are present, youth develop thriving indicators including openness to challenge, growth mindset, hopeful purpose, pro-social orientation, positive emotionality, and goal management, which predict long-term outcomes of academic success, economic stability, health and well-being. Despite empirical validation, widespread adoption across the Cooperative Extension Service remains uneven, representing a significant gap between research and practice in youth development.

This study employed an explanatory sequential design integrating quantitative survey data, and qualitative focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews to examine eight research questions addressing 4-H agent/educators' perceptions of the model, the influences of professional identity on adoption, change readiness, barriers to implementation, and relationships between professional characteristics and adoption patterns. Thirty-six 4-H agent/educators completed retrospective pre-post surveys measuring professional identity using the Professional Identity Scale in Counseling (Adams et al., 2006) and change readiness using the Change Readiness Scale (Rafferty & Griffin, 2006). Twenty-three of those participants engaged in five monthly focus group discussions exploring implementation experiences. Sixteen 4-H agent/educators participated in the in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted two years post-training. Directed content analysis, guided by Diffusion of Innovation Theory (Rogers, 2003), Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), and the integrated model by Weigel et al. ‘s (2014) Innovation Adoption Behavior, revealed six major themes illuminating the innovation adoption process in this non-formal educational context. First, Making Sense of the Model: From Confusion to Clarity revealed that understanding the 4-H Thriving Model was not a singular event but a gradual clarification process shaped by prior professional training, peer conversations, and attempts at practical application. Second, Professional Identity in Transition demonstrated that how 4-H agent/educators see themselves fundamentally shapes the decision to adopt. Third, The Implementation Gap: Knowing versus Doing revealed persistent distance between conceptual understanding of the model and actual practice change. Fourth, Barriers to Adoption: Time, Resources, and Systemic Constraints catalogued obstacles at multiple levels. Individual barriers included insufficient time for deep learning, reflection, and intentional planning in work cultures prioritizing reactive responsiveness. Fifth, The Role of Community and Organizational Culture: Adoption as Social Process illuminated that innovation adoption is fundamentally social rather than purely individual. Sixth, Organizational Change: "Just Another Buzzword" captured experienced 4-H agent/educators' frustration with patterns of introducing frameworks without sustained commitment.

Findings suggest that supporting innovation adoption among non-formal educators requires multifaceted approaches addressing individual, social, and organizational dimensions simultaneously. Professional development must explicitly attend to identity formation, helping educators connect new frameworks to existing expertise while supporting identity evolution. Implementation support must extend far beyond initial training through communities of practice, coaching relationships, and ongoing learning opportunities structured into professional expectations. Organizational systems must align with stated priorities by building innovations into evaluation criteria, position descriptions, advancement pathways, and resource allocation decisions. Cultivating champions and creating opportunities for peer learning harnesses the social nature of adoption. Most critically, national, regional and state organizations must demonstrate sustained commitment through institutional structures that embed innovations as foundational rather than treating them as temporary initiatives.

This research ultimately reveals that closing the research-to-practice gap in youth development requires more than disseminating evidence-based frameworks. It requires supporting the complex, deeply human process through which professionals integrate new knowledge into existing identities, beliefs, and contexts shaped by personal histories, organizational cultures, and community relationships. For youth-serving organizations committed to evidence-based practice, investing in professional development infrastructure that honors this complexity represents an essential foundation for achieving meaningful developmental outcomes with young people.

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