Development of life skills of 4-H club members in Louisiana

The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of competency, coping and contributory life skills as perceived by 4-H club members in Louisiana. Two parishes from each of the nine LCES areas, were randomly selected to participate in the study. Data were collected from junior and senior high school 4-H club members in Louisiana. Two parishes from each of the nine LCES areas, were randomly selected to participate in the study. Data were collected from junior and senior high school 4-H club members during the spring of 1988. The 60-item Life Skill Development (LSD) instrument contains three major skills to measure self perceived development of the major 4-H life skill areas (competency, coping, and contributory), and nine sub-scales representing the 4-H program objectives (health, learning, career dev., resource management, self-confidence, cooperation, leisure, leadership, and citizenship). The results indicated that 4-H members agreed that, generally, they have acquired the life skills contained in the 4-H objectives. Non-junior leadership club members were more advanced in overall life skill development and competency and coping life development. Female 4-H members were more advanced in development of competency and coping life skills than males. Seniors were more advanced in overall life skill, competency, and contributory life skill development. 4-H members with more years enrolled in 4-H were more advanced in contributory life skill development. 4-H members that indicated more years in the junior leadership program were more advanced in contributory life skill development.