Student evaluation
YES survey (Post-Survey only)
What is this measuring?
The Youth Experience Survey (YES) post-survey only instrument examines emerging adults’ developmental experiences in an organized youth activity, such as an extracurricular program or community-based program. The YES includes 18 scales that assess self-reported experiences in the activity or program within six conceptual domains of development: Identity Work (e.g. “I tried doing new things”), Initiative (e.g. “I set goals for myself in this activity”), Basic Skills (e.g. “I became better at handling stress”), Teamwork and Social Skills (e.g. “Learned how to be patient with group members”), Interpersonal Relationships and Social Capital (e.g. “This activity improved my relationship with my parents/guardian”). Souza et al. (2026) utilized the YES to examine student outcomes for an intergenerational technology program.
Source:
Hansen, D. M., & Larson, R. (2005). The youth experience survey 2.0: Instrument revisions and validity testing.
Souza, K., Leedahl, S.N., Pascuzzi, E., & Morelli, A. (2026). Beyond the classroom: An internship model that builds age-friendliness and career readiness. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 24(1), 158-168.
Survey items – question wording and instructions to participants:
Based on your recent involvement, please rate whether you have had the following experiences in…….. [name of activity]
Identity Experiences:
Identity Exploration:
| Identity Exploration |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 1. I set goals for myself in this activity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 2. Tried a new way of acting around people |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 3. I do things here I don’t get to do anywhere else |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Identity Reflection:
| Identity Reflection |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 4. Started thinking more about my future because of this activity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 5. This activity got me thinking about who I am |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 6. This activity has been a positive turning point in my life |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Goal Setting:
| Goal Setting |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 7. I set goals for myself in this activity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 8. Learned to find ways to achieve my goals |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 9. Learned to consider possible obstacles when making plans |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Effort:
| Effort |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 10. I put all my energy into this activity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 11. Learned to push myself |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 12. Learned to focus my attention |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Problem Solving:
| Problem Solving |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 13. Observed how others solved problems and learned from them |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 14. Learned about developing plans for solving a problem |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 15. Used my imagination to solve a problem |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Time Management:
| Time Management |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 16. Learned about organizing time and not procrastinating (not putting things off) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 17. Learned about setting priorities |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 18. Practiced self-discipline |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Basic Skills
Emotional Regulation:
| Emotional Regulation |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 19. Learned about controlling my temper |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 20. Became better at dealing with fear and anxiety |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 21. Became better at handling stress |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 22. Learned that my emotions affect how I perform |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Cognitive Skills
Cognitive Skills:
| Cognitive Skills |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 23. Improved my Academic skills (reading, writing, math, etc.) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 24. Improved my skills for finding information |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 25. Improved my computer/internet skills |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 26. Artistic/creative skills |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 27. Communication skills |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Physical Skills:
| Physical Skills |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 28. Athletic or physical skills |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Interpersonal Relationships
Diverse Peer Relationships:
| Diverse Peer Relationships |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 29. Made friends with someone of the opposite gender |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 30.Learned I had a lot in common with people from different backgrounds |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 31. Got to know someone from a different ethnic group |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 32. Made friends with someone from a different social class (someone richer or poorer) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Prosocial Norms:
| Prosocial Norms |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 33. Learned about helping others |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 34. I was able to change my school or community for the better |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 35. Learned to stand up for something I believed was morally right |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 36. We discussed morals and values |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Teamwork and social skills
Group Process Skills:
| Group Process Skills |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 37. Learned that working together requires some compromising |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 38. Became better at sharing responsibility |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 39. Learned to be patient with other group members |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 40. Learned how my emotions and attitude affect others in the group |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 41. Learned that it is not necessary to like people in order to work with them |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Feedback:
| Feedback |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 42. I became better at giving feedback |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 43. I became better at taking feedback |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Leadership and responsibility:
| Leadership and responsibility |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 44. Learned about the challenges of being a leader |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 45. Others in this activity counted on me |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 46. Had an opportunity to be in charge of a group of peers |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Adult Networks and Social Capital
Integration with family:
| Integration with family |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 47. This activity improved my relationship with my parents/guardians |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 48. I had good conversations with my parents/guardians because of this activity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Linkages to work and college:
| Linkages to work and college |
1 Yes, definitely |
2 Quite a bit |
3 A little |
4 Not at all |
| 51. This activity opened up job or career opportunities for me |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 52. This activity helped prepare me for college |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| 53. This activity increased my desire to stay in school |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Coding – answer choices:
1-Yes, Definitely 2=Quite a bit 3=A little 4=Not at all
Scaling – how to combine items / score:
Create average scores for each sub-scale within each domain.
Psychometrics – Cronbach’s alpha if possible:
From Souza et al. (2026):
Identity Experiences: 0.79
Initiative Experiences: 0.91
Basic Skill: 0.90
Positive Relationships: 0.84
Team Work and Social Skills: 0.91
Adult Network and Social Capital: 0.89