Draft:The Connection Project

• Comment: Needs independent sourcing. Chaotic Enby (talk · contribs) 22:48, 9 October 2024 (UTC)

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The Connection Project is an evidence-based intervention designed to improve the quality of adolescents' peer relationships adopted by several high schools and universities and was highlighted by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy as a key approach to addressing the current "Epidemic of Loneliness." Developed in collaboration with Dr. Joseph P. Allen’s Adolescent Research Group, the program fosters social connectedness by facilitating weekly group meetings where participants engage in structured activities that promote positive interpersonal outcomes.

Background

In June 2016, Dr. Joseph P. Allen and Dr. Karen Guskin received a grant from the William T. Grant Foundation to develop the Connection Project. A multi-site, randomized study involving 864 10th and 11th graders was conducted, where participants either continued with their usual schooling or took part in a series of twelve 45- to 60-minute sessions focused on enhancing peer relationships. The study measured participants' perceptions of peer support, connectedness, and negative interactions.

In 2018, additional funding from the University of Virginia’s Jefferson Trust allowed for an adaptation of the Connection Project to the university level, resulting in the creation of Hoos Connected, an intervention tailored to university students. 

In August 2023, both Georgetown University and Virginia Tech launched their own iterations of the Connection Project, following the model of Hoos Connected.

Evaluation and Outcomes

The effectiveness of the Connection Project has been evaluated through several randomized controlled trials. Assessments of the high school version were conducted before, immediately after, and four months following the intervention. Results showed significant improvements in the quality of participants' peer relationships, observable both by the participants themselves and by peers outside of the program.. Additionally, four months post-intervention, participants exhibited higher levels of academic engagement and lower levels of depressive symptoms

A subsequent study, also employing a randomized controlled trial, investigated the Connection Project's effectiveness for college students. Results demonstrated significant improvements in students' sense of school belonging, and reductions in loneliness and depressive symptoms when compared to a control group.. The program had stronger effects on students from marginalized racial and ethnic backgrounds, lower socioeconomic status, and transfer students

The effectiveness of the Hoos Connected program was also evaluated in a separate randomized controlled trial. The study focused on first-year students and involved a 9-session intervention. Participants in the intervention group reported a significantly higher sense of school belonging compared to the control group, with post-hoc analyses indicating similar benefits across various demographic groups .  

Current Status

Following the initial development of the Connection Project, the Wyman Center implemented a version of the intervention for teenagers, known as the Teen Connection Project. This program has been replicated nationally, with five National Network partners piloting the intervention and achieving results consistent with the original findings. As of 2024, the Teen Connection Project has reached over 500 teens across seven states.