Teen Challenge: A Program Evaluation of a Faith-Based Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program

Abstract

This project is the first formal evaluation of Teen Challenge, a faith-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. Using a survey instrument created by the author, data were collected from program directors of Teen Challenge programs across the United States (N=75). The survey instrument had three parts: demographic questions, questions concerning the Teen Challenge program, and questions assessing Teen Challenge in the opinion of program directors. The results showed that age and location had a statistically significant association with high success rates, while gender did not. In the opinion of program directors, marital status and parental status were associated with drop out rates, while age and employment status were not. Students who were referred to Teen Challenge via court orders were the most successful in terms of program completion. The most effective spiritual group activity offered was a curriculum called Group Studies for New Christians (GSNC). The most effective spiritual individual activity was personal prayer, and the most effective non-spiritual activity was work projects. Roughly two-thirds of the program directors felt spiritual activities were more important than non-spiritual activities.