What the YOS and COS Measure

February, 2020

As we redesign the YOS and COS to better fit the needs of our network, we would like to take an opportunity to offer you a more complete picture of what the YOS and COS data can help us measure and predict about the long-term success of our youth. Understanding everything we currently measure has helped the agency task force prioritize the outcomes of greatest importance to our network, which has guided their work in redesigning and shortening the existing tools.

YOS and cos measures

The YOS and COS are composed of sets of questions called constructs. Each construct measures certain aspects of a Little’s behaviors and characteristics. The current COS constructs measure the following things:

Construct Name	What It Affects
School Connectedness	School performance Academic outcomes Grades School behavior
Very Important Adult	School attendance Attitudes toward school Parental trust Violence and bullying (linked to improved grades and decreased delinquency)
Risky Behavior (personal conduct, school misbehavior, bullying, school discipline)	Violent and criminal behavior Delinquent behavior (personal/property damage) Mental health issues Relationship/family life issues Educational issues Economic problems
Emotion Regulation	Academic achievement Mental health Quality of social interactions Positive well-being
Positive Affect (Happiness)	Resiliency by mitigating stressful events Behavioral and psychological problems Clinical depression Health outcomes
Protective Behaviors	Health and behavioral outcomes Social relationships Academic performance Life satisfaction
Depressive Symptoms	Mental health disorders Academic outcomes Behavioral problems Suicide Anti-social/risky behaviors

The YOS measures everything the COS measures as well as the following:

Construct Name	What It Affects
Academic Performance (self-reported grades)	Actual grades High school graduation rates
Excused Absences	Grades Test scores School dropout High school graduation
Educational Expectations	Academic achievement High school graduation College attendance
Goal Setting and Pursuit	Goal setting and attainment Successful life management Reduction in problem behaviors Depression
Social Competence	Mental health Academic achievement Employment history Adult relationships
Family/Parent Connectedness	Substance use Sexual activity Risky behaviors
Risky behaviors (substance use, status offenses and illegal activities, police and juvenile justice contact)	Mental health and addiction Alcohol dependence or use Violence Academic outcomes
Interests or Sparks	Flexibility and adaptability Skill mastery Desire to contribute to society Positive developmental outcomes
Life Satisfaction	Substance use Fighting and violent behavior Risky sexual behavior

All of these constructs point back to one or more of our long-term outcome areas: academic success, avoidance of risky behaviors, and social-emotional competence. Our 1995 and 2007 impact studies demonstrated that these were the areas where BBBS mentoring made the greatest difference.

The agency task force is considering which of these constructs should form the basis of our new YOS and COS by determining which constructs we can cut or modify without affecting the quality of our data and our ability to attract funding. As all of these areas are important, you can see that it won’t be an easy job for them! We appreciate their hard work and commitment to this project.

You can learn more about the YOS and COS constructs on The Learning Exchange by clicking here, and about the rationale for each measure by clicking here. If you have any questions about the redesign project, please click here to submit your question the project team.