Northcutt, Woody.  (dissertation)  The Influence of Short Term Mission Trips to Third

World Countries on Anglo, Middle-Class-American Evangelical Christian Students;

Attitude and Behavior toward Poverty.  Denver: Denver Seminary, 2000.

Summary:

Before and after a one-week mission trip fifteen students from Denver Christian College who had never been on a mission trip to the third world previously were given 35-question surveys about attitude, knowledge, and behavior towards poverty.  (10 went to Mexico; 5 went to Ecuador.)

Based on the results of the surveys, and of debriefing interviews, the author concludes that both the attitude and behavior of the students towards third-world poverty changed significantly.  (Note however that the nine questions concerning behavior are mostly about "soft" changes like giving money; students are not questioned about more "radical" changes such as voting, getting involved in advocacy, etc.)

Methodology:

• The pre-test was given to the "first-time" students (students who had been on other trips also went on the trip, but were not interviewed) about 1 month before their trips.

• The post-test and debriefing interview took place 3-5 months after the trip, depending on each individual's schedule.

• The pre-test and post-test were identical.  The author based his conclusions on the difference between average overall scores on each.