Cross & Crescent

As a leader in the co-curricular Fraternity movement, Lambda Chi Alpha has redefined and evolved the method of maturational development in fraternity men. Working closely with psychologist Dr. Elgan Baker (DePauw 1971), winner of the 2007 Hans H. Strupp award (his profession’s highest honor), Lambda Chi Alpha is measuring the developmental maturation of its members and comparing the outcomes at a campus to campus level.

Under the umbrella of the True Brother Initiative, a comprehensive development program format and structure for undergraduate and alumni members to actively live our Core Values in every aspect of their lives, Lambda Chi Alpha is using the following instruments to assess member development:

• The Self Consciousness Scale (Fenigstein, 1975)
• Self Esteem Scale (Rosenburg, 1965)
• Multidimensional Emotional Empathy Scale (Caruso and Mayer, 1998)
• Self Report Altruism Scale (Rushton et al, 1981)
• The Miller Social Intimacy Scale (Miller & Lecourt, 1982)

Developed and piloted in 2006, this unique educational program was made available to our nearly 200 chapters and colonies in 2007. Surveys are currently administered to our members at the point of association and initiation, with the intention of a third survey during their final academic term before graduation.

A fully comprehensive development program, the True Brother Initiative provides a format and structure to actively live Lambda Chi Alpha’s Seven Core Values — Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service & Stewardship, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage — in every aspect of chapter function, as well as in the individual development of young men.

Results from the survey and assessment component of the True Brother Initiative indicate that chapters implementing all components of the initiative score above the national norm in the developmental maturation related to self-esteem, self-awareness, empathy, altruism, and intimacy.

Through this groundbreaking initiative, Lambda Chi Alpha has reaffirmed its role as educators and partners with administrators and faculty of our colleges and universities.

As we enter into another century of Lambda Chi Alpha, the entire brotherhood is excited about the Fraternity’s second century as our values, ideals, and Initiation Ritual teachings inspire today and tomorrow’s leaders in Lambda Chi Alpha and throughout society.

It is important that our undergraduate and alumni brothers understand that the True Brother Initiative is promoting positive growth in the lives of our active brothers. These early outcomes are extremely encouraging and provide the brotherhood with affirmation that we are on a course that truly makes brothers better men — and eventually better citizens, husbands, and fathers.

The general results from the 2008 participant survey results show:

Chapter Performance

Chapters integrating True Brother scored higher on ALL measures of performance

• Recruitment Class Size
• Retention to Initiation
• Grade Point Average
• Campus Involvement
• Community Service

Chapters most fully and successfully integrating components of True Brother showed significantly greater levels of change than other comparison chapters.

Individual Development

Chapters integrating True Brother scored higher than national norms on ALL measures of developmental maturation

• Self-Awareness
• Self-Esteem
• Empathy
• Altruism
• Intimacy

Chapters integrating True Brother demonstrated significantly greater changes from association to Initiation on ALL measures of developmental maturation than chapters not integrating True Brother.

The largest increases in developmental maturation were noted on empathy and capacity for intimacy.

Typical decreases in self-awareness and self-esteem noted in college freshmen were not evidenced in chapters integrating the components of True Brother.