Citation

Farrell AD, Meyer AL, Dahlberg LL. Am. J. Prev. Med. 1996; 12(5, Suppl): 13-21.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Richmond Youth Against Violence Project teaches middle-school students in the Richmond Public Schools knowledge, attitudes, and skills for reducing their involvement in violence. These students are primarily African Americans, many of whom come from low-income, single-parent households in neighborhoods with high rates of crime and drug use. The program, "Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways," employs a developmentally anchored health promotion model. Its goal is to promote peaceful and positive alternative to interpersonal and situational violence, by creating environments that teach and encourage health-enhancing behaviors and intrapersonal attributes and weakening supports for health-compromising behaviors and intrapersonal attributes. The 16-session school-based program was implemented by prevention specialists with sixth graders during the 1994-1995 school year. Students are taught a seven-step problem-solving model. Program implementation staggered to allow an intervention group to participate during the fall semester and a control group to participate during the spring semester. Outcome measures include school data and measures completed by students. There were few significant baseline differences between the intervention and control groups. A high percentage of students, particularly boys, reported exposure to community violence; more than 92% had heard gunshots. Many have also engaged in risk behaviors; 70% of the boys and 44% of the girls reported being in a fight in the preceding 30 days. The impact of the curriculum is being examined. The program has provided valuable lessons about conducting community-based research, particularly designing, implementing, and evaluating prevention programs. (Abstract Adapted from Source: American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 1996. Copyright © 1996 by Elsevier Science)

Elementary School Student
Grade 6
Late Childhood
Child Violence
Violence Prevention
Prevention Program
Urban School
Urban Youth
School Based
Virginia
Program Effectiveness
Program Evaluation
Prevention Education
Education Program
Health Promotion
Social Skills Learning
Prosocial Skills
Child Attitudes
African American Child
African American Violence
Program Description
03-03