Citation

Embry DD, Flannery DJ, Vazsonyi AT, Powell KE, Atha H. Am. J. Prev. Med. 1996; 12(5 Suppl): 91-100.

Affiliation

Heartsprings, Inc., Tucson, AZ 85732, USA. dde@Heartsprings.org

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8909629

Abstract

PeaceBuilders is a schoolwide violence-prevention program for elementary schools (K-5). A coalition of the Pima County Community Services Department, University of Arizona, and Heartsprings, Inc., (a Tucson-based company) are conducting a formal evaluation. Children who grow up to commit acts of violence show cognitive, social, and imitative differences from their peers. These characteristics can be ameliorated, most successfully through interventions that begin at an early age and involve multiple segments of the child's social experiences and interactions. PeaceBuilders activities are built into the school environment and the daily interactions among students, teachers, and administrative staff, all of whom are taught a common language and provided models of positive behavior, environmental cues to signal such behavior, opportunities to rehearse positive behavior, and rewards for practicing it. Four schools, one from each of four matched pairs, were randomly assigned to begin PeaceBuilders in Year 1. The remaining four schools begin in Year 2. Outcome assessments include student self-reports, standardized teacher reports, playground observations, and school and law enforcement records. Process assessments include school observations and surveys of teacher practices and satisfaction. Surveys were completed by 2,736 children. The sample is about 55% Hispanic, 26% Anglo, 14% Native American, and 4% African American. Among children in grades 3-5, during the past week 15% had been sent to the office for disciplinary problems, 13% tried to start a fight 27% hit someone, and 12% reported being threatened with a gun or knife. Violent behaviors and experiences are common among the studied children. A valid evaluation is underway of PeaceBuilders.

Child Violence
Violence Prevention
Prevention Program
Program Effectiveness
Program Evaluation
Program Description
Violence Intervention
Intervention Program
School Based
Elementary School Student
Prosocial Skills
Social Skills Learning
Child Aggression
Middle Childhood
Late Childhood
Grade K
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Prevention Education
Education Program
Aggression Intervention
Aggression Prevention
School Climate
School Environment
Early Prevention
Arizona