Violence Prevention Curriculum for Adolescents (OJJDP Model Program Guide)

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Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Serving Children, Families and Communities

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Violence Prevention Curriculum for Adolescents

Intervention:

The Violence Prevention Curriculum for Adolescents (VPC) provides adolescents with information on risk factors for interpersonal violence and skills for choosing alternatives to fighting. The 10- to 18-session curriculum uses lectures, discussions, and interactive role-plays. Sessions generally last 40 minutes. The goals of the curriculum are to 1) illustrate that violence is preventable, 2) teach students that anger is a normal part of life and that anger can be expressed and channeled in healthy, constructive ways, 3) help students understand that controlling anger and violence is part of maturing, 4) identify positive ways for students to express their anger, and 5) help them think about and use alternatives to violence in conflict situations. VPC is part of the Teenage Health Teaching Modules program, a comprehensive school health education curriculum for adolescents.

Evaluation Methodology:

This program was evaluated by two separate studies. The first used a quasi-experimental design with comparison groups. The study examined the effectiveness of the VPC curriculum on 978 sixth grade students from six different schools. The curriculum was put into practice using a staggered implementation design; students received the curriculum during different semesters to allow comparisons between treatment and no-treatment groups. Participants were asked to complete the subscales: the Violent Behavior Scale, the Problem Behavior Scale, and the Drug Use Scale from the Behavioral Frequency Scale. Baseline data was collected to ensure there were no significant differences between the treatment groups at pretest and to test for attrition.

The second study examined the impact of two intervention conditions on 1,523 sophomore high school students’ suspension rates. The first condition was the VPC curriculum. The second condition was a schoolwide violence prevention initiative, which included various violence prevention activities, such as school presentations on violence prevention and seminars on death and dying. A prospective design using archival data was used to track three panels of students over their sophomore and junior years. School records provided access to relevant independent variables such as age, gender, ethnicity, standardized test scores, and absenteeism. These two conditions were compared with a nonexposed comparison group. Each condition was nonrandomly assigned to a high school. The schoolwide violence prevention initiative was analyzed for 3 consecutive years (1985–87). The class-specific educational intervention was combined with the schoolwide initiative and analyzed in 1 year only (1986).

Evaluation Outcome:

The first study suggested that the curriculum reduced the immediate risk of becoming a perpetrator or victim of violence for boys, but not for girls. Specifically, the study found significantly lower frequencies of armed threats and physical fighting for boys in the curriculum versus the comparison group. Moreover, boys receiving the curriculum showed significantly lower rates of problem behavior and drug use. No significant effects were noted for girls or for the overall curriculum sample.

The results of the second study indicate that students receiving the in-class curriculum showed a 71 percent reduction in suspension rates, while the nonclassroom participants showed no change in their suspension rates. Students in the schoolwide exposure condition showed a decrease in suspension rates, but these results were statistically insignificant. Overall, results suggest that violence prevention education can reduce negative school behaviors, particularly when supplemented by other supportive curricula and activities.

Other Information:

References:

Farrell, Albert D., and A.L. Meyer. 1997. “The Effectiveness of a School-Based Curriculum for Reducing Violence Among Urban Sixth Grade Students.” American Journal of Public Health 87:979–84.

Hausman, A.J.; G. Pierce; and L. Briggs. 1996. “Evaluation of Comprehensive Violence Prevention Education: Effects on Student Behavior.” Journal of Adolescent Health 19:104–10.

Program Specification:

Current Rating:

Promising

Expected Date of Re-Review:

Summer 2013

Program Type:

Classroom Curricula

Conflict Resolution / Interpersonal Skills

School/Classroom Environment

Ethnicity:

African American

Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

White

Gender:

Both

Age:

12 - 18

Target Settings:

Urban

Problem Behaviors:

Aggression/Violence

Risk & Protective Factors:

Risk

Community

Community crime / High crime neighborhood

Neighborhood youth in trouble

Social and physical disorder / Disorganized neighborhood

Family

Family history of problem behavior / Parent criminality

Family management problems / Poor parental supervision and/or monitoring

Family transitions

Family violence

Pattern of high family conflict

Poor family attachment / Bonding

Sibling antisocial behavior

Individual

Antisocial behavior and alienation / Delinquent beliefs / General delinquency involvement / Drug dealing

Early onset of aggression and/or violence

Lack of guilt and empathy

Life stressors

Poor refusal skills

Victimization and exposure to violence

Peer

Association with delinquent and/or aggressive peers

Gang involvement / Gang membership

Peer alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drug use

Peer rejection

School

Dropping out of school

Inadequate school climate / Poorly organized and functioning schools / Negative labeling by teachers

Low academic achievement

Negative attitude toward school / Low bonding / Low school attachment / Commitment to school

School suspensions

Truancy / Frequent absences

Protective

Community

Presence and involvement of caring, supportive adults in the community

Prosocial opportunities for participation / Availability of neighborhood resources

Family

Effective parenting

Good relationship with parents / Bonding or attachment to family

Opportunities for prosocial family involvement

Rewards for prosocial family involvement

Individual

Healthy / Conventional beliefs and clear standards

High individual expectations

Perception of social support from adults and peers

Positive / Resilient temperament

Positive expectations / Optimism for the future

Self-efficacy

Social competencies and problem solving skills

Peer

Good relationships with peers

Involvement with positive peer group activities

School

High quality schools / Clear standards and rules

Presence and involvement of caring, supportive adults in school

Rewards for prosocial school involvement

Student bonding (attachment to teachers, belief, commitment)

Additional Information:

Status:

Program is in operation at this time.

Performance Measures:

Suggested OJJDP Performance Measures for the Program Types(s):

Delinquency Prevention
Classroom Curricula
Logic Model: PDF
Performance Matrix:PDF
School Programs
Classroom Curricula
Logic Model: PDF
Performance Matrix:PDF
School Programs
School/Classroom Environment
Logic Model: PDF
Performance Matrix:PDF

Contact Information:

Program Developer:
Erica Macheca
Education Development Center, Inc.
55 Chapel Street
Newton, MA 02458
Phone: 6179697100
Fax: 9179695951
Email: Click Here
Website: Click Here

Program Locations:
Violence Prevention Curriculum for Adolescents
Education Development Center
P.O. Box 1020
Sewickley, PA 15143–1020