Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (15)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Orpinas, P.
Right arrow Articles by Mcalister, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Orpinas, P.
Right arrow Articles by Mcalister, A.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Health Education Research, Vol. 15, No. 1, 45-58, February 2000
© 2000 Oxford University Press

Outcome evaluation of a multi-component violence-prevention program for middle schools: the Students for Peace project

Pamela Orpinas, Steve Kelder1, Ralph Frankowski1, Nancy Murray1, Qing Zhang1 and Alfred Mcalister1

Department of Health Promotion and Behavior, University of Georgia, 300 River Road, Athens, GA 30602 and
1 1200 Herman Pressler, School of Public Health, University of Texas–Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA

This study evaluated the effect of Students for Peace, a multi-component violence- prevention intervention, on reducing aggressive behaviors among students of eight middle schools randomly assigned into intervention or control conditions. The intervention, based on Social Cognitive Theory, included the formation of a School Health Promotion Council, training of peer mediators and peer helpers, training of teachers in conflict resolution, a violence-prevention curriculum, and newsletters for parents. All students were evaluated in the spring of 1994, 1995 and 1996 (approximately 9000 students per evaluation). Sixth graders in 1994 were followed through seventh grade in 1995 or eighth grade in 1996 or both (n = 2246). Cohort and cross-sectional evaluations indicated little to no intervention effect in reducing aggressive behaviors, fights at school, injuries due to fighting, missing classes because of feeling unsafe at school or being threatened to be hurt. For all variables, the strongest predictors of violence in eighth grade were violence in sixth grade and low academic performance. Although ideal and frequently recommended, the holistic approach to prevention in schools in which teachers, administrators and staff model peaceful conflict resolution is difficult to implement, and, in this case, proved ineffective. The Students for Peace experience suggests that interventions begin prior to middle school, explore social environmental intervention strategies, and involve parents and community members.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Behav ModifHome page
M. A. Mattaini and M. S. McGuire
Behavioral Strategies for Constructing Nonviolent Cultures With Youth: A Review
Behav Modif, March 1, 2006; 30(2): 184 - 224.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Youth Violence and Juvenile JusticeHome page
A. T. Vazsonyi, L. M. Belliston, and D. J. Flannery
Evaluation of a School-Based, Universal Violence Prevention Program: Low-, Medium-, and High-Risk Children
Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, April 1, 2004; 2(2): 185 - 206.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 The Journal of Early AdolescenceHome page
P. Orpinas and R. Frankowski
The Aggression Scale:: A Self-Report Measure of Aggressive Behavior for Young Adolescents
The Journal of Early Adolescence, February 1, 2001; 21(1): 50 - 67.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.