Violence Prevention Strategies for Youth Violence

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University

Disqualifiers: Limited English proficiency, Prisoners, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests strategies to prevent youth violence in two specific communities. It examines a hospital-based program called Emerging Leaders and community efforts to enhance positive youth development, including PAR - the SEED Method and PAR-Youth Voices. The researchers aim to determine if these efforts can reduce violence and alter risk factors for young people. Suitable participants include youth aged 12-24 living in the intervention communities, especially those who have experienced violence, are considered high-risk, attend certain high schools, or live in homes where someone received care at VCU Health. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the opportunity to contribute to innovative community solutions and potentially benefit from new violence prevention strategies.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that these violence prevention strategies are safe for youth?

Research shows that the treatments in this trial, including Emerging Leaders and the PAR (Participatory Action Research) methods, are generally easy for participants to handle. Since 2015, Emerging Leaders has been used in community programs to prevent violence. These programs focus on mentorship and positive activities to help young people and reduce violence.

For the PAR methods, both the SEED Method and Youth Voices have demonstrated good results in past studies. These methods often involve young people directly in research to address community problems, leading to positive changes in behavior and community safety. For example, one study found that young participants felt empowered to make positive changes in their communities through workshops and safe spaces.

The studies do not specifically mention negative effects, suggesting that these interventions are safe for participants. Since this trial does not test a new drug or medical procedure, the risks are likely lower compared to medical trials. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores innovative strategies for preventing youth violence by engaging directly with young people and their communities. Unlike traditional approaches that might focus solely on punitive measures or counseling, these methods—Emerging Leaders, PAR - the SEED Method, and PAR-Youth Voices—emphasize empowerment, community involvement, and participatory action research. These techniques aim to give youth a voice in shaping the solutions, fostering leadership skills, and creating sustainable change from the ground up. By involving communities and empowering youth to be part of the solution, the trial seeks to uncover more effective, long-lasting strategies for reducing violence among young people.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for youth violence prevention?

This trial will compare different violence prevention strategies for youth. Research has shown that the Emerging Leaders program, which participants in this trial may experience, includes mentorship and community partnerships that effectively reduce aggression and encourage positive behaviors in young people. This program creates safe and supportive environments that help develop social and creative skills.

Another approach in this trial is the SEED Method, part of a community-based research strategy. Studies suggest that nearly half of these interventions successfully reduce violence by effectively involving communities in prevention efforts.

The PAR-Youth Voices approach, also tested in this trial, is led by young people and aims to prevent negative outcomes in communities, such as school closures. Evidence indicates that these programs empower youth to take action, leading to meaningful changes in their communities. ^{3 5 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Terri Sullivan, PhD

Principal Investigator

Virginia Commonwealth University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for communities affected by youth violence, focusing on adolescents who have experienced domestic violence or other violent events. It aims to involve young people and community stakeholders in developing prevention strategies.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a high school student in grades 9 to 12.

Reside in one of the intervention communities (Community A and Community B) and attend the designated high school(s) serving that community (Community A or Community B)

Be able to consent/assent

Exclusion Criteria

I am between 14 and 24 years old.

I am in 8th grade or below.

Prisoners will be excluded

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention Implementation

Implementation of the Healthy Communities for Youth intervention in selected communities

12 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in community-level violence and proximal outcomes

6 months

Control Community Training

Training and technical assistance provided to the control community

End of project

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Emerging Leaders
• PAR - the SEED Method
• PAR-Youth Voices

Trial Overview The study tests 'Healthy Communities for Youth', a program combining the Emerging Leaders hospital-based intervention with universal strategies like participatory action research (PAR) to promote positive development and reduce youth violence.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Community B Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Group II: Community A Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Group III: Community C Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Virginia Commonwealth University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

732

Recruited

22,900,000+

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Collaborator

Trials

902

Recruited

25,020,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study involving 15 youth victims of violence and 9 crime victim specialists, both groups preferred visual representations of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) with high color-shading and descriptive elements, indicating a strong interest in engaging formats for data presentation.

The most valued domains for PROs included social, anger, emotional, school, physical, peer relations, and psychosocial well-being, while there was less interest in domains like positive affect and depression, highlighting specific areas of focus for future violence intervention programming.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Youth victim perspective: optimizing presentation of patient-reported outcomes in a violence intervention program. Hollo, A., Nimmer, M., Cheaton, B., et al.[2023]

A youth violence prevention curriculum was developed for healthcare providers at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital through a collaborative effort with community practitioners, highlighting the importance of community engagement in healthcare.

The curriculum was evaluated by 49 participants, showing a strong interest in skill development and knowledge improvement, demonstrating how healthcare professionals can effectively address community issues like youth violence.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Youth violence prevention curriculum evaluation: outcomes of a Cook County, Illinois community based partnership. Zanoni, J., Avila, S., Murray, LR., et al.[2011]

The Richmond Youth Against Violence Project, a 16-session program for middle school students, aims to reduce violence by teaching conflict resolution and promoting positive behaviors, particularly in high-risk communities.

Initial findings indicate that a significant number of students, especially boys, have been exposed to community violence and engaged in risk behaviors, highlighting the need for effective violence prevention strategies in these environments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Richmond youth against violence: a school-based program for urban adolescents. Farrell, AD., Meyer, AL., Dahlberg, LL.[2022]

Citations

1. ojjdp.ojp.gov ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/grant-performance-measurement/pr/Violence-Prevention-July-Dec-2021-Performance-Report

Violence Prevention Performance Report Thirty-four percent (n = 5,748) of the youth received Violence Prevention services for the first time, and 66 percent (n = 11,280) were carried over from the ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12121062/

A participatory qualitative study of youth outcomes in a ... They described outcomes as progressive, with students' gaining musical, social, and creative skills and access to a safe and supportive ...

3. ojjdp.ojp.gov ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/grant-performance-measurement/pr/Violence-Prevention-Jan-June-2021-Performance-Report

Violence Prevention Performance Report Seventeen percent (n= 1,756) of the youth received Violence Prevention services for the first time, and 83 percent (n = 8,764) were carried over from the ...

4. cdc.gov cdc.gov/youth-violence/php/yvpcs/index.html

National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention Youth Violence Prevention. Discover definitions, data, and effective strategies to prevent youth violence. Access vital resources for support ...

5. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-violence-1-2022-ec9d8

Violence Prevention Strategies for Youth Violence The research suggests that violence prevention programs, like those involving mentorship and community partnerships, can reduce aggression and promote positive ...

6. vcuhealth.org vcuhealth.org/services/injury-and-violence-prevention/ivpp-programs/emerging-leaders/

Emerging Leaders - Youth Violence Reduction The Youth Violence Prevention Initiative is a hospital/community based violence prevention program which began in 2015.

7. ojjdp.ojp.gov ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/grant-performance-measurement/pr/Violence-Prevention-July-Dec-2020-Performance-Report

Violence Prevention Performance Report, July-December 2020 Short-term Reoffending Data. TARGET BEHAVIORS. One of the goals of OJJDP's Violence Prevention program is to promote positive youth outcomes, such as improved ...

8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10236538/

Violence Prevention Through Mentoring for Youth with ... Research suggests that the long-term outcomes of mentoring tailored to decrease youth violence outweighs slightly higher programmatic costs when compared with a ...