 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Diana A. Foster, MPH, CHES1, Vickie D. Krenz, PhD, MSPH2, Donald D. Pogoloff, JD, MPH2, Donna M. Callahan, MSW3, and Eric W. Krenz, PhD2. (1) California State University, Fresno, PO Box 136, Kingston, WA 98346-0136, 360-297-0586, daf0136@earthlink.net, (2) Department of Health Science, California State University, Fresno, 2345 East San Ramon Ave, Fresno, CA 93740, (3) Social Work Program, Fresno Pacific University, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno, CA 93702
Violence on school campuses is a multifaceted phenomenon impacting the daily activities of students, parents, family members, teachers, school staff and members of the community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, early childhood aggression can lead to violence, social and cognitive deficits in later youth and adulthood. Students who engage in or associate with peers, in high-risk, asocial behaviors are at increased risk for aggressive behaviors and verbal abuse, which occur by acting out in the classroom or on the playground. The Conflict Resolution Training Program (C.R.T.P.) is a problem-solving violence prevention curriculum based on increasing communicative skills to reduce violence. This study investigated the effectiveness of the C.R.T.P. among the fourth and fifth grade students (N=100) in a rural, multicultural elementary school in reducing aggressive behaviors. Students participated in six sessions over six week period of time. Students were administered pre, post and follow-up assessment to measure initial perceptions, program understanding and program retention. A 'patch-up' quasi-experimental research design with instrumental cycle integration in staggered protocol and PRECEDE/PROCEED determined program effectiveness. Pearson Chi-Square with Yates Correction Factors was applied to determine statistically significant differences between the measurement intervals at Level of Significance p < .05. The present study showed a positive trend in reduction of asocial behaviors, which further validated the results and findings in the literature relating to asocial behaviors risk factors indicators (e.g. safety of the students, teachers, fighting, name-calling, rumors, exclusion). Given developmental stages in childhood, earlier introduction of C.R.T.P. would appear efficacious.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Criminal Justice
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.