YES: Innovative Discussion for Engagement, Achievement and Service

University Of Michigan At Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

Youth violence is a significant public health concern, as over 20% report being in a fight, 19% reported bullying someone, and 16% reported weapons carriage. Violent victimization among youth includes mental health sequelae in addition to the physical injury caused by violent behavior. The purpose of this study is to adapt and test an evidence-based youth violence prevention program for middle-school students called Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) to empower youth to address bullying and promote positive behaviors as a way to reduce violent behavior. YES: Innovative Discussion for Engagement, Achievement and Service (YES-IDEAS) will focus on middle school students because this is a developmental period when independence from parents begins, their own ideas about peer relationships are formative, and when bullying behavior is at its peak. Empowering children to address violence at this critical developmental period may enable them to resist negative attitudes and behaviors. Working with an advisory board of experts and youth, we will develop and integrate lessons that address these behaviors into the existing YES curriculum. We will test YES-IDEAS using a matched control trial design in after-school programs across Southeast Michigan counties. We will examine the effects of the curriculum on individual youths' sense of empowerment and violent attitudes and behaviors. We will also evaluate the revisions of the curriculum through testing specific modules and obtaining feedback from youth and school staff. Finally, we will examine both dose and sustainability of YES-IDEAS effects. Our specific aims are: 1) adapt the YES curriculum and study the adaptation and implementation process for the new curriculum; 2) test the efficacy of the YES-IDEAS curriculum in a matched control design on empowered outcomes which will mediate the effects of YES-IDEAS on perpetration of violent attitudes and behavior; 3) investigate if empowered outcomes are the mechanism by which the YES-IDEAS curriculum reduces aggressive and violent behavior over time; 4) study the effects of dose received and sustainability of change on the outcomes from AIMS 2 and 3.