Effectiveness of Universal School-Based Programs for the Prevention of Violent and Aggressive Behavior

• NCJ Number: 232128
• Journal: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Volume: 56 Issue: RR-7 Dated: August 10, 2007 Pages: 1-16
• Author(s): Robert Hahn Ph.D.; Dawna Fuqua-Whitley M.A.; Holly Wethington Ph.D.; Jessica Lowy, M.P.H.; Akiva Liberman, Ph.D.; Alex Crosby, M.D.; Mindy Fullilove, M.D.; Robert Johnson, M.D.; Eve Moscicki, Sc.D.; LeShawndra Price, Ph.D.; Susan R. Snyder, Ph.D.; Farris Tuma, Sc.D.; Stella Cory, M.D.; Glenda Stone, Ph.D.; Kaushik Mukhopadhaya, Ph.D.; Sajal Chattopadhyay, Ph.D.; Linda Dahlberg, Ph.D.
• Date Published: August 2007
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: News/Media
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presents information on the effectiveness of universal school-based programs for the prevention of violent and aggressive behavior.

Abstract

Results of a review of published scientific evidence concerning the effectiveness of universal school-based programs to decrease violent and aggressive behavior found that programs decrease rates of violence and aggressive behavior among school-aged children and that these effects were demonstrated at all grade-levels. The review was conducted from 2004 to 2006 by the Task Force on Community Preventive Services which leads work on the Guide to Community Preventive Services. These guides summarize evidence on the effectiveness of interventions in improving selected health-related outcomes. This review assessed studies that directly measured violent outcomes as a result of aggressive or violent behavior by school-aged children and adolescents. The review also examined studies that investigated any of five proxies for violent outcomes that included behavior that was not only clearly violent, but not clearly violent as well. The final review consisted of 53 studies that met the criteria to be included in the review. Results of the review are examined in detail in this report, and recommendations for use by States and communities are discussed. Tables and references