Developing a comprehensive violence prevention program through community-based participatory research

Background/Purpose: The current proposal details the first two years of our five year CDC-funded initiative, in which we are using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) model to develop a multi-component, multi-level approach for preventing youth violence in West and Southwest Philadelphia. The centerpiece research project is being developed through CBPR principles and a year long effort to obtain community input through focus groups, organizational assessment data, and collaboration with a number of local community groups.

Methods: Our centerpiece research project focuses on developing and testing the effectiveness of an aggression prevention program that combines problem-solving skills and leadership enhancement for youth with parenting/family outreach. The program will target youth between 10 and 14 years of age and will culminate in a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial of the program across at least six neighborhood venues (e.g., recreation centers and after school programs). The program seeks to make an impact on aggression reduction at both the individual and community level.

Results/Outcome: In the current presentation, we will discuss how each component of the intervention has been developed through partnership, the results of focus groups conducted with different stakeholder groups, and how organizational assessments have been used to better understand the existing strengths and limitations of different venues serving 10-14 year old youth in the after school hours.

Conclusion: Our presentation will culminate with a description of the systematic intervention trial that will be conducted in years 3-5 and a discussion of the strengths and limitations of using a community-based participatory approach.