Peacebuilders: a theoretically driven, school-based model for early violence prevention

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Educational Interventions
• Violence Prevention

Background:

• Children exhibiting violent behaviors often display distinct cognitive and social differences.
• Early, multi-faceted interventions integrated into the school environment are most effective.
• Existing school environments often show high rates of disciplinary issues and violent experiences among students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formally evaluate the effectiveness of the PeaceBuilders schoolwide violence-prevention program.
• To assess the impact of PeaceBuilders on student behavior and school climate.
• To understand the implementation process of a comprehensive violence-prevention program in elementary schools.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design with matched pairs of elementary schools (K-5).
• Random assignment of four schools to begin the PeaceBuilders program in Year 1, with the remaining four starting in Year 2.
• Data collection through student self-reports, teacher reports, playground observations, school/law enforcement records, and teacher surveys.

Main Results:

• A significant proportion of 3rd-5th graders reported disciplinary problems, initiating fights, physical altercations, and threats with weapons in the past week.
• The diverse student sample includes Hispanic, Anglo, Native American, and African American children.
• Data collection is ongoing, with 2,736 children surveyed, providing a robust dataset for evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Violent behaviors and experiences are prevalent among elementary school children, necessitating effective prevention strategies.
• The PeaceBuilders program offers a structured approach to foster positive behaviors through environmental integration and reinforcement.
• A valid evaluation of the PeaceBuilders program is currently underway to determine its efficacy in reducing school violence.