title: Initial behavior outcomes for the peacebuilders universal school-based violence prevention program.
abstract: PeaceBuilders is a universal, elementary-school-based violence prevention program that attempts to alter the climate of a school by teaching students and staff simple rules and activities aimed at improving child social competence and reducing aggressive behavior. Eight matched schools (N > 4,000 students in Grades K-5) were randomly assigned to either immediate postbaseline intervention (PBI) or to a delayed intervention 1 year later (PBD). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze results from assessments in the fall and spring of 2 consecutive school years. In Year 1, significant gains in teacher-rated social competence for students in Grades K-2, in childself-reported peace-building behavior in Grades K-5, and reductions in aggressive behavior in Grades 3-5 were found for PBI but not PBD schools. Differential effects in Year 1 were also observed for aggression and prosocial behavior. Most effects were maintained in Year 2 for PBI schools, including increases in child prosocial behavior in Grades K-2. Implications for early universal school-based prevention and challenges related toevaluating large-scale prevention trials are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Ohio 44242, USA. dflanne1@kent.edu
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Flannery
authors.forename: Alexander T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Vazsonyi
authors.forename: Albert K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Liau
authors.forename: Shenyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atha
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vesterdal
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Embry
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control*