title: The effects of city-wide implementation of "second step" on elementary school students' prosocial and aggressive behaviors.
abstract: This study examined the impact of implementing Second Step, a violence prevention program, using a comprehensive, city-wide approach. The evaluation included 741 3rd-5th graders in six schools. Student surveys, behavioral observations, and discipline referrals were used to assess aggressive-antisocial and prosocial behaviors. We found significant improvements in positive approach-coping, caring-cooperative behavior, suppression of aggression, and consideration of others, but no changes in aggressive-antisocial behaviors. Behavioral observations and disciplinary referrals showed no significant changes. The program was implemented with high fidelity and engaged a wide range of participants from the community.
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Center, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT 06106, USA. michellebcooke@msn.com
authors.forename: Michelle Beaulieu
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: Cate
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bourke
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Newell
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lapidus
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003237:Connecticut; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012574:Schools; D012951:Socialization; D014505:Urban Population; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control