title: School-based violence prevention strategy: a pilot evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Violence has recently been reported among a primarily young, minority population in Nashville, Tennessee. School-based programs have been proven as effective methods of reducing violent behavior, beliefs, and actions that lead to violence among adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Investigators implemented a rigorous search for an appropriate school-based violence prevention program for Metropolitan Nashville middle school students utilizing a systematic review and discussion group with victims of violence. 27 programs nation-wide were reviewed and 2 discussion groups with African American males under the age of 25 admitted to a level 1 trauma center for assault-related injuries were conducted. Our findings led to a single, evidence-based conflict resolution program. In conjunction with educators, we evaluated the program's effectiveness in a pilot study in a Nashville middle school with high rates of violence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  122 students completed the conflict resolution program and described their behavior and experiences with violence in a pre-test/post-test self-rate questionnaire. Results showed a significant decrease in violent behavior and an increase in students' competencies to deal with violence (p less than 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that a reduction in violent behavior and beliefs among middle school students can be achieved through the implementation of a targeted violence intervention program. A larger-scale intervention is needed to develop more conclusive evidence of effectiveness.
authors.forename: Rachel V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Thakore
authors.forename: Jordan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Apfeld
authors.forename: Ronald K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Vasanth
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sathiyakumar
authors.forename: A Alex
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jahangir
authors.affiliation: The Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Institute, Center for Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. Email: Manish.Sethi@Vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Manish K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sethi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017008:Negotiating / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013714:Tennessee; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult