Citation

Dunn M, Drew C, O'Brien J, Wood M, Mora E, Diener S, Perry DJ. J. Sch. Health 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

University of Massachusetts Medical School, Graduate School of Nursing, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA, 01655.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American School Health Association, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/josh.12850

PMID

31762056

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Youth violence is a significant problem affecting community health. Community-academic partnerships can advance youth nonviolence education by synergizing the strengths of collaborators while working toward a common goal. We describe a collaboration between an urban public middle school, community nonprofit, and university-based graduate school of nursing in implementing and evaluating the Healthy Power program, a school-based youth nonviolence program for middle-school boys.

METHODS: A participatory program evaluation approach was used to plan and implement evaluation of the Healthy Power program with a cohort of 8 students. Collaborative planning allowed for the selection of measures that reflected program objectives and were of value to community partners while also scientifically sound. A mixed-methods approach included a focus group and a pretest-posttest with quantitative items and open-ended questions.

RESULTS: While the quantitative pre-posttest did not show any significant change, the open-ended questions and focus group suggested that students had advanced their understanding and application of conflict resolution skills.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the usefulness of community-academic partnerships for peace/conflict resolution education and program evaluation. Such programs may benefit from mixed methods of evaluation.

© 2019, American School Health Association.

Language: en

Keywords

anti-sexist education; community-academic partnership; peace education; program evaluation; youth violence