Prevention and Treatment of Adolescent Violence (From Reason to Hope: A Psychosocial Perspective on Violence & Youth, P 383- 403, 1994, Leonard D Eron, Jacquelyn H Gentry, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-158633)

• NCJ Number: 158649
• Author(s): N G Guerra; P H Tolan; W R Hammond
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 21 pages
• Sale Source: American Psychological Assoc
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

Since the dramatic rise in violent behavior over the last four decades has been accompanied by a decrease in the modal age for violent offenses in the United States, programs have been developed to prevent and treat adolescent aggression and violence.

Abstract

Available literature indicates that various programs target violence-related problems at primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention levels. Some programs recognize the social basis of violence and are based on the view that violent acts are most prevalent during adolescence. Other programs target at-risk populations to "inoculate" children against environmental impediments. Still other programs target individuals based on their exhibition of at-risk behavior. Programs that promote social-cognitive skills, perspective taking, alternative solution generation, self-esteem enhancement, and peer negotiation skills are likely to have the most impact. Family, school, and community interventions can also be effective. The importance of program evaluation and the need to develop multimodal interventions that consider both individual and contextual factors in adolescent violence are emphasized. The authors urge psychologists to be aware of limitations placed on their procedures by social and economic conditions in which target populations live. 78 references