In the proposed experiment, three schools serving predominantly African American adolescents will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: 1) SANKOFA [a theory-based and research driven curriculum]-Only Condition, 2) SANKOFA-Enhanced Condition, and 3) No-Intervention Condition. The site assigned to the SANKOFA-Only Condition will receive the SANKOFA adolescent training, a 27-hour violence prevention training curriculum. The intervention will be implemented grade-wide. The SANKOFA Enhanced Condition involves a grade-wide intervention a) SANKOFA adolescent training and b) school administrator and staff training in conflict resolution along with a """"""""SANKOFA Infusion"""""""" training course. The No-Intervention Condition site will receive no treatment, but will be invited to receive staff training, along with the sites in the experimental conditions, after all follow-up data collection has been completed. Project personnel will facilitate the SANKOFA adolescent and administrator/staff training.
The Specific Aims are to examine the impact of these two violence-risk reduction models on violent behavior and victimization as compared with no-intervention, to examine whether the SANKOFA-Enhanced intervention is more effective than the SANKOFA-Only condition in reducing violent behavior and victimization, and to examine the effects of the violence risk-reduction interventions on variables hypothesized to mediate the overall reduction of violent behavior by youth. We are also interested in evaluating the differential effectiveness of the interventions for specific subgroups of adolescents. Lastly, assuming there are intervention effects, we want to examine why the interventions affect behavior. Our approach draws upon the theory of reasoned action and its extension--the theory of planned behavior-as well as ecological theory. Measures include school records on violent and related behavior and adolescents' self-report of their beliefs, intentions, self-efficacy, and violent behavior at pre-intervention, post-intervention, 3, 6, and 12 months follow-ups. Project personnel, adolescents, and school staff and administrator(s) will complete process measures regarding the project personnel's implementation of the interventions. In addition, observers, blind to condition, will rate fidelity of implementation based on audio-taped intervention sessions. This research will provide valuable data regarding the actual vs. hypothesized effectiveness of a culture-based violence intervention when implemented with African American adolescents and provide useful data pertinent to effective implementation and adoption of such interventions in schools.
