Creating Peace: Community-based Youth Violence Prevention to Address Racism and Discrimination

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This cluster-randomized community-partnered study will examine the effectiveness of a trauma-sensitive, gender transformative youth violence prevention program called Creating Peace that integrates racism and discrimination prevention with youth ages 14-19.

Detailed Description
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This community-partnered cluster-randomized controlled trial will examine the effectiveness of a trauma-sensitive, gender-transformative youth violence prevention program that integrates racism and discrimination prevention. Set in 24 neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with concentrated social and economic disadvantage, this study addresses gender and racial injustice through a series of group discussions, bringing together adolescents ages 14-19 with law enforcement officers in a process of social restoration.

Official Title
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Creating Peace: Community-based Youth Violence Prevention to Address Racism and Discrimination

Conditions
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Adolescent Behavior, Group, Peer, Violence, Non-accidental, Violence, Sexual, Violence, Domestic, Emotional Abuse, Coping Skills, Communication, Personal

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Creating Peace
* Behavioral: Job Readiness


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Participants must be ages 14-19 (inclusive) Participants must speak English Exclusion Criteria: Not ages 14-19 (inclusive) Do not speak English

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 14 Years
Maximum Age: 19 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: This cluster-randomized community-partnered study will examine the effectiveness of a trauma-sensitive, gender transformative youth violence prevention program called Creating Peace that integrates racism and discrimination prevention among youth ages 14-19. The study will be located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania across 24 neighborhoods with concentrated disadvantage ('clusters'), randomized either to receive the Creating Peace program (i.e., intervention neighborhood, n=12) or to a job skills training program (n=12 schools).
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Creating Peace<br>Creating Peace uses a group discussion format with activities that explore race, gender, sexual identity, and social class. Creating Peace is a 12 session curriculum designed to support youth ages 14-19 in healing from experiences of trauma by restoring social connections, strengthening positive coping strategies that exclude all forms of violence, challenging gender norms that foster violence perpetration, and practicing positive bystander intervention skills to intervene safely with peers' disrespectful and harmful behaviors. Through 12 sessions (3 hours/session) over a 4 to 12 week period, Creating Peace offers gender transformative content combined with youth leadership development. Near program conclusion, youth will offer guidance to law enforcement on interacting with youth in a process of social restoration. | Behavioral: Creating Peace<br>* Creating Peace is a 12 session curriculum designed to support youth ages 14-19 in healing from experiences of trauma by restoring social connections, strengthening positive coping strategies that exclude all forms of violence, challenging gender norms that foster violence perpetration, and practicing positive bystander intervention skills to intervene safely with peers' disrespectful and harmful behaviors. Through 12 sessions (3 hours/session) over a 4 to 12 week period, Creating Peace offers gender transformative content combined with youth leadership development. Near program conclusion, youth will offer guidance to law enforcement on interacting with youth in a process of social restoration.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Job Readiness Training<br>Job Readiness Training uses a group discussion format to learn specific skills to prepare for employment including developing goals, seeking jobs, preparing for interviews, and so forth. Participants receive a 12 session job readiness training with linkages to businesses and employment opportunities. Discussions include a wide range of topics related to career exploration and job readiness. | Behavioral: Job Readiness<br>* Job Readiness Training uses a group discussion format to learn specific skills to prepare for employment including developing goals, seeking jobs, preparing for interviews, and so forth.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in recent use of any violence at 3 months | Summary score of any recent use of violence (physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; sexual violence; physical violence and threatening with a weapon; cyber dating abuse, cyber peer abuse, and sexting) calculated as one point for each behavior then summed (lower score indicates better outcome) | At baseline and three months after program conclusion | 
| Change in recent use of any violence at 9 months | Summary score of any recent use of violence (physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; sexual violence; physical violence and threatening with a weapon; cyber dating abuse, cyber peer abuse, and sexting) calculated as one point for each behavior then summed (lower score indicates better outcome) | At baseline and nine months after program. | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in past 30 day weapon carrying at 3 months | Self-reported number of days they carried a weapon in past 30 days | At baseline and three months after program conclusion | 
| Change in past 30 day weapon carrying at 9 months | Self-reported number of days they carried a weapon in past 30 days | At baseline and nine months after program conclusion | 
| Change in positive bystander behaviors at 3 months | Past 3 month positive bystander behavior when witnessing disrespectful and harmful behavior among peers comparing baseline and follow up summary scores. Participants report if they have witnessed peers' abusive behaviors in the past 3 months and if witnessed, how they responded (whether they intervened to interrupt the behavior, provided support to person being harmed). | At baseline and three months after program conclusion | 
| Change in positive bystander behaviors at 9 months | Past 3 month positive bystander behavior when witnessing disrespectful and harmful behavior among peers comparing baseline and follow up summary scores. Participants report if they have witnessed peers' abusive behaviors in the past 3 months and if witnessed, how they responded (whether they intervened to interrupt the behavior, provided support to person being harmed). | At baseline and nine months after program conclusion |