Preventing Youth Violence Through Building Equitable Communities

NCT05639426 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 2 other identifiers: 21-454R01MD017477
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,672
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Interpersonal or community violence is a long-standing health disparity that disproportionately affects African American youth, and suicide is disproportionately increasing among African American youth. This project evaluates the impact of a multisystemic prevention program designed to reduce health disparities in violence by promoting equity in African American youths' experiences in education systems. This intervention has the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality among African American youth, promote overall quality of life, and reduce the societal costs associated with both interpersonal violence and suicidality.

Conditions

Violence in Adolescence; Suicide

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (15)

• Change in youth self-reported interpersonal violence perpetration

  A random sample of youth will complete surveys every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess interpersonal violence perpetration, youth will complete the Problem Behavior Frequency Scales- Adolescent Revised, Physical Aggression subscale. Youth self-report will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in teacher-reported youth interpersonal violence perpetration

  Teachers will complete surveys on a random sample of youth every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess youth interpersonal violence perpetration, teachers will complete the Problem Behavior Frequency Scales - Teacher Report, Physical Aggression subscale. Teacher report of youth will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in school discipline incidents for violent behavior

  We will collect archival data from the school system by participating school and quantify the number of violence-related discipline incidents (office discipline referrals, suspensions, and expulsions) that occur every three months. Violence-related discipline incidents will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories in community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in youth self-reported interpersonal violence victimization

  A random sample of youth will complete surveys every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess interpersonal violence perpetration, youth will complete the Problem Behavior Frequency Scales- Adolescent Revised, Physical Victimization subscale. Youth self-report will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in youth self-reported exposure to community violence

  A random sample of youth will complete surveys every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess exposure to community violence, youth will complete the Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence scale. Youth self-report will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in teacher-reported youth interpersonal violence victimization

  Teachers will complete surveys on a random sample of youth every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess youth interpersonal violence perpetration, teachers will complete the Problem Behavior Frequency Scales - Teacher Report, Victimization subscale. Teacher report of youth will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in youth self-reported suicide attempts

  A random sample of youth will complete surveys every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess suicide attempts and plans, youth will complete three items from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey, which will be summed to create a suicide attempts/plans index. Youth self-report will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in youth self-reported suicide capacity

  A random sample of youth will complete surveys every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess suicide capacity, youth will complete the Suicide Capacity Scale. Youth self-report will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in youth self-reported suicide ideation

  A random sample of youth will complete surveys every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess suicide ideation, youth will complete the suicide subscale of the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire. Youth self-report will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in school-reported youth suicide-related incidents

  We will collect archival data from the each participating school and quantify the number of youth suicide-related incidents based on suicide protocols administered by the school counselor every three months. Youth suicide-related incidents will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories in community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in youth-reported race-based discrimination experiences

  A random sample of youth will complete surveys every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess perceived racial discrimination, youth will complete the Adolescent Discrimination Distress Index. Youth self-report will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in youth-reported perceptions of police

  A random sample of youth will complete surveys every three months over the school year for the entire project period. To assess their perceptions of police legitimacy, youth will complete the Perceptions of Police scale. Youth self-report will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories of community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in inclusive pedagogy

  Participating teachers in each school will provide example lesson plans on every three months. These lesson plans will be coded by trained graduate students in education using the Rubric for Culturally Responsive Lessons and Assignments, which will result in an inclusive pedagogy score. These scores will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories in community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in base rates in exclusionary discipline

  We will collect archival data from the school system by participating school and quantify the number of exclusionary discipline incidents (a combined measure of suspensions and expulsions) that occur every three months. Exclusionary discipline incidents will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories in community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in racial disparities in exclusionary discipline

  We will collect archival data from the school system by participating school and quantify the number of exclusionary discipline incidents (a combined measure of suspensions and expulsions) for Black youth and White youth that occur every three months. We will use that data to create an indicator of disproportionate exclusionary discipline based on the number of exclusionary discipline events per Black youth and per White youth separately in proportion to the number of White youth and Black youth in the school. Exclusionary discipline disproportionality will be aggregated to the community level to assess trajectories in community-level change over time as part of the multiple baseline design.

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in youth self-reported traumatic stress symptoms

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in youth self-reported depressive symptoms

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

• Change in youth self-reported general internalizing symptoms

  Trajectories of change will be assessed through data collected every three months from August to May (the school year) over the course of five years (through study completion)

Study Arms (1)

Strengthening Opportunities for Achievement and Resilience

EXPERIMENTAL

Strengthening Opportunities for Achievement and Resilience (SOAR) is an intervention condition consisting of both Culturally-Responsive Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (C-SWPBS) and Culturally Responsive Practices (CRP). It is a year-long, school-level intervention.

Behavioral: Culturally Responsive Practices (CRP); Behavioral: Culturally-Responsive Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (C-SWPBS)

Interventions

Culturally-Responsive Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (C-SWPBS) BEHAVIORAL

We will implement SWPBS according to the equity-focused framework established by the Center on PBIS, with an increased emphasis on community integration. SWPBS involves creating a school team of 6-10 people, including at least one administrator, teachers, and staff members. We will include at least three community stakeholders on each C-SWPBS team to integrate the culture of the community, reducing institutional and cultural racism. Community stakeholders may be parents or other invested members of the local community not employed by the school district. The school climate specialists serve on the C-SWPBS team and provide consultation for the management of violence incidents and mental health concerns.

Strengthening Opportunities for Achievement and Resilience

Culturally Responsive Practices (CRP) BEHAVIORAL

The CRP component of the intervention targets pedagogy, curriculum, and potential teacher biases and discriminatory behavior. This component will consist of two intensive 4-hour workshops delivered by Morton and Billingsley in each school's first intervention year as well as one-hour annual boosters (Backpacks for Success and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy). All teachers and school administrators will participate in the workshops. The purpose of Backpacks for Success is to increase participants' awareness of structural racism, empathy for students, and motivation to change, while identifying equity targets and strategies to reach those targets. Culturally Relevant Pedagogy comprises classroom based strategies to promote equity, including use of culturally responsive curriculum, language, attitudes, and actions, with the goal of reducing interpersonal and cultural racism. Ongoing group coaching sessions will provide a space for peer support and learning around increasing CRP.

Strengthening Opportunities for Achievement and Resilience

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 10 Years - 99 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Youth will be eligible for the study if they attend a participating school, are capable of providing assent, and are able to understand spoken or written English.
• School personnel will be eligible if they are currently employed at a participating school.

You may not qualify if:

• Unable to give assent or consent.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of South Alabama: lead
• National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD): collaborator
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of South Alabama

Mobile, Alabama, 36688, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicide

Interventions

Palliative Care

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Patient Care; Therapeutics; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 1, 2022
• First Posted: December 6, 2022
• Study Start: September 28, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 15, 2027
• Last Updated: April 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)