A school-based program to prevent adolescent violence and related risk behaviours Hasslet, Belgium
Fourth R National Team David Wolfe, Ph.D. RBC Investments Chair in Developmental Psychopathology and Children s Mental Health CAMH Centre for Prevention Science Claire Crooks, Ph.D. CAMH Centre for Prevention Science and The University of Western Ontario Ray Hughes, M.Ed. CAMH Centre for Prevention Science and Thames Valley District School Board Peter Jaffe, Ph.D. Professor, Faculty of Education, U.W.O Academic Director, Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children, U.W.O
The Three R s Reading WRiting ARithmetic
Relationships
What is the Fourth R? A relationship-based approach to prevent adolescent violence and related risk behaviours Peer and dating violence Substance use & abuse Healthy growth and sexuality School-based comprehensive prevention approach
History of the Fourth R Research Project Writing Lessons Pilot Schools Thames Valley Implementation National Implementation International Implementation
Adolescent Risk Behaviours: The Relationship Connection
Positive Youth Development Want to help teens go beyond not drinking, not being violent. etc. What do they WANT their relationships to look like, not merely what to avoid Build resilience for future stressful situations Universal intervention No stigma for being involved All teens will end up in difficult interpersonal situations Increase capacity of bystanders
Skill Development Focus on helping teens keep themselves safe in potentially dangerous situations Recognize that some of these behaviours are normative Criminalization has not been an effective way to reduce problems and can exacerbate problems
Sharp Increase in Dating Violence Between Grade 9 and 10 Victim of Physical Violence from Dating Partner in Past Month 40 30 20 10 0 9 10 Females Males Grade
Steady Increase in % of Teens Binge Drinking Percent of Teens Binge Drank Past Month 50 40 30 20 10 0 7 8 9 10 Grade Females Males
Steady Increase in Teens Using Marijuana Percent Smoked Marijuana in Past Month 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 7 8 9 10 Females Males Grade
Sharp Rise in Percentage of Teens Sexually Active 30 Percent Ever had Sexual Intercourse 25 20 15 10 5 0 7 8 9 10 Grade Females Males
Cultural Influences: A Closer Look at the Fishbowl Concerns with violence in media New forms of technology new opportunities for relationship violence Pervasiveness of media
Questions: What has stayed the same? What has changed the most?
Then and Now
Questions: What has stayed the same? What has changed the most?
Findings Compared to students receiving the usual health class in their schools, students in the Fourth R: Learned more than their counterparts about violence, substance use, and sexual health Had healthier attitudes about violence Enjoyed the class more and found it more useful Reported experiencing less relationship aggression (both as perpetrators and victims) Program for Aboriginal youth increase youth engagement Wolfe, D.A., Crooks. C., Jaffe, P., Chiodo, D., Hughes, R., Ellis, W., Stitt, L., & Donner, A.(2009). A School-Based Program to Prevent Adolescent Dating Violence: A Cluster Randomized Trial. Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine, 163(8), 692-699.
Findings Results: Skill Acquisition Negotiation Skills Fourth R students were 2.2 times more likely than controls students to show at least one negotiation skill during role-play interaction Delay Skills Fourth R female students were 4.8 times more likely to show at least one delay skill during role-play interaction Yielding to Pressure Control students were 2.0 times more likely than Fourth R students to yield to pressure Wolfe, D.A., Crooks. C., Jaffe, P., Chiodo, D., Hughes, R., Ellis, W., Stitt, L., & Donner, A.(2009). A School-Based Program to Prevent Adolescent Dating Violence: A Cluster Randomized Trial. Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine, 163(8), 692-699.
Canada Program Registries Ontario Bullying Prevention Data Base Canadian National Crime Prevention Registry Curriculum Services Canada Public Health Agency of Canada Promising and Best Practices Portal Public Health Agency of Canada Promising and Model Crime Prevention Programs National School-Based Mental Health and Substance Abuse Consortium United States SAMHSA s National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices US Department of Justice Programs Crime Solutions Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention s Model Programs Guide Find Youth Info Government Evaluated Program Directory
Resources for Schools and Communities 7 th, 8 th, 9 th Health Education 9 th 12 th English Aboriginal Perspectives Program Alternative Education Healthy Relationships Plus Program (Part 1 + 2) Parents Community Partnership and Training Opportunities University Safe Schools Course
7 th Grade Unit Overview: Personal Safety and Injury Prevention Lesson # Topic 1 Healthy Relationships 2 Impact of Bullying and Harassment 3 Benefits and Dangers of Technology 4 Stress and Emotional Regulation 5 Decision Making 6 Skills Into Practice 7 Practicing Skills and Culminating Activity
Healthy Relationships Plus Program Sports design Warm Up + Game + Cool Down Two parts First part: 15 Sessions Topics include apologies, healthy relationships, effective communication, influences, values, boundaries, dating violence, standing up for what is right, mental health, suicide prevention, addictions, break-ups, etc. Second part: 14 sessions Topics focus on healthy relationships and leadership development; in addition to topics above, focus on healthy relationships, being a leader, understanding differences, decision-making, responsibilities, empathy, upstanders, etc.
Skills in Action
VIDEO: Student Feedback
LOOKS LIKE, SOUNDS LIKE, FEELS LIKE: HEALTHY VS. UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS SEE What does it look like when you see partners in a healthy relationship? What do you actually SEE when they are together? What does it look like when you see friends in a healthy relationship? What do you actually SEE when they are together? What does it look like when you see kids/youth who are in a healthy relationship with their parents? What do you actually SEE when they are together? What does it look like when you see partners in an unhealthy relationship? What do you actually SEE when they are together? What does it look like when you see friends in an unhealthy relationship? What do you actually SEE when they are together? What does it look like when you see kids/youth who are in an unhealthy relationship with their parents? What do you actually SEE when they are together? HEAR What does it sound like when you see partners in a healthy relationship? What do you actually HEAR when they are together? What does it sound like when you see friends in a healthy relationship? What do you actually HEAR when they are together? What does it sound like when you see kids/youth who are in a healthy relationship with their parents? What do you actually HEAR when they are together? What does it sound like when you see partners in an unhealthy relationship? What do you actually HEAR when they are together? What does it sound like when you see friends in an unhealthy relationship? What do you actually HEAR when they are together? What does it sound like when you see kids/youth who are in an unhealthy relationship with their parents? What do you actually HEAR when they are together? FEEL What do you think it feels like if you are in a healthy relationship with a partner? What do you think it feels like when you are in a healthy friendship? What do you think it feels like if you are in a healthy relationship with parents? What do you think it feels like if you are in an unhealthy relationship with a partner? What do you think it feels like when you are in an unhealthy friendship? What do you think it feels like if you are in an unhealthy relationship with parents?
Using Role Plays in the Classroom
Steps for Successful Role Plays Give clear directions Provide a model role play Focus on skills Monitor and coach as necessary Keep the role plays short Debrief completely
Guidelines for Respondent Feelings: Have I said how I feel? Options: Have I offered a win-win option? Under Control: Am I staying calm? Rights: Am I respecting my rights and the rights of others? Talking: Am I talking assertively? Happen: Have I said what I want to happen? Realistic: Is my response realistic?
Video Resources: Role Play Examples and Debriefing Model role play demonstration by students Playing opposite gender Debriefing role plays
Video Resources: Skills for Effective Relationships Delay Negotiation Refusal Passive Assertive Combination
Video Resources: Skills for Effective Relationships Aggressive Combination
Video Resources: Skills for Effective Relationships Aggressive Combination
Challenges to Implementation
CAMH Centre for Prevention Science Ray Hughes 519-858-5144 x25508 thefourthr@uwo.ca www.youthrelationships.org