Pushing the Boundaries of Education: Evaluating the Impact of Second Step®: A Violence Prevention Curriculum with Psychosocial and Non-Cognitive Measures

Abstract

The Second Step® violence prevention curriculum was implemented in a large urban school district as part of a comprehensive three-year initiative to impact students at-risk for violence and substance abuse. An outcome evaluation was conducted to assess the intervention's effectiveness on students’ attitudes and on behaviors important for accountability. Results indicated improvements in students’ prosocial attitudes and behaviors that were consistent across two large cohorts of students. Implications for theory and future research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• aggression
• at-risk youth
• conflict resolution
• early childhood intervention
• elementary school students
• empathy
• interpersonal competence
• peer relationship
• prevention
• program evaluation
• public schools
• substance abuse
• violence

Notes

Note. ECE = Exceptional Childhood Education; table entries for categorical variables are percentages; table entries for Age are given in years.

Note. N = 922 intervention students and 918 control students; SD = Standard Deviation.

Note. N = 1,225 intervention students and 1,200 control students; SD = Standard Deviation.