YES-ERACE Curriculum for Reducing Youth Violence

(YES-IDEAS Trial)

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Recruiting

Sponsor: University of Michigan

Disqualifiers: Non-students, Parental refusal

No Placebo Group

Approved in 2 Jurisdictions

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests the YES-ERACE program, which helps middle school students from diverse backgrounds create projects to fight racism. By participating, students are expected to feel more empowered, develop better attitudes towards different races, and reduce violent behaviors.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the YES-ERACE treatment for reducing youth violence?

The YES-ERACE treatment may be effective in reducing youth violence as similar programs, like the Aban Aya Youth Project, have shown success in limiting violent behaviors among students. Additionally, youth empowerment strategies, such as those used in the Youth Empowerment Solutions program, have demonstrated positive effects on reducing violence and improving community outcomes. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does the YES-ERACE treatment differ from other youth violence prevention treatments?

The YES-ERACE treatment is unique because it focuses on empowering youth to develop and implement violence prevention programs themselves, engaging them in community improvement projects with adult support, which is different from traditional top-down approaches. ^{1 5 6 7 8}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for middle school students in grades 6-8 who are part of after-school programs at six schools within the Genesee County Intermediate School District. Participants must agree to join; those who don't or whose parents refuse cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a student in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade.

Students enrolled in afterschool programs at six middle schools in Genesee County Intermediate School District

Students who assent

Exclusion Criteria

Non-students

Students who do not assent or whose parents notify us of their refusal

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Adaptation Phase

Adapting the YES curriculum to integrate modules from the Learning for Justice curriculum and piloting the revised curriculum

3 months

Testing Phase

Testing the effects of the YES IDEAS curriculum on youth empowerment, racism attitudes, and violent behavior in a group-randomized trial

9 months

Baseline, End of Program, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for sustainability of YES IDEAS effects on empowered outcomes and behavior changes

3 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• YES-ERACE (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial Overview The study tests YES-ERACE, an adapted curriculum aimed at empowering youth to tackle racism and reduce violence, against regular after-school activities. It measures how well it boosts empowerment, anti-racist behavior, and decreases violent acts among students.

Participant Groups

Group I: YES IDEAS Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Students participate in the YES IDEAS program.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Students participate in the regular after-school programming.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Michigan

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,891

Recruited

6,458,000+

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Collaborator

Trials

473

Recruited

1,374,000+

Findings from Research

The Aban Aya Youth Project's social development classroom curriculum (SDC) effectively limited the growth of violent behaviors among students, regardless of their age, compared to a control group.

The school/family/community (SC) intervention only reduced violence growth in older participants, indicating that interventions may need to engage multiple social systems, especially for highly mobile youth who may not receive consistent exposure to the program.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The impact of age and type of intervention on youth violent behaviors. Jagers, RJ., Morgan-Lopez, AA., Flay, BR.[2021]

The National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPCs) focus on implementing evidence-based programs (EBPs) to reduce community violence, emphasizing the importance of quality in these implementations.

YVPCs utilize a variety of established and innovative measurement strategies to assess how well these programs are implemented, which helps them improve the programs and understand their impact on reducing youth violence.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implementation Measurement for Evidence-Based Violence Prevention Programs in Communities. Massetti, GM., Holland, KM., Gorman-Smith, D.[2023]

The Richmond Youth Against Violence Project, a 16-session program for middle school students, aims to reduce violence by teaching conflict resolution and promoting positive behaviors, particularly in high-risk communities.

Initial findings indicate that a significant number of students, especially boys, have been exposed to community violence and engaged in risk behaviors, highlighting the need for effective violence prevention strategies in these environments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Richmond youth against violence: a school-based program for urban adolescents. Farrell, AD., Meyer, AL., Dahlberg, LL.[2022]

Youth violence prevention programs that engage and empower young people, like the Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES) for Peaceful Communities program, show promise in reducing violence and improving community outcomes.

The YES program, which includes a character development curriculum and community projects, demonstrated positive effects on both community-level outcomes (such as reduced violent crime) and individual-level outcomes (like conflict avoidance) based on outcome evaluation results.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Youth empowerment solutions for violence prevention. Reischl, TM., Zimmerman, MA., Morrel-Samuels, S., et al.[2019]

Youth violence is a major cause of death among children and adolescents, prompting the establishment of the Academic Centers of Excellence on Youth Violence Prevention (ACE YVP) by the CDC to tackle this issue.

Three ACE YVPs developed multidisciplinary curricula for healthcare professionals, focusing on youth violence prevention, with different approaches: separate courses for students at UC San Diego and the University of Puerto Rico, and integrated teaching at the University of Hawaii.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Training healthcare professionals in youth violence prevention: an overview. Sidelinger, DE., Guerrero, AP., Rodríguez-Frau, M., et al.[2007]

The Youth Empowerment Strategies (YES!) project effectively promotes problem-solving skills and civic participation among underserved youth, aiming to reduce risky behaviors like substance use.

Successful social action in the YES! program is influenced by factors such as group dynamics, leadership, and the context of school-community interactions, highlighting the importance of project design in achieving positive outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Getting to social action: the Youth Empowerment Strategies (YES!) project. Wilson, N., Minkler, M., Dasho, S., et al.[2019]

References

1. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The impact of age and type of intervention on youth violent behaviors. [2021]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Systematic review and meta-analysis of effects of community-delivered positive youth development interventions on violence outcomes. [2019]

3. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implementation Measurement for Evidence-Based Violence Prevention Programs in Communities. [2023]

4. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Richmond youth against violence: a school-based program for urban adolescents. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Youth empowerment solutions for violence prevention. [2019]

6. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Training healthcare professionals in youth violence prevention: an overview. [2007]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Youth violence prevention curriculum for undergraduate nursing and allied health students. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Getting to social action: the Youth Empowerment Strategies (YES!) project. [2019]