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

University of Pittsburgh

Status: Enrolling

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

Treatments: Behavioral: Creating Peace; Behavioral: Job Readiness

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04474158

5R01MD013797-02 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

STUDY18110082

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full description

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.

Enrollment: 1,800 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14 to 19 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participants must be ages 14-19 (inclusive)
• Participants must speak English

Exclusion criteria

• Not ages 14-19 (inclusive)
• Do not speak English

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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1,800 participants in 2 patient groups

Creating Peace

Experimental group

Description:

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.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Creating Peace

Job Readiness Training

Active Comparator group

Description:

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.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Job Readiness