This study will evaluate, via a cluster-randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of a community-centered intervention that promotes thriving and resiliency to reduce community violence.
This study will evaluate, via a cluster-randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of an innovative community-centered intervention that promotes thriving and resiliency to reduce community violence. In collaboration with community partners, this study will implement a Community Resiliency Collective Efficacy Intervention (CRCEI) to engage community members in dialogue on neighborhood transformation, racial and gender equity, community leadership, and organizing for social change. Facilitating discussion and community organizing within neighborhoods about child and youth thriving is expected to increase individual and neighborhood levels of collective efficacy and reduce community violence. Using a community-partnered participatory approach, this study will use a Community Thriving Matrix tool to engage youth and adult community members in ongoing dialogue on neighborhood transformation, community leadership, and organizing for social change. This focus on envisioning and creating neighborhoods in which children and adolescents can thrive is expected to translate to increased individual and neighborhood levels of collective efficacy as well as violence reduction. Comparison neighborhoods will receive health education sessions as a control intervention. The proposed study involves diverse neighborhoods in the Pittsburgh region and collecting survey data from youth (ages 13-19 years) and adult community participants (both male and female identified). Interviews with a sub-sample of community residents and facilitators and community site leads as well as observations of intervention delivery will provide qualitative information on processes of program implementation. This study will provide the first rigorous evaluation of this community-level prevention approach.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
4,600
The Community Resiliency Collective Efficacy Intervention (CRCEI) will involve community members in dialogue on thriving, community leadership, and organizing for social change. Participants in the intervention condition will be asked to participate in 2 sessions of discussions about community thriving and a 7-week training program on the following topics: Building on the Strengths of Your Community, Collective Efficacy and its Effects on Violence Prevention \& Community Mental Health, Non-threatening Peaceful Intervention Principles and Strategies: Part One, Non-threatening Peaceful Intervention Principles and Strategies: Part Two, Safety and Roles of Police and Community in Intervening, Active/Effective listening and non-violent communication skills, and Community Resources and Indirect Intervention.
Comparison neighborhoods will receive health education sessions across a variety of community-identified health topics as a control intervention. (9 sessions)
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
RECRUITINGChange from baseline in perceptions of neighborhood collective efficacy and community cohesion
Composite Measure mean score (range 1 - 5; 1 is low and 5 is best) of neighborhood-level perceptions of collective efficacy and community cohesion
Time frame: Change from baseline to approximately 12 months after baseline
Community incidence of violence in 12 month period
number of incidents of violence, i.e., assaults, gun violence, referrals to child protective services, compared to control neighborhoods.
Time frame: Change from 1 year period before baseline to approximately 12 months after baseline
Community incidence of violence in 12 month period
number of incidents of violence, i.e., assaults, gun violence, referrals to child protective services, compared to control neighborhoods.
Time frame: Change from 1 year period before baseline to approximately 2 years after baseline
Change from baseline in collective efficacy and neighborhood social norms
Composite Collective Efficacy Measure mean score (range 1-5; 1 is lowest and 5 is best) of individual-level collective efficacy and neighborhood social norms
Time frame: Change from baseline to approximately 12 months after baseline
Number of self-reported events of violence exposure
count of individual-level events of violence exposure
Time frame: Change from baseline to approximately 12 months after baseline
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