Prevention Education @ DPSPrevention Education @ DPS

Philosophy

Research-Based, Valid Programs

Fidelity of Implementation

Focus on Protection

Building Resilient Youth

Denver Public Schools

Prevention & Intervention Initiatives

Bob Anderson

Back to Switchboard

Next

Previous

Resiliency Resiliency The Ultimate Educational GoalThe Ultimate Educational Goal

“Resiliency is the experience of encountering life’s adversities and challenges, being disrupted, but then not only recovering from the adversity, but surfacing from the experience with strength, confidence, happiness, self-esteem, and skills”

Glenn Richardson

Title Slide

Next

Previous

Prevention Philosophical TenetsPrevention Philosophical Tenets

Adolescence is a developmental stage fraught with risk, risk-taking, and challenge, as well as promise.

Risk-taking is a normative developmental process. Prevention, therefore, involves channeling normative

developmental behavior & processes in ways least likely to result in long-term, negative consequences.

In recent years, research interest has focused on isolating, identifying, and controlling factors that assist in this process.

Title Slide

Next

Previous

Prevention Philosophical Tenets IIPrevention Philosophical Tenets II

Collectively known as ‘Protective Factors’, these entities reduce the severity of risk, the consequences of risk behavior, or reduce the likelihood of risk behavior.

Focusing on Protective Factors allows us to focus on the positive, growth-oriented potential present in youth.

The following framework of Proposed Protective Factors is taken from the recent report of the Surgeon General on Youth Violence.

Title Slide

Next

Previous

School Violence Proposed School Violence Proposed Protective Factors*: IndividualProtective Factors*: IndividualIntolerance of devianceHigh IQBeing FemalePositive Social OrientationPerceived Sanctions for

Transgressions (i.e. those engaging in bullying suffer publicized negative consequences.)

Taken from Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General (2001, p. 58)

Title Slide

Next

Previous

School Violence Proposed School Violence Proposed Protective Factors*: FamilyProtective Factors*: FamilyWarm, supportive relationships with

parents or other adultsParents’ positive evaluation of peersParental monitoring

Taken from Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General (2001, p. 58)

Next

Previous

School Violence Proposed School Violence Proposed Protective Factors*: SchoolProtective Factors*: SchoolCommitment to schoolRecognition for involvement in

conventional activities

Taken from Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General (2001, p. 58)

Next

Previous

School Violence Proposed School Violence Proposed Protective Factors*: Peer GroupProtective Factors*: Peer GroupFriends who engage in conventional

behavior

Taken from Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General (2001, p. 58)

Title Slide

Next

Previous

Research-Based, Valid ProgramsResearch-Based, Valid Programs

The Life Skills Training and Olweus Bullying Prevention programs are CSPV* Blueprint programs.

The Second Step violence prevention curriculum was the only violence prevention program to receive the US Dept. of Education’s Exemplary rating for prevention programs

Title Slide

* Center for the Study & Prevention of Violence, CU Boulder

Next

Previous

Fidelity of ImplementationFidelity of Implementation

Life Skills Training evaluation studies show a 25% reduction in use when implemented with poor fidelity, while use decreased by 50% when implemented with high fidelity.

DPS Schools implementing Second Step on a school-wide basis, for multiple years report the fewest suspensions for fighting.

Title Slide