Engaging Secondary Students in Bystander Interventions in Relational Aggression

Prosocial bystander approaches are an important educational and programmatic effort to address interpersonal aggressive acts. While such efforts have become the norm in higher education the implementation of such models at the secondary level is limited. Engaging secondary students in the prevention of relational aggression is an important step in communities, including college campuses, safer. This study reports on an ongoing effort to implement the Mentors in Violence Prevention program in secondary schools across a Midwestern state. Results from 9 school districts that have implemented the near peer model is shared revealing important gender considerations for programmatic consideration.

Objectives

Participants will increase their understanding of peer-driven of a primary prevention programming for secondary students Participants will examine gender dynamics in adolescent perceptions of relational violence Participants will increase their understanding of contextual issues found in secondary schools that influence the implementation of primary prevention programs addressing relational violence

Peer, Parents, and Prejudice and Adolescent Outcomes: Gratitude as a Buffer

Drawing from Pearlin's stress process model (Pearlin et al., 1981), we examine associations between three unique contexts (i.e., parents, peers, and the larger community) and the psychosocial adjustment of racial/ethnic minority adolescents (n=125 9th-grade students). The current study also investigates gratitude as a moderator that may buffer (i.e., protect) adolescents from the detrimental impact of three stressful contexts. Results supported the hypothesized model and provided evidence of the buffering role of gratitude for one stressful context (peer social support). Policy and intervention implications are discussed, particularly for racial/ethnic minority youth and enhancing personal resources such as gratitude.

Objectives

1) To evaluate the levels of stress across three contexts (peer social support, presence/absence of positive parenting, and experiences of discrimination) for a sample of racial/ethnic minority adolescents. 2) To utilize Pearlin’s stress process model to examine unique associations between these three contexts and minority adolescents’ psychosocial adjustment (depressive symptoms and life satisfaction). 3) To examine the potential buffering role of gratitude as a personal resource that can protect adolescents from stressful contexts.

The Use of Risk Profiles as a Tool in the Nurturing Parenting Program

Child maltreatment is an issue that affects individuals, families, and society as a whole. The Nurturing Parenting Program focuses on reducing the re-occurrence of child maltreatment by developing positive, empathic, and nurturing parental attitudes and behaviors. The current study used the AAPI-2 to demonstrate its usefulness for developing a participant risk profile and analyze the effectiveness of NPP in reducing the amount of participants considered to be "high risk" after participation in the program. Results indicated a decrease in the percentage of individuals who fell into the "high risk" category for each construct following participation in the NPP.

Objectives

1) Analyzing the effectiveness of the Nurturing Parenting Program in reducing the number of participants considered to be "high risk". 2) Demonstrating the usefulness of the AAPI-2 for developing participant risk profiles 3) Demonstrating the usefulness of the AAPI-2 in communicating program value to stakeholders

Cyber-digital Relationship Aggression: A New Form of Psychological Dating Violence

Dating aggression expressed via technology (cyber-digital relationship aggression; CDRA) is a new type of psychological aggression and may precede later forms of physical and sexual aggression. Twenty-four articles on dating aggression and technology use among youths were examined. Findings showed that motives for engaging in CDRA are similar to the motives for perpetrating psychological aggression, implying that CDRA is a new type of psychological aggression. CDRA was also used as a means for initiating physical and/or sexual aggression, suggesting that CDRA may predict later forms of such behaviors. Implications for mental health professionals, CFLE’s and interventionists will be presented.

Objectives

To evaluate current research on technology assisted relationship violence. To demonstrate the impact of technology assistant relationship violence among youths. To increase awareness of a new form of relationship violence among youths

Empowering Faculty to be Agents of Change in Trauma-informed Communities

Postsecondary-education is experiencing a demand for increased retention/graduation rates, but has increasingly faced challenges such as students with higher anxiety levels and students who have faced adversities. Frazier et al. (2009) claimed nearly 85% of undergraduate students have experienced one or more traumatic event in their lifetime. Studies focused on the outcomes of implementing a trauma-informed community within the K-12 school setting have found positive impacts for children. Creating a trauma-informed community on higher education campuses can benefit young adult’s outcomes. A trauma-informed community does not attempt to address trauma symptoms, but rather create a supportive environment.

Objectives

1) To examine, understand, and discuss the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on undergraduate and graduate student’s thought processes and actions. 2) To identify outward manifestations in the student’s performance due the impact of stress, trauma, or adversity. 3) To explain how to empower faculty to see their role as “agents of change” or role models for eventually supporting a trauma informed community/culture throughout all staff who interact with students in higher education.

The Intergenerational Transmission of Aggressive Personality

This study examines the intergenerational transmission of aggressive personality across three generations. The study is guided by the interactionist model (IM; Conger, Conger, & Martin, 2010; Conger & Donnellan, 2007) which suggests that SES, family processes, and individual development are interrelated in a transactional manner. Preliminary results from SEM are largely consistent with the IM. The results indicate that aggressive personality is negatively linked with socioeconomic advantage which in turn increases the material and parenting investments parents make in children which ultimately reduces aggressive personality in the next generation. These preliminary results are consistent across multiple generations of participants.

Objectives

1) examine the degree to which aggressive personality is linked across three generations of participants from the same families; 2) investigate potential transactional processes between socioeconomic status (SES), family processes, and aggressive personality over time and across generations; and 3) evaluate the utility of the interactionist model (IM; Conger, Conger, & Martin, 2010; Conger & Donnellan, 2007) in explaining the intergenerational transmission of aggressive personality.