Teaching Conflict Resolution in Out-of-School Time: Adapting an Evidence-Based Conflict Resolution Program for Use During Afterschool Hours

• In Event: Utilizing Out-of-School-Time Program Strategies to Reduce Risk and Promote Positive Social, Emotional, and Academic Outcomes

Abstract

Researchers and policy-makers alike are increasingly recognizing the importance of OST in reducing youth violence. Evidence links afterschool participation with reductions in problem behaviors associated with youth violence including aggression and antisocial behavior (Mahoney, 2000; Rhodes & Spencer, 2005). The Leadership Program (TLP) sought to develop an evidence-based afterschool program by adapting its proven-effective curriculum-based in-class Violence Prevention Project (VPP) to fit the traditional afterschool structure (Chauveron & Thompkins, 2011, Thompkins & Chauveron, 2011).

We modified the model to meet the time and implementation structures common in afterschool settings. To maintain the evidence-base and outcomes that deemed VPP a model program by rigorous governmental lists, TLP trained facilitators to implement interactive lessons from the VPP curriculum during twice-weekly afterschool arts or recreation activities. Each Afterschool Project (AP) club has an arts or recreation theme such as dance and the club facilitator works to integrate the social-emotional skill building required in the curricular lessons into the activity theme. TLP AP also retains the two-pronged approach to conflict resolution used in VPP; lessons target both individual-level social-emotional skill-building, including communication skills essential to conflict resolution, and aspects of the social environment including peer relationships and normative beliefs about aggression. Communication skills, peer relationships, and normative beliefs about aggression are all associated with conflict resolution skills and aggressive behavior in prior research (Borbely, Graber, Nichols, Brooks-Gunn, & Botvin, 2005; Masten, Juvonen, & Spatzier, 2009; Henry et al, 2000).

Methods
The current study examines data from the 2009-2010 school year, during which TLP AP served approximately 5,500 students in 72 NYC public schools. To examine preliminary evidence of program effectiveness, we selected one club at random from each TLP AP middle (29) and high (10) schools receiving Title 1 21st CCLC funds; 327 middle school and 107 high school students participated in surveys about their conflict resolution behavior at the beginning and end of the school year.
Results
We used paired sample t-tests to contrast participant scores at the pre- and post-tests. Middle school students reported significant declines in their use of physically aggressive ((t(114) = 2.44, p = .02) and antisocial ((t(114) = 3.43, p = .001) conflict resolution strategies. High school students reported significant declines in their use of physically aggressive ((t(65) = 2.22, p = .03) and immature avoidant ((t(65) = 3.08, p = .003) conflict resolution strategies.

Discussion
The current results demonstrate that TLP AP can effectively improve conflict resolution skills in early and middle adolescents when implemented under real-world conditions afterschool. Participation in TLP AP is associated with significant declines over time in the use of physically aggressive conflict resolution skills for both middle and high school students, as well as antisocial (middle school) and immature avoidant (high school) approaches. As such, TLP AP provides a preliminary exemplar of how evidence-based in-class curricula can be adapted for use during out-of-school time. Incorporating social-emotional skill building into arts and recreation activities appears to be an effective approach to reducing physical aggression with urban middle and high school students.

Authors

• Lisa M. Chauveron, The Leadership Program

• Amanda C. Thompkins, King County Department of Community and Human Services