Bridging Science and Practice in Violence Prevention: Addressing Ten Key Challenges

This article illustrates ideas for bridging science and practice generated during the Division of Violence Prevention's (DVP) dissemination/implementation planning process. The difficulty of moving what is known about what works into broader use is near universal, and this planning process pushed us to look beyond the common explanations (e.g., providers were resistant/unwilling to change practice) and think about the multiple layers and systems involved. As part of this planning process, the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation (ISF) was developed and then applied to the fields of child maltreatment and youth violence prevention. Challenges for each of the three systems in the ISF are discussed as well as and action and research ideas to address the challenges. Also described are actions taken by DVP in response to the planning process to illustrate how a funder can use the ISF to bridge science and practice.     

Effects of exposure to sex-stereotyped video game characters on tolerance of sexual harassment

The violent video game literature has previously not extended to the domain of violence against women. The current investigation tested the effects of exposure to sex-typed video game characters versus images of professional men and women on judgments and attitudes supporting aggression against women. Results showed experimental effects of short-term exposure to stereotypical media content on sexual harassment judgments but not on rape myth acceptance. A significant interaction indicated that men exposed to stereotypical content made judgments that were more tolerant of a real-life instance of sexual harassment compared to controls. Long-term exposure to video game violence was correlated with greater tolerance of sexual harassment and greater rape myth acceptance. This data contributes to our understanding of mass media’s role in socialization that supports violence against women.     

The relation of methamphetamine use and violence: A critical review

Methamphetamine (MA), a psychostimulant drug, was first produced in Germany and Japan in the late 1800s. MA use and trafficking have been a problem since the 1970s in the United States (U.S.) [National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC). (2006). National Drug Threat Assessment 2006. Retrieved March 18, 2006 from http://www.usdoj.gov.ndic/pubs11/18862/MA.htm] and have increased in recent years [Office of Applied Studies (OAS). (September 16, 2005). The National Survey on Drug Use and Health report: Methamphetamine use, abuse, and dependence: 2002, 2003, and 2004. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration]. MA is associated with violent behavior yet the nature of this relation remains poorly understood, largely due to methodological shortcomings. The present paper critically examines the empirical literature on MA use and its relation to violence. Methodological issues and challenges are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.     

Racial Discrimination: A Continuum of Violence Exposure for Children of Color

This article reviews and examines findings on the impact of racial discrimination on the development and functioning of children of color in the US. Based on current definitions of violence and child maltreatment, exposure to racial discrimination should be considered as a form of violence that can significantly impact child outcomes and limit the ability of parents and communities to provide support that promotes resiliency and optimal child development. In this article, a conceptual model of the effects of racial discrimination in children of color is presented. The model posits that exposure to racial discrimination may be a chronic source of trauma in the lives of many children of color that negatively influences mental and physical outcomes as well as parent and community support and functioning. Concurrent exposure to other forms of violence, including domestic, interpersonal and/or community violence, may exacerbate these effects. The impact of a potential continuum of violence exposure for children of color in the US and the need for future research and theoretical models on children’s exposure to violence that attend to the impact of racial discrimination on child outcomes are discussed.     

Striving for a culturally responsive process in training health professionals on Asian American and Pacific Islander youth violence prevention

The quality of youth violence prevention practice is dependent on the quality of education and training of professionals who will care for disadvantaged and/or underserved youth. The authors propose that culturally responsive youth violence prevention curricula, focused on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, should: 1) target institutions that train health professionals likely to serve Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; 2) promote the professional development of Asian American and Pacific Islander students and enhance all students' comfort in addressing behavioral, social, and cultural concerns; 3) cover specific issues relevant to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, including the role of acculturative stress, socioeconomic hardship, and other risk factors that may account for mental health disparities; and 4) continuously engage researchers, educators, and community stakeholders in cooperatively and creatively applying new knowledge to clinical challenges. The authors summarize resources for youth violence prevention education that have been used for training healthcare professionals in a multicultural context.     

Risk and dynamics of violence in Asperger's syndrome: A systematic review of the literature

The main purpose of this article is to delineate findings from a review of the literature on the empirical basis for the existence of a relationship between Asperger's syndrome (AS) and violence risk. A second aim is to examine whether certain characteristics of the disorder may have a higher violence-triggering potential. Results of this review show that there are very few empirical studies that confirm a stable link between AS and violence. Only 11 studies involving 22 patients and 29 violent incidents met the criteria for inclusion in the review after the search of the literature. However, a qualitative analysis of the studies yielded some indications of possible patterns of dynamics of violence that may prove to be typical of persons with AS. A tentative comparison of AS and psychopathy indicated that there may be qualitative differences in the characteristics of violent behavior between the disorders. Suggestions for further research are presented.     

Can a Laboratory Measure of Emotional Processing Enhance the Statistical Prediction of Aggression and Delinquency in Detained Adolescents with Callous-unemotional Traits?

In this cross-sectional study, we investigated whether the combination of the presence of callous-unemotional (CU) traits and emotional deficits to distressing stimuli, assessed by a computerized dot-probe task, enhanced the statistical prediction of aggression and delinquency in a sample of 88 detained and predominantly African-American (68%) adolescents (M age = 15.57; SD = 1.28). Overall, self-reported CU traits were associated with self-report measures of aggression and delinquency, but not with official records of arrests. However, there was an interaction between CU traits and emotional deficits for predicting self-reported aggression, self-reported violent delinquency, and a record of violent arrests. Youth high on CU traits and who showed a deficit in their responses to visual depictions of distress showed the highest levels of aggression and violent delinquency.     

Parents as moderators of psychological and physiological correlates of inner-city children's exposure to violence

This paper discusses the psychological and physiological correlates of inner-city violence on children, and the potential mediating and moderating roles of parents. Data are based on interviews regarding exposure to community violence (ECV), parenting practices, child distress, posttraumatic symptomology, and competence. Cardiovascular activation was also measured. Community violence exposure related to distress, posttraumatic symptomology, and incompetence. Harsh parenting related to aggression, distress, incompetence, and higher heart rates. Parenting moderated but did not mediate the effects of violence on measures of competence. High violence plus harsh parenting predicted lower levels of systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Results are discussed within an ecological framework of parent–child relations and as they relate to the conclusion that children undergoing dual levels of stress may experience a dissociative response.     

The treatment of youthful sexual offenders

Approximately 20% of all rapes and between 30% and 50% of child molestations are perpetrated by adolescent males. These statistics underscore the need for improved understanding of youthful sexual offending so that effective prevention measures may be utilized for those adolescents at risk of offending and effective treatments may be utilized with those adolescents who have already committed sexual offenses. In this article we review the current knowledge of the characteristics of youthful offenders, proposed etiologies of youthful offending, proposed typologies of, assessment protocols, and treatments for youthful offenders. Finally we discuss the need for further research in the area of youthful sex offending.