Universal Violence Prevention Program Works Well at Reducing Playground Aggression in Preliminary Tests

Scientists developed the violence prevention program, Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers program (LIFT), to prevent conduct problems in children. The intervention strategy was designed to address the risk factors for conduct problems in three social domains--the home, the classroom, and the playground.

The scientists recruited 12 elementary schools in a metropolitan area with a total of 671 first and 5^th grade students (382 in the intervention schools; 289 in the control schools) and their parents to participate in LIFT. Classrooms of children were randomly assigned to the intervention or control.

In the main study, the intervention consisted of:

• A social skills program for all children in a classroom;
• Parent education classes for their parents;
• Teacher training on better management of off-task and inappropriate behaviors; and
• Playground monitors training on supervision and reward for good behavior at lunch or on the playground.

This paper reports on whether LIFT reduced the incidence of aggressive behavior in children on the playground. Trained observers measured the incidence of aggression before the intervention was initiated, then a year later after the intervention had taken place. The observers did not know which children were in the experiment, and which were not.

The scientists found that the LIFT intervention was effective overall in lowering rates of aggression. The biggest effect was among those children who were the most aggressive at baseline. In their analysis, the scientists also found that most playground aggression was not associated with stable personality traits of aggression in the children, but rather on contextual factors. Thus, interventions that relate to the playground context, like improving supervision by monitors, can have a substantial impact on reducing playground aggression. While it is much too early to see the long-term impact of the LIFT program on conduct disorder, these preliminary findings suggest that a relatively simple approach, such as training volunteer playground monitors, can significantly reduce aggression on the playground and provide children with a safer school experience.

Both ACT and LIFT focus on the adults who interact and influence children. ACT primarily focuses on parents and early childhood educators to reach young children during the preschool years. LIFT focuses on teachers, playground monitors, and parents to reach children in elementary school. Both programs educate children on positive social skills through adults, and also address adult behaviors that can affect the environment that surrounds the child. ACT teaches parents and teachers to control their own anger, use problem solving skills, and reasonable and appropriate discipline to model nonviolent behaviors. LIFT provides training for teachers and monitors to control inappropriate or aggressive behavior in the classroom and on the playground. Reducing violence in the home, school, or on the playground can result in reducing overall exposure of children to violence. Many social and psychological problems that affect society are amenable to environmental prevention efforts-e.g., reducing violence on children's television. While on a smaller scale, this project attempts to reduce violence by strengthening environmental controls.

View press release and original journal article, April 23, 2000, "Multidimensional violence prevention program works well in preliminary tests in elementary schools in mid-sized city," http://www.apa.org/releases/violenceprevent.html.

Reid, J.G., et al. (1999). Description and immediate impacts of a preventive intervention for conduct problems. American Journal of Community Psychology, 27(4): 483-517.