Secondary Prevention for Youth Violence: A Review of Selected School-Based Programs

In the United States, school violence is an issue of national concern. Many schools have responded to the problem by implementing prevention strategies that are, in general, of limited or unknown efficacy. Therefore, it is imperative that school officials be aware of efficaciousschool-based secondaryviolencepreventionprograms forat-risk youth,in order toselectandimplementaprogramthatbestmeetstheirneeds.Earlyintervention for youth violence at the elementary school level is necessary to prevent violence in adolescence and adulthood. This article reviews reports of studies on seven efficacious school-based secondary prevention programs for youth violence among elementary school children. Programs that show promising results are those that use cognitive-behavioral interventions and social skills training among at-risk elementary school children. We conclude with implications for crisis intervention andbrief treatmentpractices, as well as recommendations for future research. [Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 5:95‐107 (2005)]