Addressing Root Causes for Gun Violence Prevention (ARC-GVP)
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The goal of this study is to help build the evidence base for a locally-relevant youth firearm violence prevention program in Washington D.C., a city experiencing disparities in youth firearm violence outcomes.
The main question it aims to answer is:
How is youth participation in the summer youth employment program, the True Reasons I Grabbed the Gun Evolved from Risk (The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project), which is designed to address root causes of gun violence, associated with individual youth behavioral outcomes, including pro-social involvement, aggression, and firearm-related attitudes and behaviors?
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
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Detailed Description
The goal of this study is to help build the evidence base for a locally-relevant youth firearm violence prevention program in a city experiencing disparities in youth firearm violence outcomes. The main question it aims to answer is:
How is youth participation in a summer youth employment program that is designed to address root causes of gun violence (The T.R.I.G.G.E.R project), associated with individual youth behavioral outcomes, including pro-social involvement, retaliatory attitudes, aggression, and firearm behaviors?
To examine this question, participants will be invited to complete four surveys over the course of one year to assess attitudinal and behavioral change:
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A pre-test at the start of the program
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A first post-test 2-4 weeks following the conclusion of the program
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A second post-test 6 months following the conclusion of the program
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A third and final post-test 12 months following the conclusion of the program
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Wave 1 Youth participants who are enrolled in The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project's summer youth employment program in 2022 |
Behavioral: The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project
The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project includes the following core components to address root causes of gun violence:
Summer Employment
Social and Emotional Learning
Future Orientation
Adult and Peer Support
Critical Consciousness
Civic Efficacy and Engagement
|
| Wave 2 Youth participants who are enrolled in The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project's summer youth employment program in 2023 |
Behavioral: The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project
The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project includes the following core components to address root causes of gun violence:
Summer Employment
Social and Emotional Learning
Future Orientation
Adult and Peer Support
Critical Consciousness
Civic Efficacy and Engagement
|
| Wave 3 Youth participants who are enrolled in The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project's summer youth employment program in 2024 |
Behavioral: The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project
The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project includes the following core components to address root causes of gun violence:
Summer Employment
Social and Emotional Learning
Future Orientation
Adult and Peer Support
Critical Consciousness
Civic Efficacy and Engagement
|
| Wave 4 Youth participants who are enrolled in The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project's summer youth employment program in 2025 |
Behavioral: The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project
The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project includes the following core components to address root causes of gun violence:
Summer Employment
Social and Emotional Learning
Future Orientation
Adult and Peer Support
Critical Consciousness
Civic Efficacy and Engagement
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Change in Civic Efficacy [Outcomes will be measured at 4 time points over 1 year: at the start of the summer programs, 2-4 weeks post, 6-months post, and 1-year post participation]
The investigators will assess change in civic efficacy (i.e., youth participants' sense of belief that they can create positive change in their communities) over time using the 3-item Civic Efficacy scale; the unit(s) of measurement are the Mean and Standard Deviation of scale scores; Minimum Value: 1 Maximum Value: 5, higher scores indicate a better outcome
- Change in Pro-Social Involvement [Outcomes will be measured at 4 time points over 1 year: at the start of the summer programs, 2-4 weeks post, 6-months post, and 1-year post participation]
The investigators will assess change in pro-social involvement (i.e., youth participants' involvement in pro-social community organizations and activities) over time using an 8-item adapted Participation in Groups and Voluntary Organizations scale; the units of measurement are the Mean and Standard Deviation of scale scores; Minimum Value: 0 Maximum Value: 8; higher scores indicate a better outcome
- Change in Attitudes towards Violence and Retaliation [Outcomes will be measured at 4 time points over 1 year: at the start of the summer programs, 2-4 weeks post, 6-months post, and 1-year post participation]
The investigators will assess change in youth participants' attitudes toward violence and retaliation over time using a 3-item Retaliatory Attitudes scale; the units of measurement are the Mean and Standard Deviation of scale scores; Minimum Value: 1 Maximum Value: 5; lower scores indicate a better outcome
- Change in Aggressive Behavior [Outcomes will be measured at 4 time points over 1 year: at the start of the summer programs, 2-4 weeks post, 6-months post, and 1-year post participation]
The investigators will assess change in non-firearm related aggressive behavior (i.e., fighting, non-firearm weapon carriage) over time using a 3-item Aggressive Behaviors scale; the unit(s) of measurement are the Mean and Standard Deviation of scale scores; Minimum: 0, Maximum: 15, lower scores indicate a better outcome
- Change in Firearm Carriage Frequency [Outcomes will be measured at 4 time points over 1 year: at the start of the summer programs, 2-4 weeks post, 6-months post, and 1-year post participation]
The investigators will assess change in the frequency of firearm carriage (for any reason besides hunting, target shooting, competitive shooting, or recreation) over time using 1-item; the unit(s) of measurement are the Mean and Standard Deviation of scale scores; Minimum: 1 Maximum: 7, lower scores indicate a better outcome
- Change in Firearm Use [Outcomes will be measured at 4 time points over 1 year: at the start of the summer programs, 2-4 weeks post, 6-months post, and 1-year post participation]
The investigators will assess change in youth participants' firearm use (i.e., handling a gun, firing a gun, holding a gun in a selfie) over time, using a three-item Firearm Use scale; the unit(s) of measurement are the Means and Standard Deviations of scale scores, Minimum: 0 Maximum: 18, lower scores indicate a better outcome
- Change in Firearm Aggression [Outcomes will be measured at 4 time points over 1 year: at the start of the summer programs, 2-4 weeks post, 6-months post, and 1-year post participation]
The investigators will assess change in youth participants' firearm aggression (i.e., threatening someone with a gun, firing at or around someone), using a two-item scale adapted from the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale; the unit(s) of measurement are the Means and Standard Deviations of scale scores, Minimum: 0 Maximum: 10, lower scores indicate a better outcome
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Youth in Washington D.C. who are participating in The T.R.I.G.G.E.R Project, a grassroots youth firearm violence prevention program
Exclusion Criteria:
- Emancipated minors
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | Michigan | United States | 48103 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- University of Michigan
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Marc Zimmerman, PhD, University of Michigan
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
- Black, S., & Hausman, A. (2008). Adolescents' views of guns in a high-violence community. Journal of Adolescent Research, 23(5), 592-610. http://doi.org/10.1177/0743558408322142
- Copeland-Linder N, Jones VC, Haynie DL, Simons-Morton BG, Wright JL, Cheng TL. Factors associated with retaliatory attitudes among African American adolescents who have been assaulted. J Pediatr Psychol. 2007 Aug;32(7):760-70. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsm007. Epub 2007 Apr 2.
- Crocetti E, Jahromi P, Meeus W. Identity and civic engagement in adolescence. J Adolesc. 2012 Jun;35(3):521-32. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2011.08.003. Epub 2011 Aug 24.
- Multisite Violence Prevention Project. The multisite violence prevention project: background and overview. Am J Prev Med. 2004 Jan;26(1 Suppl):3-11. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2003.09.017.
- Straus, M., Hamby, S., Boney-McCoy, S., Sugarman, D. (1996). The Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2): Development and preliminary psychometric data. Journal of Family Issues, 17(3), 283-316.
- HUM00215637