Teaching young people prosocial values and nonagressive responses to problems is challenging, especially in a culture valuing individuality and personal independence. This article describes two American value orientations (individual rights and multiculturalism) that engender personal aggression and outlines three strategies for coping with the…

After four years of implementation, the National Center for Education Statistics found that schools employing zero-tolerance policies are still less safe than those without such policies. Indiscriminate use of force is the hallmark of authoritarianism. Programmatic prevention, screening and early identification, and effective discipline policies…

This research reports on an ethnographic study of Marquesas Islanders and their concepts of violent and aggressive behavior. The study interviewed six mothers about their children's behavior at three stages of early life: (1) infants and toddlers; (2) school-aged children; and (3) adolescents. Analysis of the research suggests that violence is…

This report documents the proceedings of a regional policy seminar hosted by the Iowa Department of Education with support from the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) and the Midwest Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities (MRC). The seminar, "Safe Schools Within Safe Communities," was held on September 19-20,…

Schools can play an important part in helping diverse young people see themselves as citizens. This paper examines a broad range of school-based learning opportunities that influence young people's development of knowledge and inclinations for handling conflict. The ingredients for conflict resolution can be taught. Like violence, nonviolence is a…

Four hypotheses pertaining to conflict and its resolution in the team sport experience among seven Choctaw communities were tested: Choctaws have a unique conception of conflict vis-a-vis Anglos; this conception has a limiting effect on the exercise or occurrence of more dramatic forms of violence; this notion is reflected in Choctaw team sport…

The conflict resolution curriculum introduced by this teachers' guide is based on the belief that conflict is a natural part of life, although few people have the skills to deal with conflict creatively. This curriculum gives students the opportunity to practice skills related to dealing with conflict successfully in all areas of their lives. The…

This report summarizes findings from a study concerned with Arizona school safety. The survey component highlights safety-related policy information across 300 schools; the interview component highlights school-safety perceptions of 64 staff across 16 schools. Various policies and programs that respond to internal and external threats to school…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program for enhancing students' social skills in order to increase their ability to work cooperatively and to resolve conflict. The targeted population consisted of kindergarten students in a lower income urban school, located in a medium-sized Midwestern city. The problem of insufficient…

Fighting violence requires a networking approach among schools, community, and parents. This article advises elementary school counselors: (a) focus on the causes of aggression; (b) identify children with the propensity for behaving aggressively; and (c) prevent aggressive responses in children and adolescents by introducing techniques and…

Lack of the ability to control anger is often the cause of violence. By equipping students with the understanding and skills needed to positively manage their anger, they learn nonviolent options for dealing with situations. This article presents anger-management programs for middle schools and high schools that focus on raising awareness,…

This article describes a nonviolence model program used in 26 schools. The program identifies positive and negative student leaders who then spend an entire day together working on developing relationships, responsibility, respect, and conflict resolution skills. Specific activities of the "lock-in" day and ongoing activities such as development…

Describes revision and expansion of the Conflict Tactics Scales, widely used to measure psychological and physical attacks on a partner in a marital, cohabitating, or dating relationship. The revised scales, with increased specificity, a new format, and measurements of sexual coercion and physical injury, show preliminary evidence of enhanced…

Presents a conceptual framework from Cleveland's (Ohio) George Gund Foundation youth violence prevention initiative to assist planners and funders effectively and creatively address youth violence in their communities. It presents an overview of current approaches to youth violence and treatment and a means for identifying, categorizing, and…

This study examined effects of the Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty on 64 Palestinian children, ages 11 through 12. The level of neuroticism was significantly lower after the treaty than before, and children's earlier exposure to trauma was significantly related to high neuroticism and low self-esteem after the treaty. (Author/SW)