Violence Prevention

Translation of an Intervention for Violence among Adolescents in Emergency Departments

A lack of translational research in the area of violence prevention exists, and, subsequently, programs that are demonstrated efficacious in highly controlled randomized trials have not been disseminated to determine effectiveness in real world settings. This translational research study aims to determine the effectiveness of the SafERteens brief intervention (BI) when delivered by clinical staff in real-world ED settings to help reduce youth violence. This is an innovative project in that it addresses translating an efficacious BI for violence (SafERteens) using state-of-the-art technology for training (i.e., web/DVD, internet video based standardized patient), intervention delivery (i.e., computerized tailored content to structure therapist BI), and reminder boosters (via text messaging) that standardize the delivery and fidelity of BIs for high-intensity urban ED settings.