NCJ Number
212486
Journal
Journal of School Violence Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: 2005 Pages: 37-48
Date Published
2005
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined the effectiveness of an Internet-delivered conflict resolution program operated in a secondary school setting.
Abstract
KnowConflict’s Conflict Management Education Program is an Internet-delivered conflict management program for high school students. The program’s existence was in response to the Nation’s focused attention on youth violence. The KnowConflict curriculum includes training modules and is based on the precedent that the conflict management skills of the Nation’s youth can be enhanced through deliberate psychology-based education delivered over the Internet. This study examined the effectiveness of a pilot of KnowConflict’s Internet-delivered conflict resolution intervention administered to a sample of inner-city high school students. The study consisted of 198, ninth grade students. Students completed a measure on attitudes towards violence, as well as an initial assessment of knowledge and skills instrumental in principled negotiation conflict resolution strategies. In addition, students received a weekly treatment of one of eight online lessons, followed by a post-test of the knowledge and skills gained from exposure. The findings demonstrate that conflict management knowledge, skills, and attitudes can be successfully taught via an interactive Internet-based program. The study confirms the effectiveness of the KnowConflict program in teaching a sample of inner-city high school students’ conflict resolution skills and effectively promoting prosocial attitudes against violence.