Using a Lifestage and Ecological Framework to
Integrate Violence Prevention:
Youth and Emerging Adulthood
Jennifer L. Matjasko, Ph.D.
Division of Violence Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Evidence for Violence Prevention Across the Lifespan and
Around the World: A Workshop of the Forum for Global
Violence Prevention
January 23, 2013
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Division of Violence Prevention
Summarizing the evidence base for violence
prevention during adolescence and emerging
adulthood requires an orientation to:
Defining adolescence and emerging
adulthood from a global perspective
Understanding the universal
developmental issues of this lifestage
Documenting the leading global
threats to adolescent health
Summarizing the state of the evidencebase for youth violence prevention
Outlining the gaps in this evidencebase
Health is not just the absence of disease.
“Health is a dynamic state of wellbeing characterized by a
physical, mental and social potential, which satisfies the
demands of a life commensurate with age, culture, and personal
responsibility”
- Bircher (2005)
Our current definition of developmental stages
follows a Westernized definition
Early Adolescence
• Ages 10-13
• Pubertal Changes
• Transition to middle school
Middle Adolescence
• Ages 14-16
• Increasing importance of peers
• Transition to high school
Late Adolescence
• Ages 17-18
• Increased independence
• Preparing for transition to higher education/employment
Emerging Adulthood
• Ages 19-24
• Transition to higher education/employment
We need to be mindful of cultural variations in
this definition
Childhood
Puberty
Transition to Adult Roles
Regardless of the definition used, the
developmental tasks of adolescence and
emerging adulthood are universal
Emotional
autonomy
Behavioral
autonomy
Resolving
issues of
identity and
values
Interpersonal
skills for
dealing with
romantic
relationships
Emerging
sexuality
Education and
other
experiences
needed for
adult work
Just like developmental tasks, the developmental
needs of adolescence and emerging adulthood
are universal
Positive social
interaction with
adults and peers
Physical
activity
Creative
expression
Competence
and
achievement
Developmental
Needs
Structure
and clear
limits
Communities,
opportunities
for selfdefinition
Meaningful
participation
in families,
school
There are opportunities to meet these
developmental needs at each level of social ecology
Individual
Family/Relational
School
Community/
Society
Individual characteristics drive the specific needs
that you have for your social context
Individual
Individual
characteristics
like
impulsivity
can impact:
• Developmental needs
Families, peers, and other adults either fulfill those
developmental needs or create deficits in meeting
those needs
Family
Structure
Family
Processes
Peer
Relationships
Family/Relational
Relationships
with Other
Adults
Romantic
Relationships
• Developmental needs
Schools either fulfill those developmental needs or
they create deficits in meeting those needs
School
Structure
School
Processes
School
Teacher
Characteristics
AdolescentTeacher
Relationships
• Developmental needs
Community and societal conditions either fulfill
those developmental needs or create deficits in
meeting those needs
Community
Structure/
Resources
Community
Collective
Efficacy
Community/Society
Presence of
Prosocial
Community
Adults
Policies (Local,
State,
National)
• Developmental needs
Globally, violence remains a leading cause of morbidity
for youth ages 10-24 years
200
DisabilityAdjusted 150
Life-Years
(DALYs)
100
The evidence base for youth violence prevention is
organized by the social ecological model
Individual
Family/Relational
School
Community/
Society
It’s important to link the evidence-base to the
universal developmental needs of adolescence
and emerging adulthood
The evidence base at the individual-level is
composed of treatment-based, one-on-one
prevention programs and therapeutic approaches
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Life skills training programs
Individual
• Aimed at reducing
maladaptive behaviors
(e.g., aggression and
violence) and promoting
prosocial behavior
Evidence-Based
Approaches
• Multilevel programs that
include individual
approaches (e.g.,
multisystemic therapy)
Positive social
interaction with
adults and peers
Physical
activity
Creative
expression
Competence
and
achievement
Developmental
Needs
Addressed
Structure
and clear
limits
Communities,
opportunities
for selfdefinition
Meaningful
participation
in families,
school
The evidence base at the family and relational-level
is composed of family-based interventions,
parenting skills programs, and programs that foster
prosocial relationships outside of the family
• Family support, parenting
education early in life
Family/Relational
• Aimed at:
• improving functional
family processes
• improving parenting
skills
• fostering relationships
with prosocial adults
and peers
Evidencebased
approaches
• Parenting education and parenting
skills programs during adolescence
• Structured mentoring programs
• Brief family therapeutic
approaches
• Multilevel programs that include
structured mentoring
Positive social
interaction with
adults and peers
Physical
activity
Creative
expression
Competence
and
achievement
Developmental
Needs
Addressed
Structure
and clear
limits
Communities,
opportunities
for selfdefinition
Meaningful
participation
in families,
school
The evidence base at the school-level is composed
of a range of interventions that are implemented in
the school setting
• Elementary-school conduct problem
prevention programs
• Drug use prevention programs
School
• Aimed at:
• reducing student
misbehavior
• Improving teacher
management of
behavior
• Improving school
climate
• Peer mediation/conflict resolution
programs
Evidencebased
approaches
• Social and emotional learning programs
• Achievement mentoring
• Early childhood education (preschool
age children)
• School climate improvement programs
(e.g., multi-tiered)
Positive social
interaction with
adults and peers
Physical
activity
Creative
expression
Competence
and
achievement
Developmental
Needs
Addressed
Structure
and clear
limits
Communities,
opportunities
for selfdefinition
Meaningful
participation
in families,
school
The evidence base at the community- and societallevels is composed of community-level strategies
and policies at the local, state, and national levels
• Alcohol policies limiting
access to alcohol
Community/Society
• Aimed at improving
community conditions
or affecting social
change/norms
Evidencebased
approaches
• Business improvement
districts
• Built environment/Crime
prevention through
environmental design
• Prevention planning
operating systems
Positive social
interaction with
adults and peers
Physical
activity
Creative
expression
Competence
and
achievement
Developmental
Needs
Addressed
Structure
and clear
limits
Communities,
opportunities
for selfdefinition
Meaningful
participation
in families,
school
Even after 25 years of research, gaps still remain
in the evidence base for youth violence
prevention

Emerging Adulthood

Cultural Adaptations

Translating to Less Developed Countries

Implementation Science
Youth violence prevention programs should aim
to meet the unique developmental needs of
adolescents and emerging adults

There is solid evidence-base at the individual-,
relational-, and school-levels, but we need more
evidence in outer levels.

We also need…
 Global implementation and evaluation
 Rigorously evaluated adaptations of evidence-based programs
Thank You
Thanks to Sarah Bacon, Linda Dahlberg, Greta Massetti, and Alana Vivolo-Kantor for their
valuable input and feedback.
For more information please contact Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333
Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)/TTY: 1-888-232-6348
E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.cdc.gov
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Division of Violence Prevention