Comprehensive Youth Violence Center (CYVC)
Director: Michael Windle, PhD
Established: 2002

Mission and Demographics
The mission of the Comprehensive Youth Violence Center (CYVC) is to reduce violence perpetration and victimization of our nation's youth by identifying risk and protective factors; developing, applying, and evaluating interventions; and facilitating community efforts to address youth violence. The CYVC is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the five national comprehensive Academic Centers of Excellence for youth violence prevention in the United States. Center scientists from UAB and the University of Alabama conduct etiologic and intervention studies directed towards reducing violent behavior and related health and social problems in youth.

Center Research
The Center is currently involved in three major research studies: the Birmingham Youth Violence Study (BYVS), Coping Power, and Coping Power: Field Trial Effects of the Coping Power Program. The BYVS research involves a sample of 700 high-risk children to investigate precursors of early-onset violent behavior. The Coping Power studies involve the application of a school-based intervention focused on anger management and social competence development with pre-adolescent children who are at risk for violence-related behaviors because of high levels of aggressive behavior. Coping Power is ongoing in Tuscaloosa area schools and the second Coping Power study expands the research into the Birmingham metropolitan area.

Several pilot studies are also in progress at this time. These include both etiologic and intervention studies which address: Experience of Abuse and Substance Abuse in Shelter Women, Aggressive and Hostile Parenting Behavior, Hopelessness and Violence, Classroom Environment Effects on Aggression, Parenting Behaviors Associated with Aggressive Pre-School Behavior, Anger and Stress and Physiological Outcomes in Teachers, Psycho-physiological and Social-cognitive Correlates of Subtypes of Aggression, Enforcement of Juvenile Curfew Laws and Impact on Violent and Non-Violent Juvenile Trauma, Interventions to Correct Media-Induced Tendencies to Minimize Effects of Violent Behavior, and Parental Influences on Bullying and Victimization Among Youth, Economically Disadvantaged Children.

Training
The CYVC is involved in teaching efforts related to youth violence via formal coursework in the Department of Psychology and through undergraduate training programs such as the Honors Program and the McNair Program. Involvement in postdoctoral training occurs through the recent Leadership in Education on Adolescent Health Award to the Division of Adolescent Medicine.

Other Activities of Interest
The CYVC has established both a Community Advisory Committee of 24 members from 20 different youth advocacy, health, and social service organizations in the greater Birmingham area and a Youth Advisory Committee consisting of area high school students who are committed to the mission of youth violence prevention. These advisory committees serve to facilitate collaborations between the CYVC and other organizations, foster communication between the CYVC and the Birmingham community on youth violence-related issues, and disseminate information to the public.

The CYVC Colloquium Series brings prominent scientists to UAB to present their research findings on youth health and youth violence topics for both the UAB and the Birmingham communities. Presentations during the past year included: Dr. Al Farrell (Identifying Essential Skills for Violence Prevention in Urban Adolescents), Dr. Deborah Gorman-Smith (Neighborhood Ecology of Family Influence on Delinquency and Violence), Dr. Robert Zucker (Identifying Risk for Addictive Disorders Early in Life), and Dr. Vangie Foshee (Assessing the Effects of the Dating Violence Prevention Program "Safe Dates" Over Time).

For additional information:

Administrator: Janice Gilliland, PhD
Email: mjgill@uab.edu
Phone: 205-934-8785

Grants Manager: Lori Renkl, MEd
Email: lrenkl@uab.edu
Phone: 205-934-5674

Director: Michael Windle, PhD
Email: windle@uab.edu

Approved by: Michael Windle, PhD, Director
Date: April 26, 2005 (Update requested)

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