Examining conflict mediation to prevent violence through multisector partnerships.

Abstract

Interpersonal conflict requires interventions that reach community members across settings to develop peaceful conflict resolution skills. This article presents a case study from Aim4Peace, a multicomponent violence prevention initiative to prevent community gun violence based on the Cure Violence (formerly Ceasefire Chicago) model. The article presents types of violence and a framework for understanding contributing factors, followed by approaches to understanding and strategies for constructing peace. The Aim4Peace program is described, including a community-academic partnership with behavioralcommunity psychologists, through which collaborative action and evaluation occur with trusted partners across community sectors to provide nonviolent alternatives across socioecological levels. Next, we describe participatory evaluation methods for examining the underlying processes that support Aim4-Peace's efforts to build a culture of peace through conflict mediation and resolution strategies. Descriptive data are presented for how Aim4Peace implemented peace education processes through multisector partnerships. The article discusses process and proxy outcomes of the program and concludes with comments on multidisciplinary action and research for addressing large-scale problems such as violence. Public Significance StatementInterpersonal conflict can contribute to violence experienced by individuals, groups, and communities. Multisector approaches to evaluate and support conflict mediation training and interventions across different settings and sectors of the community are important to ensure peaceful conflict resolutions, which may aid in preventing and reducing interpersonal and community violence.

Supporting peaceful individuals, groups, and societies: Peace psychology and peace education.

“…In the next article, Stewart et al (2021) reflect on how psychologists have been deeply involved in developing, implementing, and assessing a peace education program. In "Examining Conflict Mediation to Prevent Violence Through Multisector Partnerships," the authors describe Aim4Peace, a multicomponent violence prevention initiative that focuses on conflict mediation and resolution.…”

Tobacco‐free policy reduces combustible tobacco byproduct on a large university campus

“…Policy evaluation (e.g., Stewart et al, 2021;Watson-Thompson et al, 2013) is a relatively narrow area of field study, but it illustrates that communicable findings on prospective regulation are not beyond the domain of behavior analysis (see Todorov & Lemos, 2020; see also Baer et al, 1987;Normand et al, 2021).…”

“…Policy evaluation (e.g., Stewart et al, 2021; Watson‐Thompson et al, 2013) is a relatively narrow area of field study, but it illustrates that communicable findings on prospective regulation are not beyond the domain of behavior analysis (see Todorov & Lemos, 2020; see also Baer et al, 1987; Normand et al, 2021). For instance, Van Houten and Nau (1981) examined the extent to which public posting—a low‐cost implementation with real policy implications—influenced rates of speeding on a public highway.…”