Format
Individual Presentation
First Presenter's Institution
Florida International University
Second Presenter's Institution
NA
Third Presenter's Institution
NA
Fourth Presenter's Institution
NA
Fifth Presenter's Institution
NA
Location
Session 2 Breakouts
Strand #1
Hands: Safety & Violence Prevention
Strand #2
Health: Mental & Physical Health
Relevance
This presentation is sharing research regarding the development of a youth voice survey addressing the classroom experience of youth gun violence. Youth perspectives challenge normative perspectives and can critique common policies and practices, and such findings can inform instruction and policy, creating a safe space for youth, both physically and mentally.
Brief Program Description
Community violence affects a variety of developmental outcomes, including social-emotional, behavioral, physical, and cognitive domains. Adolescents who are exposed to continual community violence can respond with aggression, anxiety, behavioral issues, academic problems, and truancy. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a survey instrument that measures the youth perspective of the classroom experience following the loss of a schoolmate due to homicide by firearm to inform instruction and policy.
Summary
Community violence surrounding children and youth affects a variety of developmental outcomes, including social-emotional, behavioral, physical, and cognitive domains. Adolescents who are exposed to continual community violence can respond with aggression, anxiety, behavioral issues, academic problems, and truancy. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a survey instrument that measures the youth perspective of the classroom experience following the loss of a schoolmate due to homicide by firearm. Youth perspectives challenge normative perspectives and can critique common policies and practices, and such findings can inform instruction and policy.
An exploratory sequential mixed methods research design was used to provide validity and reliability evidence for the instrument. The study included four phases and incorporated trauma-informed principles. Phase 1 was a qualitative phase that utilized nine experts, examining for validity evidence of test content. Phase 2 established validity evidence based on cognitive response processes by conducting cognitive interviews with 11 youth that had recently lost a schoolmate due to gun violence. Phase 3 was a pilot study assessing the reliability and structural aspect of validity with 50 youth by using Cronbach’s alpha and exploratory factor analysis. Phase 4 was a full scale study with 181 youth assessing the same reliability and validity evidence as in phase 3. The four phases follow a sequential process, in which the results of each phase led to revisions of the instrument. The Cronbach’s alpha in phase 4 showed an excellent reliability and exploratory factor analysis results indicated three factors: Creating a Trauma-Informed Learning Environment; Trustworthiness and Transparency; and, Empowerment, Voice and Choice. This research study produced a valid survey which can be utilized as a tool to better prepare and inform educators, administrators, and curriculum and mental health specialists in communities experiencing high levels of gun violence. In addition, data gathered from youth can assist in informing organizational policy and procedures developed to support youth following the loss of life of a schoolmate.
Evidence
An exploratory sequential mixed methods research design was used to provide validity and reliability evidence for the instrument. The study included four phases and incorporated trauma-informed principles. Phase 1 was a qualitative phase that utilized nine experts, examining for validity evidence of test content. Phase 2 established validity evidence based on cognitive response processes by conducting cognitive interviews with 11 youth that had recently lost a schoolmate due to gun violence. Phase 3 was a pilot study assessing the reliability and structural aspect of validity with 50 youth by using Cronbach’s alpha and exploratory factor analysis. Phase 4 was a full scale study with 181 youth assessing the same reliability and validity evidence as in phase 3. The four phases follow a sequential process, in which the results of each phase led to revisions of the instrument. The Cronbach’s alpha in phase 4 showed an excellent reliability and exploratory factor analysis results indicated three factors: Creating a Trauma-Informed Learning Environment; Trustworthiness and Transparency; and, Empowerment, Voice and Choice. This research study produced a valid survey which can be utilized as a tool to better prepare and inform educators, administrators, and curriculum and mental health specialists in communities experiencing high levels of gun violence. In addition, data gathered from youth can assist in informing organizational policy and procedures developed to support youth following the loss of life of a schoolmate.
Learning Objectives
Undertanding the impact of community youth violence on the classroom.
Sharing a validated instrument which allows those who work with youth to assess how successful their support has been following the loss of a student to gun violence.
Exploring ideas of how teachers and school systems can better support youth.
Biographical Sketch
A graduate of Ohio State University, the University of Florida, and Florida International University, Diana Santangelo is the Director of Education at United Way of Miami-Dade. She also works as a consultant for the countywide initiative, Together for Children, a collective impact model to prevent youth violence. Following three years of teaching in Italy, Diana became an Italian and ELA teacher in South Florida where she wrote curriculum and adopted Miami as her new home. She completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with a focus on the youth perspective of the classroom experience following the loss of a schoolmate to community gun violence and her work provides a tool to school systems to allow them to inform their own policies with the youth voice. Diana loves her furbaby “Bacino”, running, and exploring new countries.
Keyword Descriptors
youth violence, youth perspective, youth survey, trauma-informed classrooms
Presentation Year
2021
Start Date
3-8-2021 11:40 AM
End Date
3-8-2021 12:40 PM
Recommended Citation
Santangelo, Diana, "The Youth Gun Violence and Voice Survey: The Classroom Experience" (2021). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 9.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2021/2021/9
Included in
Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons
The Youth Gun Violence and Voice Survey: The Classroom Experience
Session 2 Breakouts
Community violence affects a variety of developmental outcomes, including social-emotional, behavioral, physical, and cognitive domains. Adolescents who are exposed to continual community violence can respond with aggression, anxiety, behavioral issues, academic problems, and truancy. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a survey instrument that measures the youth perspective of the classroom experience following the loss of a schoolmate due to homicide by firearm to inform instruction and policy.
