Session: Speed Dating for Researchers II: Short Talks on Hot Topics in Violence & Resilience (Society for Prevention Research 24th Annual Meeting)

The proliferation of scientific scholarship has many benefits, but it also creates challenges for researchers trying to keep up-to-date on the latest findings.  This will be one of two related sessions of 20X20 talks that bring together an experienced group of violence researchers.  Each researcher will highlight some of the most important findings from their empirical research programs from the last several years.  The presentations focus on "big picture" findings, including those that present new conceptual models, de-bunk widely held myths, present strengths-based alternatives to working with victims and perpetrators of violence, and offer provocative new avenues for increasing the impact of the field's efforts to prevent violence.  The presentations address health inequities, especially the disparities in outcomes among those exposed to violence compared to those who are not, but also differences in risk and protective factors among numerous vulnerable groups, including rural Appalachians, LGBT youth and young adults, inner-city youth, and substance-using youth. The presentations address health inequities, especially the disparities in outcomes among those exposed to violence compared to those who are not, but also differences in risk and protective factors among numerous vulnerable groups, including rural Appalachians, LGBT youth, inner-city youth, and substance-using youth. 

Panel II focuses on innovative ideas for advancing the science of violence prevention, which has shown only modest effects to date. Banyard et al have used their large community study of rural Appalachia to identify under-recognized issues in prevention, especially the need to shift to a more strengths-based approach and ways that bystander approaches can emphasize strengths. Edwards et al also draw on recent community projects to propose greater involvement of youth, not only as recipients but as partners in violence prevention efforts. Espelage also suggests avenues for re-thinking prevention, with a focus on the potential of social-emotional learning (SEL) for bullying prevention.  Hamby and colleagues discuss the potential of incorporating narrative for developing a more strengths-based approach to violence prevention.  Jones will focus on the neglected issues of implementability and scalability, and why some programs that have a minimal research base are more appealing to many providers than programs developed by researchers.  Yuan focuses on the issue of community engagement as an essential element of offering more culturally and ethnically appropriate services.