NOT-HD-02-003: VIOLENCE PREVENTION AMONG HIGH-RISK EARLY ADOLESCENT YOUTH

Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
NIH... Turning Discovery Into Health^®

VIOLENCE PREVENTION AMONG HIGH-RISK EARLY ADOLESCENT YOUTH

Release Date:  December 31, 2001

NOTICE:  NOT-HD-02-003

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
 (http://www.nichd.nih.gov/)

RFP AVAILABLE:  NIH-NICHD-2002-03

The NICHD is planning to award a contract for a study on aggressive and risk-
taking behavior among high-risk early adolescent youth.  The goal of this 
study is develop and test an innovative program of interventions designed to 
prevent aggression and other problem behaviors among a high-risk population 
of early adolescent youth.  The primary objective of the research is to 
determine the extent to which exposure to intervention improves children"s 
social skills and academic motivation, increases affiliation with pro-social 
individuals and institutions, and moderates aggression, violence, and other 
problem behaviors.  Secondary objectives are to increase parental monitoring 
and involvement in children"s daily activities and to increase parental 
knowledge and usage of school and community resources.  

Youth violence has profound detrimental emotional, physical, and economic 
effects on the victims, perpetrators, and community (Gottfredson and Hirschi, 
1994), and takes up substantial social resources (Melton and Hargrove, in 
press, Melton and Spaulding, 1998).  Preventing the onset and reducing the 
amount of youth violence is a national priority (USDHHS, 1990).  Aggression 
and violence are thought to have roots in childhood and progress with age, 
the result of a combination of personal attributions and reinforcing social 
environments (Fraser, 1996).  Risk and protective factors for aggression and 
violence are diverse, including personal, family, and school factors 
(Gottfredson and Hirschi, 1994, Hawkins and Weis, 1985, Wilson and Howell, 
1995).  Variables such as academic, peer, and behavior problems put children 
at risk for future antisocial behavior in adolescence (Ellickson and 
McGuigan, 2000, Lewin, Davis, and Hops, 1999). Interventions with high-risk 
youth could alter their trajectories of achievement, aggression, and 
violence.

A sample of high-risk, early adolescent youth from one or multiple schools 
and a parent would be recruited to participate in the study.  Participants 
would be randomly assigned to the comparison or special intervention group, 
involving participation in a violence-prevention after-school program and 
followed for a period of two years.  Outcomes include parental involvement 
and child involvement with pro-social activity and people, problem solving, 
self-control, and study skills and motivation, attitudes and perceptions 
about violence, and achievement, aggression, and violence.

Organizations that believe they have the capabilities and recruitment ability 
necessary to participate this research study may access the Request for 
Proposal(s), RFP-NICHD-2002-03, electronically on the FedBizOpps website at 
http://www2.eps.gov/servlet/Solicitation/R/HHS/NIH/NICHD/RFP-NICHD-2003-05,
on or about December 27, 2001.  The NICHD does not intend to release hard copies 
of the RFP.  The Government reserves the right to cancel the requirement at 
any time prior to contract award.

INQUIRIES

Charles Newman 
Contracting Officer
Contracts Management Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, Suite 7A07, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD  20892-7510
Telephone:  301-435-6960
Fax:  301-402-3676
E-mail:  [email protected]

OR

Charles Grewe 
Lead Contract Specialist
Contracts Management Branch
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, Suite 7A07, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD  20892-7510
Telephone:  301-435-6957
Fax:  301-402-3676
E-mail:  [email protected]
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices