Pilot Evaluation of Setu, a School-Based Violence Prevention Program Among Indian Adolescents

Abstract

A quasi-experimental study was conducted in the eighth grade of two public schools located in Central Delhi. Two classes (95 participants) in the intervention school and three classes (108 participants) in the comparison school participated. The brief intervention was implemented across four 2-hour sessions for 1 month in the intervention school. Self-reported violence behavior (bullying, fighting, and victimization) was measured at baseline, posttest, and a 6-month follow-up in both schools. Students and teachers also provided feedback regarding feasibility and acceptability. The difference-in-difference analyses indicated nonphysical aggression, physical aggression, and victimization were significantly lower in the intervention group vis-à-vis comparison group at the 6-month follow-up, but not at baseline or immediate posttest, suggesting sleeper effects. Qualitative feedback indicated that the intervention was acceptable to students and suggested that implementation quality was a key to program effectiveness. These findings suggest that the intervention may curtail the increase in violent behavior in early adolescence.