APA's youth forums fulfill a need across the nation

Joint project of MTV and APA's Practice Directorate has led to hundreds of psychologist-run forums to help teens learn violence warning signs.

By Jennifer Zabriskie

Violence prevention is a major objective of the "Warning Signs" youth antiviolence initiative recently launched by APA's Practice Directorate in conjunction with MTV: Music Television. This new venture is designed to help adolescents recognize the warning signs of violent behavior and take steps to deter it.

Though no one might have predicted just how quickly the goal of preventing even a single act of violence would be realized, it happened shortly after the campaign kicked off. The official launch event took place on April 22, just two days after the tragic shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado.

Five days later, a young woman with tears streaming down her face, visibly shaken by death threats in a note from an ex-boyfriend, shared her turmoil during a school assembly in Lake Placid, N.Y. The teen-ager had just viewed the documentary produced collaboratively by MTV and APA's Practice Directorate as one of the "Warning Signs" campaign's educational resources.

"She said she came forward because of the profound emotional impact the film and the presentation had on her," says APA member Ray Havlicek, PhD, who led the youth forum.

Like hundreds of other practitioners conducting youth forums throughout the country, Havlicek showed the 30-minute documentary that vividly recounts violent acts on school campuses and the warning signs that were present but overlooked. Teens from his community gathered at the school assembly to watch the show and participate in a frank discussion about the impact of violence, and how to recognize and act on the warning signs.

Because the distraught young woman came forward during the forum, the local police were notified about her ex-boyfriend's death threats, and he was arrested.

"The horrible incident in Littleton strikes at the heart of every community, and everyone needs to do something about it," said APA Executive Director for Professional Practice Russ Newman, PhD, JD. "If a youth forum like the one in Lake Placid helps just one kid or prevents one act of violence, it can be considered a success."

He added that the forums offer considerably more than the prospect of preventing violence.

Resources for teens

As part of their efforts, APA and MTV developed a "Warning Signs" guide to help young people recognize when a classmate or friend might be a potential danger to themselves or others. Input for the guide came from psychologists Alan Berman, PhD, Eva Feindler, PhD, Arnold Goldstein, PhD, Nancy Guerra, EdD, Rodney Hammond, PhD, Peter Sheras, PhD, and Fernando Soriano, PhD.

This educational resource and a videotaped copy of the "Warning Signs" documentary are included in youth forum planning kits now being provided to practitioners interested in hosting a forum. The kits, which also include a discussion outline and other media and promotional materials, have been distributed to more than 1,000 psychologists around the country.

Hundreds of forums, most of which have been organized by APA public education campaign coordinators, already have taken place at varied locations including churches, schools and community centers.

The "Warning Signs" project is part of APA's public education campaign, "Talk to Someone Who Can Help," which promotes the value of psychological services and the importance of good mental health. The directorate has worked for the past three years to develop a strong grassroots campaign infrastructure supported by public education coordinators in every state. "The foundation is in place to ensure the "Warning Signs" project's success," says Jan Peterson, assistant executive director for public relations and communications in the directorate. "Hundreds of campaign coordinators and other APA members have engaged young people from their communities in dialogue about issues that concern us all."

At a youth forum held in Los Angeles at Paramount Studios to launch the "Warning Signs" project, participants shared their concerns that adults sometimes fail to listen when teen-agers try to communicate fears and frustrations about violence. Regarding the assailants in Colorado, one youth said "no one heard them, no one listened."

But it's evident from the success of the "Warning Signs" project thus far that parents, teachers, school administrators and youth are listening--and talking--about violent behavior and how to prevent it. APA President Richard Suinn, PhD, spearheaded a forum in Fort Collins, Colo., shortly after the Columbine shooting. He says, "It's clear that young folks want the opportunity to talk about violence and to learn what they can do to help stop it." Numerous practitioners who have conducted forums report that participants do not want to quit talking even when the time allotted has passed.

Many who led the early forums observed that "bullying" was a common theme among the concerns and complaints expressed by youth.

"One of the main issues stressed by participants was there should be zero tolerance for kids making fun of other kids," says Jerri Whiting, PhD, relating the outcome of a youth forum held at Excelsior Springs High School in Missouri.

Demand for information

There appears to be keen interest in the antiviolence initiative, and demand for the APA/MTV materials is high. In Michigan, a state legislative subcommittee on teen violence mandated that school superintendents review the "Warning Signs" materials and coordinate staff training sessions for the fall. Several school districts have also requested copies of the "Warning Signs" guide to include in student resource books.

Demand was so great that within two weeks of the project launch, the Practice Directorate needed to print an additional 100,000 guides. This material is being given to youths who participate in forums or who call toll-free (800) 268-0078 to receive a free guide.

As of late May, more than 20,000 requests for guides had been received through the toll-free phone number and the APA Help Center Web site (helping.apa.org) alone. Altogether, more than 80,000 copies were distributed by June, including those being disseminated through the youth forums.

The news media is also helping to carry the "Warning Signs" messages. Coverage has included articles in the Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News and The Philadelphia Enquirer, along with features on CNN Headline News and local television news stations.

Havlicek said he was interviewed several times following the shooting in Littleton and felt the "Warning Signs" project clearly demonstrated for the public how psychology could help. "Our profession got a tremendous amount of visibility," Havlicek said.

APA's partner, MTV, is also pleased with the early results of the project. The documentary is reported to be the highest rated pro-social campaign that MTV has ever run. Nearly 4 million viewers tuned in when the program aired more than a dozen times on the popular music cable network. The "Warning Signs" documentary is expected to air again in the fall on MTV and also will be offered through Cable in the Classroom, the cable television industry's educational programming seen in classrooms nationwide.

Meanwhile, forum planning continues, and practitioners are encouraged to get involved. To receive a free planning kit and take part in the "Warning Signs" project, interested APA members should call toll-free (877) 274-8787, ext. 135.Y

Jennifer Zabriskie is senior account executive at Pacific Visions Communications in Los Angeles.



Read our privacy statement and Terms of Use

Cover Page for this Issue

PsychNET®
© 1999 American Psychological Association

APA Home Page . Search . Site Map