Effective Methods to Assess Exposure to Violence and Victimization Among American Indian and Alaskan Native Youth

This methods study is intended to improve the health and well-being of American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native (AN) youth by developing a survey instrument and research design that can effectively assess exposure to violence and victimization. The project involves five stages: 1) Assembling and acquiring input from stakeholders; 2) Reviewing existing instruments; 3) Developing the instrument, design, and implementation protocols; 4) Doing cognitive testing of the instrument to assure comprehension; and 5) Pilot testing of the design of the instrument. The goal for the instrument is to be comprehensive and include exposure to abuse, neglect, sexual offenses, property crimes, hate crimes, bullying, peer and school assault, exposure to domestic and community violence. The instrument also is intended to be easy to understand, flexible in its utility, relevant to the AI and AN cultures and environments and to the agencies involved. Although subject to reconsideration during the project, the initial target is to pilot the instrument and design with youth in three to four geographically and demographically different AI and AN communities, collecting a total of 375 interviews. At least two or three different modes of administration will be compared likely, face-to-face interviews, paper and pencil self-administered questionnaires, and computer assisted interviews. Among the key outcomes that will be examined are the response and refusal rates, missing data, interview length, willingness to disclose sensitive information, respondent comfort, cost, the ability to provide assistance to respondents, and the ease and adequacy of the human subjects’ protocol. Results will be disseminated in presentations, USDOJ publications, and journal articles.

This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law.

nca/ncf

As submitted by the applicant: This methods study is intended to improve the health and well-being of American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native (AN) youth by developing a survey instrument and research design that can effectively assess exposure to violence and victimization. The project involves five stages: 1) Assembling and acquiring input from stakeholders; 2) Reviewing existing instruments; 3) Developing the instrument, design, and implementation protocols; 4) Doing cognitive testing of the instrument to assure comprehension; and 5) Pilot testing of the design of the instrument. The goal for the instrument is to be comprehensive and include exposure to abuse, neglect, sexual offenses, property crimes, hate crimes, bullying, peer and school assault, exposure to domestic and community violence. The instrument also is intended to be easy to understand, flexible in its utility, relevant to the AI and AN cultures and environments and to the agencies involved. Although subject to reconsideration during the project, the initial target is to pilot the instrument and design with youth in three to four geographically and demographically different AI and AN communities, collecting a total of 375 interviews. At least two or three different modes of administration will be compared likely, face-to-face interviews, paper and pencil self-administered questionnaires, and computer assisted interviews. Among the key outcomes that will be examined are the response and refusal rates, missing data, interview length, willingness to disclose sensitive information, respondent comfort, cost, the ability to provide assistance to respondents, and the ease and adequacy of the human subjects’ protocol. Results will be disseminated in presentations, USDOJ publications, and journal articles. nca/ncf