Violence prevention pioneers have advocated that society use a public health approach to violence.<sup>4 Deadly Consequences: How Violence Is Destroying Our Teenage Population and a Plan to Begin Solving the Problem New York: Harper Collins (1991). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> As part of that strategy, front-line practitioners need to bring questions and anticipatory guidance about violence into their offices. All parents worry that their children might become victims of violence, and they are eager for help with strategies that will help their children be safer. Questions about violence and good primary and secondary prevention messages tell patients and their parents that violence is a partly preventable illness.

When dealing with violence, we know that witnessing violence in the home, being a victim of violence in the home, and being taught that violence is the best way to resolve conflict all tend to create violence-prone individuals.<sup>2 American Psychological Association: Violence and Youth: Psychology’s response, vol 1. Summary report of the American Psychological Association Commission on Violence and Youth. Washington, D.C., 1993

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> High-violence patients have believe that violence is the best way to solve conflicts, a paranoid world views that “you really cannot trust anyone,” and poor skills for solving conflicts without violence.<sup>6 Slaby R.G., Guerra N.G. Cognitive Mediators of aggression in adolescent offenders Dev Psychol 1988 ;  24 : 580-588  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> They often believe themselves to be helpless victims in their own lives.

Nonviolent individuals tend to grow up in homes with consistent, nonviolent discipline. They feel that they are of high value and that everyone they meet is a valuable human being. They commonly have been taught how to resolve conflicts without violence. They believe that nonviolent resolution of conflict is the most manly or womanly way to solve problems, and they have many skills for solving conflict nonviolently. They do not frame themselves as victims in their own lives.<sup>7 Slaby R.G., Stringham P. Prevention of peer and community violence: The pediatrician’s role Pediatrics 1994 ;  94 : 608-616

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Primary prevention strategies try to create children who feel good connections to their primary caretakers, feel hope for the future, and believe themselves to be active players rather than victims. For each age group, there are specific questions about violence and specific interventions to try to address factors that we know contribute to violence.<sup>1 Alpert E.J., Sege R.D., Bradshaw Y.S. Interpersonal violence in the education of physicians: Educating the nation’s physicians about family violence and abuse Acad Med 1997 ;  72 (suppl) : 41-50

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 5 Sege R.G. Adolescent violence Curr Opin Pediatr 1992 ;  4 : 575-581

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 6 Slaby R.G., Guerra N.G. Cognitive Mediators of aggression in adolescent offenders Dev Psychol 1988 ;  24 : 580-588  [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 7 Slaby R.G., Stringham P. Prevention of peer and community violence: The pediatrician’s role Pediatrics 1994 ;  94 : 608-616

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 8 Stringham P., Spivak H. What pediatric primary care clinicians can do when confronting violent youth Bull N Y Acad Med 1994 ;  71 : 218-235

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 9 Stringham P. Strategies for preventing children from becoming victims of violence Curr Prob Pediatr 1995 ;  25 : 155-162  [cross-ref]

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