This program is for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, parents, teachers, and school/agency staff.

Peaceful Alternatives to Tough Situations (PATTS), a school- or community-based program, is designed to equip participants with skills to help them manage and reduce their aggression, take personal responsibility for their choices and behaviors, learn nonviolent conflict resolution skills, and practice forgiveness.

One evaluation conducted by the program developer showed evidence of positive change in the intervention group from pretest to posttest. There were decreases in self-reported vengefulness, psychological aggression, and physical assault; decreased quantity of school-reported suspensions; and decreased recidivism rates at 6-months post-intervention. Despite this, when compared to a control group, evidence of some positive change was mixed. There was no difference between control and intervention groups in self-reported use of negotiation at posttest. Finally, pretest equivalence of control and intervention groups was not evaluated. Results from an uncontrolled study in which PATTS was implemented as an afterschool program and delivered by student teachers indicated no significant differences from pretest to posttest in physical or psychological aggression. As a result, the program's effectiveness is difficult to evaluate and is unclear.

The PATTS program intends to foster the development of a variety of positive social and conflict-resolution skills. The program is implemented through group discussion, brainstorming sessions, role-playing, confidence-building activities, games, and skills review. Age-specific curricula are offered and include the following:

• K-2 – Learn caring and responsible behavior, discover calming techniques, learn positive social skills to help resolve conflict using non-violent strategies and understand how to work together, express emotions, and accept responsibility for actions;
• 3-5 – Learn about the negative consequences of trauma in one’s life and how to heal from adverse childhood events; learn non-violent conflict resolution, peer refusal skills, and anger management skills; and understand how to express emotions, seek support, take responsibility for choices and actions, and be more forgiving in situations involving conflict; and
• Middle/High school – This curriculum is similar to the 3-5 curriculum, but it has an added component that encourages participants to examine their futures and how their current choices can impact their life goals.

The curriculum for 3-5 and middle/high school can be delivered in an individual or group format. A parent night is offered to teach parents the new conflict-resolution skills that youth have learned.

The PATTS program was created in 1993 and has been implemented across the United States and in Canada in a variety of rural and urban settings that include the following: after-school programs, alternative programs, public and private schools, treatment centers, detentions, community mental health programs, and in the juvenile justice system.

PATTS should be delivered by teachers, guidance counselors, and graduate or undergraduate mental health counselors. Please contact Ann Marie Long using details in the Contact section for more information on training.

Considerations for implementing this program include acquiring parents, teachers, and school administration or agency buy-in; recruiting facilitators (if not classroom teachers); and incorporating lessons into an existing curriculum.

The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

If you are interested in implementing PATTS, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

The K-2 and 3-5 programs consist of 9-weekly, 45-minute sessions. The middle/high school programs consist of 10-weekly, 45-minute sessions.

Information on implementation costs was not located. Please use details in the Contact section to learn more.

To move the PATTS program to the Promising category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence, at least two evaluations with strong study designs should be performed demonstrating positive effects lasting at least six months from program completion.

The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu

You may also contact the Center for Child & Family Services by mail 2021 Cunningham Drive, Suite 400, Hampton, VA 23666 or phone 1-757-838-1960 or contact Ann Marie Long by phone 1-757-690-4782 or email amlong@kidsandfamilies.com or visit https://www.patts.info/

http://www.patts.info/