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Authors: Vasiliki (Vicky) Yotsidi (Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY)), Charis Asimopoulos (University of West Attica, Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY)), Stelios Stylianidis (Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY)), Alexandros Kalavris (Association for Regional Development and Mental Health), Valeria Linardou (Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY)), Charalampos Papagiannopoulos (Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY)), Melina Tsiodra (Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY)), Victoria Katsiamaki (Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY)), Anastasia Veneti (Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY)), Dimitris Galanis (Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY))
Background: Given that juvenile delinquency is a multifaceted mental health issue, community-based selective prevention interventions for youth at risk should take place in a continuum so that individual, family, school, and social risk factors are simultaneously addressed. This study includes the development and design of a pilot program of psychosocial intervention for the prevention of youth violence and delinquency, entitled “It’s Up to You(th)”, which is implemented by the Association for Regional Development and Mental Health (EPAPSY) in four municipalities in Northern Athens (Greece) funded by the Ministry of Health.
Methods: This is an evidence-based prevention program that draws on the needs assessment study conducted in four distinct municipalities where the program is implemented. Eighteen focus groups with adolescents and young people, parents, teachers, as well as stakeholders and key persons of the local community, were conducted. In total, 163 participants were interviewed according to an original interview guide focusing on both the risk and protective factors of youth delinquency.
Results: Thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews revealed six main themes and 24 categories with regard to risk factors, including the normalization of violence, the propaganda of violence, the shifting of blame for violence, the “double bind” of violence, the “void” of violence, and the “burden” of violence. The risk and protective factors resulting from the thematic analysis of the qualitative data are also presented comparatively with respect to the different groups and regions participating in the study.
Discussion: Based on the user participation approach, the findings are incorporated into the broader design and content of the pilot prevention and psychosocial care intervention run in the four municipalities of Athens, while they also shed light on the importance of embracing different community agents and local groups in the co-construction of a long-term selective prevention strategy.
| Conflict of interest | The program is funded by the Greek Ministry of Health. |
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