Garret D. Evans

Examining a stress-coping model of burnout and depression in extension agents.

Occupational stressors, coping strategies, and burnout and depression were examined in extension agents. Results indicated that a significant proportion of extension agents (range = 9.8%-51%) reported burnout symptoms above established cut-off scores for the burnout subscales, but fewer than 3% of the sample reported significant symptoms on all 3 dimensions of burnout. Depressive symptoms based on established cut-off scores were noted in approximately 26% of the sample. Stepwise multiple regression indicated that extension agents who used an emotion-oriented coping strategy were more likely to (a) display high levels of depression, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization and (b) exhibit low levels of personal accomplishment. Furthermore, task-oriented coping strategies were found to be negatively associated with the 3 dimensions of burnout. Implications for interventional programming to reduce the symptoms of burnout are discussed.

Academic–community collaboration: An ecology for early childhood violence prevention

The growing supportive evidence for multi-faceted approaches to violence prevention certainly demand that multi-agency collaborations will continue to proliferate as communities engage in early childhood prevention strategies. These collaborations often include partnerships between members of academia and community agencies that often produce unique challenges and benefits related to diverse experiences, skills, agendas, and practical constraints. This article describes the Jacksonville First and Best Teacher Initiative, an example of one such collaborative model for violence prevention, to illustrate many of the principles of effective academic-community collaborations and lessons learned in addressing the specific challenges of such programs.

Violence Prevention, Early Childhood

Despite a consistent, downward trend in juvenile violent crime in the late 1990s, violence continues to be a primary public health problem for our nation’s youth, with estimates of a 22 percent increase in violence arrests for youth ages 10–17 by the year 2010 (Snyder, Sickmund, & Bilchik, 1999). While these trends are generally evident across the nation, children living in impoverished communities continue to be at greatest risk. These factors coupled with the effects of violence on society in general point to a need for effective, early preventive interventions.