Responding in Peaceful Positive Ways (RiPP)

What is the program? 

(RiPP) is a school-based violence prevention program designed to provide students ages 10–14 with conflict resolution strategies and skills. Using a variety of lessons and activities, students learn about the physical and mental development that occurs during adolescence, how to analyze the consequences of personal choices on health and well-being, learn that they have nonviolent options when conflicts arise, and experience the benefits of being a positive family and community role model. 

Who is the program for? 

RiPP is designed for students at the intermediate/middle school level (grades 5-8). 

What outcomes does the program produce? 

• Improve student to student and student to adult relationships throughout campus 
• Improve student connectedness to campus 
• Improve students’ personal management strategies to personal health and well-being issues 
• Decrease rates of substance abuse and violence 

What is the evidence? 

Farrell, A. D., Valois, R. F., Meyer, A. L., & Tidwell, R. P. (2003). Impact of the RIPP Violence Prevention Program on Rural Middle School Students. Journal of Primary Prevention, 24(2), 143–167. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025992328395 

The purpose of this research was to show the effectiveness of RiPP on students at rural campuses. The study compared discipline and behavior outcomes of students at 5 middle schools who implemented RiPP universally on their campus to middle schools in the same area that did not implement RiPP. The results showed that students who attended schools implementing RiPP had less instances of violent behavior and more favorable attitudes towards non-violence. The results also showed that RiPP could be replicated in a rural setting as well as an urban setting. 

Farrell, A., Meyer, A., & White, K. (2002). Evaluation of Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP): A School-Based Prevention Program for Reducing Violence Among Urban Adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 451–463. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15374424JCCP3004_02 

This study evaluates the effectiveness of RiPP in a 7th grade class at an urban campus. All students in the study received the RiPP curriculum in 6th grade then for the purpose of the study the class was divided into 2 groups. One group received the 7th grade RiPP program while the other did not (control group). The students who received the 7th grade RiPP curriculum had lower total numbers of discipline rates, code of conduct violations, and violent behavior.  

How is the program implemented? 

Implementation is intended to occur universally throughout a campus. The program is designed for each grade level to take part in 16 sessions total at 50 minutes each. Some campuses have implemented RiPP by having 25 sessions in 6th grade and 12 sessions in both 7th and 8th grade. In addition, the skills gained from implementing the RiPP program are encouraged to be “lived out every day”. It is critical to implement RiPP alongside a peer mediation program to optimize effectiveness. The program uses a train the trainer model to prepare facilitators to implement the curriculum throughout the campus.  

Who can implement the program? 

Any teacher, administrator, staff, or community member can implement the practice using the classroom curriculum provided.  

What are the costs and commitments associated with becoming trained in this program? 

Please contact the program for the most recent costs and commitments, as these may change. 

Most cost are associated during initial program startup due to purchase of instructional material. The text Promoting Nonviolence in Early Adolescence: Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways by A. Meyer, A. Farral, W. Northrup, E. Kung, and L. Plybun is the foundational training document for facilitators to develop the RiPP program on their campus. The book ranges between $20 and $70 per copy.  

What resources are useful for understanding or implementing the program? 

• Find more information for RiPP here: https://pg.casel.org/responding-in-peaceful-and-positive-ways/
• Office of Justice Programs RiPP description: https://nationalgangcenter.ojp.gov/spt/Programs/106

Rating: Promising

Secondary components: Positive youth development; Positive behavior interventions and supports; Grief informed and trauma informed practices