Evaluation of the P2P Challenging Extremism Initiative, Massachusetts and Utah, 2016-2019

This project convened experts and practitioners in the areas of program evaluation, radicalization to violent extremism, and social media analytics in order to generate and integrate scientifically derived knowledge into strategies for effective prevention and intervention against domestic radicalization and violent extremism in the United States. More specifically, we generated substantive evaluation data, which can be used by practitioners and policy makers to enhance the creation and dissemination of effective counter-narratives for reducing the threat of ideologically-motivated violence in the US. We used a mixed-methods approach to evaluate an existing nationwide initiative, Peer-to-Peer (P2P): Challenging Extremism, which aims at engaging youth in countering violent extremism in schools and online arenas. The project had four specific objectives: 1) Evaluate the content and dissemination of the P2P Initiative social media products, 2) evaluate the impact of the P2P Initiative on youth engaged in its development, 3) evaluate the impact of youth exposure to the P2P educational activities, and 4) assess the drivers of success and barriers in the implementation of the initiative. To complete these objectives, the following research phases were conducted: <strong>A secondary review</strong> of 150 P2P social media products created between fall 2015 and spring 2017, including data on end-users interactivity. <strong>Phone and in-person group interviews</strong> with faculty and students engaged in the P2P Initiative. <strong>A prospective cohort study</strong> evaluating the impact of the Kombat with Kindness (KWK) campaign on Utah secondary school students, using a pre-post intervention design. <strong>A randomized control study</strong> evaluating the impact of the Operation 250 (OP250) on Massachusetts secondary school students, using a pre-post intervention design. <strong>Phone interviews</strong> with faculty who implemented the P2P Initiative.

本项目召集了项目评估（program evaluation）、暴力极端主义激进化以及社交媒体分析领域的专家与从业者，旨在生成并整合科学衍生的知识，将其融入有效预防和干预美国国内极端主义激进化与暴力极端主义的策略之中。更具体而言，本项目生成了实质性评估数据集，可供从业者与政策制定者优化创作与传播有效反叙事，以降低美国境内意识形态驱动型暴力的威胁。本研究采用混合研究方法，对现有全国性项目**同伴互助对抗极端主义（Peer-to-Peer (P2P): Challenging Extremism）**进行评估，该项目旨在推动青少年参与学校及网络空间中的反暴力极端主义行动。本项目设有四项具体研究目标：1）评估P2P项目社交媒体产品的内容与传播情况；2）评估P2P项目对参与其开发的青少年群体的影响；3）评估青少年接触P2P教育活动所产生的影响；4）研判该项目实施过程中的成功驱动因素与阻碍因素。为完成上述目标，本项目开展了以下研究阶段：<strong>二次评审</strong>——对2015年秋季至2017年春季期间制作的150份P2P社交媒体产品进行分析，涵盖终端用户互动相关数据；<strong>电话与线下团体访谈</strong>——对参与P2P项目的教职员工与学生开展访谈；<strong>前瞻性队列研究</strong>——采用干预前后研究设计，评估**善举对抗（Kombat with Kindness (KWK)）**活动对犹他州中学生的影响；<strong>随机对照研究</strong>——采用干预前后研究设计，评估**250行动（Operation 250 (OP250)）**对马萨诸塞州中学生的影响；<strong>电话访谈</strong>——对实施P2P项目的教职员工开展访谈。