Translating research to practice: aligning the "three streams" of policymaking to address bullying and youth violence among youth in Hawaiʻi

Abstract

Youth violence remains a major public health issue in the United States. Bullying is one form of youth violence, and one that can result in physical injury, social and emotional distress, and even death. Research has supported the use of a social ecological approach to address the complex and multi-faceted nature of youth violence and bullying. This includes policies at the legislative, regulatory, and organizational levels. Unfortunately, a gap still remains between the data emerging from scientific and empirical studies and the policymaking process. This three-part dissertation aims to examine how research and evidence can be better connected to practice, specifically policy. Kingdon's "three streams" concept, and landmark work on agenda setting and policy formation, serves as the foundation for the conceptual framework of this dissertation. The first study employed quantitative methods to determine the scope and risk-protective factors of bullying and youth violence among high school youth in Hawaiʻi, by analyzing Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. The second study summarized and synthesized recommendations from empirical evaluations of bullying and youth violence policies, using the scientific literature. The third study used a qualitative methodology (key informant interviews) to examine factors that influence the process of translating public health evidence to policymaking, and contrasted the perspectives of organizational professionals with legislators in Hawaiʻi. Ultimately, this dissertation research hopes to provide a deeper understanding of the issue of youth violence and bullying, and how that information can be used to strengthen prevention policies.