Two studies were conducted to identify individual characteristics that predict behavioral responses to violence prevention interventions. These studies used embodied conversational agents (ECAs) to create hypothetical social situations (called virtual vignettes) to assess interpersonal competency skills. One study was of male inner-city African–American adolescents, and the second was of male prisoners in a state correctional system. In pre- and post-intervention sessions, participants interacted with an ECA that tried to entice them into making risky decisions. The virtual vignette sessions tested participants' negotiation and conflict resolution skills. Results showed differing tendencies for participants to be engaged by the virtual vignettes. The vignettes were sufficiently realistic to elicit differences in behavior among the adolescents, but generally not for the prisoners. Prior acceptance, accessibility, and usability data suggest that most users readily accept ECAs as valid conversational partners. The evidence presented here suggests that the technology – or the setting in which the technology is used – is not by itself sufficient to actively engage users. The usefulness of virtual vignettes to adequately predict future behavior may be at least partially influenced by participant characteristics.

Exposure to chronic or severe acute stressors throughout the lifespan has been linked with numerous negative behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and physical consequences. Adolescence is considered to be a particularly vulnerable period given that the brain is experiencing dramatic developmental change during this time. The present study examined a sample of adolescents (N=125) considered to be at high risk for stress exposures and drug use by virtue of their environment and low income levels to identify possible neurocognitive (i.e., impulsivity, delay of gratification, emotional perception, and risky decision-making) and social competency mechanisms that may mediate this relationship. Using Mplus, a mediational model was tested using full information maximum likelihood estimates. Risky decision-making and poor social competency skills were related to previous stressful experiences; however, only social competencies mediated the effect of stressors on reports of past year marijuana, alcohol, and polydrug use. As such, stress appears to exert its negative impact through alterations in abilities to generate and execute prosocial decisions and behaviors. Interventions that directly address the effects of stress on social competencies may be especially important for children who have experienced adversity including those exposed to parental divorce, parental psychopathology, neglect or abuse, parental death, and poverty.