Adolescent Dating Violence Prevention Programs Research Articles

Web-Based Delivery of a Family-Based Dating Violence Prevention Program for Youth Who Have Been Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: Protocol for an Acceptability and Feasibility Study.

BackgroundChildren exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) between caregivers are at an increased risk of becoming involved in dating violence during adolescence. However, to date, few adolescent dating violence (ADV) prevention programs have been developed for and evaluated with youth exposed to IPV. An exception is Moms and Teens for Safe Dates (MTSD), an evidence-based ADV prevention program for mothers or maternal caregivers (mothers) exposed to IPV and their teenagers. The MTSD program comprises a series of booklets that families complete together in a home that includes activities to promote positive family communication and healthy teenager relationships. We developed a web-adapted version of the MTSD program—entitled eMoms and Teens for Safe Dates (eMTSD)—to provide a delivery format that may increase program appeal for digitally oriented teenagers, lower dissemination costs, lower reading burden for low-literacy participants, and incorporate built-in cues and reminders to boost program adherence.ObjectiveThis protocol is for a research study that has the following three main objectives: to assess the acceptability of eMTSD; to identify the feasibility of the research process, including program adherence and participant recruitment and assessment; and to explore the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of 2 features—text reminders and the creation of an action plan for engaging with the program—that may increase program uptake and completion.MethodsApproximately 100 mothers and their teenagers will be invited to complete eMTSD, which includes six 30-minute web-based modules over a 6-week period. Mothers will be recruited through community organizations and social media advertising and will be eligible to participate if they have at least 1 teenager aged 12 to 16 years living with them, have experienced IPV after the teenager was born, are not currently living with an abusive partner, and have access to an internet-enabled device. Using a factorial design, enrolled dyads will be randomized to the following four adherence support groups (n=25 dyads per group): text reminders and action planning, text reminders only, action planning only, and no adherence supports. All participants will complete brief web-based assessments at enrollment after each module is completed, after the full program is completed, and 90 days after enrollment. Program adherence will be tracked using website use metrics.ResultsThe data collected will be synthesized to assess the acceptability of the program and the feasibility of the study procedures. An exploratory analysis will examine the impact of adherence support on program completion levels. In November 2021, ethical approval was received and recruitment was initiated. Data collection is expected to continue until December 2022.ConclusionsThe web-based delivery of a family-based healthy relationship program for teenagers exposed to IPV may offer a convenient, low-cost, and engaging approach to preventing ADV. The findings from this study are expected to guide future research.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/35487

The National Prevalence of Adolescent Dating Violence in Canada

PurposeThe national prevalence of adolescent dating violence (ADV) in Canada is currently unknown. This study presents the first nationally representative Canadian data on prevalence and correlates of ADV victimization and perpetration. MethodsThis study analyzed data from the 2017/2018 Health-Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) dataset. Youth from all 10 provinces and two territories participated. The analysis sample includes 3,711 participants (mean age = 15.35) in grades 9 and 10 who reported dating experience in the past 12 months. Youth were asked to report on physical, psychological and cyber ADV victimization and perpetration. To explore correlates of ADV, we included grade in school; gender (male, female or non-binary); race/ethnicity; family structure; immigration status; family affluence; food insecurity; and body mass index. ResultsWe found that over one in three Canadian youth who had dated experienced and/or used ADV in the past 12 months. Specifically, past 12-month ADV victimization prevalence was 11.8% (95% CI: 10.4, 13.0) for physical aggression; 27.8% (25.8, 30.0) for psychological aggression; and 17.5% (15.8, 19.0) for cyber aggression, while perpetration prevalence was 7.3% (6.2, 9.0) for physical aggression; 9.3% (8.0, 11.0) for psychological aggression; and 7.8% (6.7, 9.0) for cyber aggression. Both victimization and perpetration were highest among non-binary youth (as compared to cisgender males and females). Overall, use and experience of ADV was greatest among youth experiencing social marginalization (e.g., poverty). ConclusionsADV impacts a substantial minority of Canadian youth, and is a serious health problem. ADV prevention programs that focus on root causes of violence (e.g., poverty) are needed.

Cyber Dating Violence Prevention Programs in Universal Populations: A Systematic Review.

Although the technological revolution of recent decades has produced undeniable advances, it has also generated problems derived from new forms of human communication, especially among the younger population. This is the case with cyber dating violence, a problem that affects between 12% and 56% of young couples, making the need for preventive intervention patently evident. This study attempts to fill a gap in the literature in this field, carrying out a systematic review of universal cyber dating violence prevention programs, analyzing their characteristics and the evidence provided of their effectiveness. Following the PRISMA method, only 3 programs met the inclusion criteria: the DARSI program, the Dat-e Adolescence program and the Brief Incremental Theory of Personality (ITP) adolescent dating violence prevention program. All were reported to be effective, based on different indicators. Given the small body of work published to date and the limitations of the aforementioned programs, future research should aim to design and validate a greater number of programs that serve as tools for addressing this problem in a timely manner, in order to avoid not only the serious consequences it has for victims, but also its escalation towards adulthood.

Adolescent Dating Violence Prevention Program for Early Adolescents: The Me & You Randomized Controlled Trial, 2014-2015.

Objectives. To test the efficacy of Me & You, a multilevel technology-enhanced adolescent dating violence (DV) intervention, in reducing DV perpetration and victimization among ethnic-minority early adolescent youths. We assessed secondary impact for specific DV types and psychosocial outcomes.Methods. We conducted a group-randomized controlled trial of 10 middle schools from a large urban school district in Southeast Texas in 2014 to 2015. We used multilevel regression modeling; the final analytic sample comprised 709 sixth-grade students followed for 1 year.Results. Among the total sample, odds of DV perpetration were lower among intervention students than among control students (adjusted odds ratio = 0.46; 95% confidence interval = 0.28, 0.74). Odds of DV victimization were not significantly different. There were significant effects on some specific DV types.Conclusions. Me & You is effective in reducing DV perpetration and decreasing some forms of DV victimization in early middle-school ethnic-minority students.

The Family Context and Adolescent Dating Violence: A Latent Class Analysis of Family Relationships and Parenting Behaviors.

Adolescent dating violence is a persistent public health concern, impacting many youths during their initial and formative relationships during middle school. Despite theoretical and empirical studies highlighting the essential role of family relationship dynamics and parenting practices in relation to youth violence, substantially less research has focused on associations between these factors and rates of adolescent dating violence. The current study examined aspects of the family context in relation to dating violence outcomes among a racially and ethnically diverse sample of middle school students from economically disadvantaged communities, a group of adolescents at a high risk for exposure to risk factors for dating violence. Participants included 495 adolescents (66% male; 63% African American). Data were collected at the beginning of sixth grade and three subsequent spring waves through eighth grade. The current study identified patterns of family factors using a latent class analysis and examined these classes in relation to dating violence and dating violence norms. Three classes emerged: a positive family context with mixed messages about parental support for fighting and nonviolence (42%), an average family context with consistent parental support for nonviolent responses to conflict (24%), and a poor family context with parental support for fighting (34%). The classes with average and positive family contexts showed the lowest levels of dating violence and dating violence norms. These findings support the development and integration of family context factors into adolescent dating violence prevention programs, especially within high-burden contexts where families may be more likely to endorse mixed messages about how to handle conflict and youth may be at a higher risk for dating violence outcomes.

A Qualitative Exploration of Rural African American Youth Perceptions about the Effect of Dating Violence on Sexual Health

Adolescent dating violence (ADV) remains a significant concern, particularly among rural African Americans. Few studies have explored adolescents’ perceptions about the link between ADV and sexual health and none have targeted this population. Employing qualitative methods based in Community-Based Participatory Research and theory, this study explored rural African American adolescents’ knowledge, perceptions and beliefs about the impact of ADV on sexual health. Secondary data analysis of 20 semi-structured individual interviews, conducted with older adolescents (aged 18–21), revealed participants understood the link between ADV and sexual health consequences, specifically as it related to STI and HIV prevention, condom use, and refusal of sex; and the negative impact refusing sex, communicating about HIV and other STI prevention, and negotiating condom use can have on ADV. This included: (a) negative relationship outcomes, including ADV and fear; and (b) factors that impact one’s ability to refuse sex, communicate about HIV and STI prevention, and negotiate condom use. Findings underscore the need for comprehensive ADV prevention programs for rural African Americans.

Implementing Dating Violence Prevention Programs with Flexibility, Fidelity, and Sensitivity to Diversity: Lessons Learned from Expect Respect

Communities increasingly are recognizing that intimate partner violence is a significant risk to the mental and physical health of adolescents. In response to this concern, a number of manualized adolescent dating violence prevention programs have been developed and disseminated. Although many of these programs have received empirical support, reviews of the dating violence prevention literature reveal a number of shortcomings of these efforts, particularly an absence of attention to issues of diversity. We discuss how the effectiveness of dating violence prevention programs can be enhanced by increasing their attention to issues of diversity among participants, including the dimensions of ethnicity, gender, social class, culture, developmental level, and the unique needs of at-risk youth. Using examples from our own experience in implementing the Expect Respect program, we propose practical strategies to increase the flexibility, creativity, and adaptability of dating violence prevention efforts.

Relational Dynamics Associated with Adolescent Dating Violence: The Roles of Rejection Sensitivity and Relational Insecurity

The significant rates of dating violence among adolescents have prompted investigations into underlying relational processes that might increase the risk for perpetration and victimization. Two relational constructs that have potential significance for predicting adolescent dating violence are rejection sensitivity and relational insecurity. This study investigated the relationships among relational insecurity, rejection sensitivity, and dating violence perpetration and victimization in a sample of 176 adolescents. Results indicated that relational insecurity fully mediated the relationship between rejection sensitivity and dating violence perpetration, and that relational insecurity was directly related to dating violence victimization. Results suggest that adolescent dating violence prevention programs might need to address victimization and perpetration in different ways.

Assessing the Effects of the Dating Violence Prevention Program “Safe Dates” Using Random CoefficientRegression Modeling

The Safe Dates Project is a randomized trial for evaluating a school-based adolescent dating violence prevention program. Five waves of data were used to examine the effects of Safe Dates over time including primary and secondary prevention effects, moderators, and mediators of program effects. Using random coefficients models, with multiple imputation of missing data, significant program effects were found at all four follow-up periods on psychological, moderate physical, and sexual dating violence perpetration and moderate physical dating violence victimization. Marginal effects were found on sexual victimization. Effects on severe physical perpetration at all four follow-up periods were moderated by prior involvement in that type of violence. Primary and secondary prevention effects were found and the program was equally effective for males and females and for whites and non-whites. Program effects were mediated by changes in dating violence norms, gender-role norms, and awareness of community services.

A school based programme reduced dating violence in adolescents

Foshee Va, Bauman Ke, Arriaga Xb , Et AL. An evaluation of Safe Dates, an adolescent dating violence prevention program. Am J Public Health1998 Jan; 88 : 45 –50. [OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web...

An evaluation of Safe Dates, an adolescent dating violence prevention program.

An evaluation of Safe Dates, an adolescent dating violence prevention program.

Gender differences in adolescent dating abuse prevalence, types and injuries

Studies of adults report inconsistent findings as to whether males or females are more likely to use violent behaviors toward their partner. Although partner violence frequently begins during adolescence, few dating violence studies involve adolescents and even fewer report findings by gender. This study examines gender differences in adolescent dating violence. Data are from self-administered questionnaires completed by 81% of the adolescents in the eighth and ninth grades in a primarily rural school district in North Carolina. The significant findings are that (1) females perpetrate more mild, moderate and severe violence than males towards partners even when controlling for violence perpetrated in self-defense; (2) females perpetrate more violence than males out of self-defense; (3) males perpetrate more sexual dating violence than females; (4) males and females sustain equal amounts of mild, moderate and severe dating violence; (5) females sustain more sexual dating violence than males; (6) females sustain more psychological abuse than males from their partners; and (7) females receive more injuries than males from dating violence. These findings suggest that adolescent dating violence prevention programs are warranted and that unlike most dating violence prevention programs, both males and females should be exposed to activities related to victimization and perpetration. Language: en