Journal of Adolescent Health 56 (2015) S1eS2
www.jahonline.org Editorial
Interventions to Prevent and Reduce Teen Dating Violence
This supplement is devoted to interventions to prevent and reduce teen dating violence (TDV). TDV is a serious public health problem that is garnering growing attention by researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. Nationally representative data from the Centers for Disease Control’s 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System provide ample evidence for these concerns. Among the roughly three in four students who dated in the previous 12 months, more than 10% reported being “hit, slammed into something, or injured with an object or weapon on purpose” [1]. Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health portray the adverse health effects of TDV over time [2]. In comparison to nonvictims, female participants who experienced TDV victimization during adolescence reported greater episodic drinking and depression 5 years later, whereas male participants reported greater antisocial behaviors and marijuana use. Such data underscore the need for effective interventions, particularly as growing numbers of communities put in place efforts to prevent and reduce TDV. To date, the greatest attention has focused on development and evaluation of school-based interventions. Two evidence-based curricula that have undergone rigorous evaluation with students eighth grade and older include Safe Dates [3] and the Fourth R [4]. However, less is known about interventions for younger adolescents when early romantic relationships may first emerge. In addition, little is known about interventions that extend beyond classroom-based curricula. Another gap is the lack of targeted interventions for high-risk students who may experience multiple risk factors (e.g., child maltreatment, exposure to violence). This supplement represents a collection of articles to help move the field forward in terms of its understanding of TDV in middle school and intervening with high-risk samples. The supplement begins with the first published data from the Centers for Disease Control’s TDV prevention initiativedDating matters: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships [5]dthat focuses on 11- to 14-year-old students in high-risk, urban communities. The article outlines the lifetime prevalence of TDV perpetration and highlights risk factors that are related to perpetration [6]. The study is unique in its broad assessment of six forms of TDV: Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Disclaimer: Publication of this article was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The opinions or views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the funders.
threatening behaviors, verbal/emotional abuse, relational abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and stalking. The next three articles report on results from TDV interventions that target middle school students. One of these interventionsd Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships (Start Strong)dis a multicomponent initiative that focused on middle school students. This evaluation is one of few studies in the literature to evaluate effects over a 2-year period. Results indicate short-term effects on parentechild communication and boy/girlfriend relationships and long-term effects on key attitudes related to TDV [7]. The next article reports on Shifting Boundaries, a universal primary prevention program that included a classroom-based curriculum and a school-level intervention [8]. This article explores whether the intervention had differential effects for certain subgroups of students. Results show similar, positive effects for both genders and as a function of whether the student had a history of dating violence or sexual harassment. The next article also reports on Start Strong and its effects on profiles of TDV and related behaviors of bullying and sexual harassment through the application of latent transition analysis [9]. The results suggest positive impacts, particularly for students with behavioral profiles represented by very high or very low levels of TDV, bullying, and sexual harassment. This study highlights the use of person-oriented analysis that takes into account interrelated behavioral patterns. The next two articles are unique in their study of high-risk samples of adolescents. The first article includes a sample of girls in the child welfare system and compares effects of two theoretically distinct interventions [10]. One intervention was based on social learning and feminist theories, and the other in risk detection and executive function perspectives. Both interventions showed effects relative to a comparison condition. The next article is unique, not only for its focus on a high-risk sample but for its indepth, qualitative analysis. The group-based interventiondExpect Respectdtargeted middle and high school students who have been exposed to violence in their relationships. The article examines facilitators’ experience of program implementation through semistructured interviews [11]. The results provide rich data regarding factors that can enhance and challenge program implementation. Taken as a whole, these articles add to the literature in several ways. The articles report on interventions that extend beyond school-based classroom curricula that dominate the literature. The studies also report on racially and ethnically diverse samples, which further add to the knowledge base. A number of the studies also highlight prevention of TDV during early
1054-139X/Ó 2015 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.11.013
S2
Editorial / Journal of Adolescent Health 56 (2015) S1eS2
adolescence. The studies represent cutting-edge research on a diverse array of intervention strategies. This supplement can help move the field forward and guide future efforts to prevent and reduce TDV and minimize negative consequences. Laura C. Leviton, Ph.D. Denise Herrera, Ph.D. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Princeton, New Jersey Shari Miller, Ph.D. RTI International Research Triangle Park North Carolina
References [1] Kann L, Kinchen S, Shanklin SL, et al. Youth risk behavior surveillanced United States, 2013. Morbidity mortality weekly Rep Surveill Summ 2014; 63(Suppl 4):1e168. [2] Exner-Cortens D, Eckenrode J, Rothman E. Longitudinal associations between teen dating violence victimization and adverse health outcomes. Pediatrics 2013;131:71e8.
[3] Foshee VA, Bauman KE, Ennett ST, et al. Assessing the effects of the dating violence prevention program “safe dates” using random coefficient regression modeling. Prev Sci 2005;6:245e58. [4] Wolfe DA, Crooks CV, Jaffe PG, et al. A universal school-based program to prevent adolescent dating violence: A cluster randomized trial. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2009;163:693e9. [5] Tharp AT, Burton T, Freire K, et al. Dating matters: Strategies to promote healthy teen relationships. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2011 Dec;20: 1761e5. [6] Niolon P, Tharp A, Latzman N, et al. Prevalence of TDV and co-occurring risk factors among middle school youth in high risk urban communities: Underscoring the need for comprehensive prevention. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S5e13. [7] Miller S, Williams J, Cutbush S, et al. Evaluation of the Start Strong initiative: preventing teen dating violence and promoting healthy relationships among middle school students. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2): S14e9. [8] Taylor BG, Mumford EA, Stein N. Effectiveness of ‘Shifting Boundaries’ teen dating violence prevention program for subgroups of middle school students. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S20e6. [9] Williams H, Miller S, Cutbush S, et al. A latent transition model of the effects of a teen dating violence prevention initiative. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S26e32. [10] DePrince AP, Chu AT, Labus J, et al. Testing two approaches to revictimization prevention among adolescent girls in the child welfare system. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S33e9. [11] Ball B, Holland KM, Marshall KJ, et al. Implementing a targeted teen dating abuse prevention program: challenges and successes experienced by expect respect facilitators. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S40e6.
www.jahonline.org Editorial
Interventions to Prevent and Reduce Teen Dating Violence
This supplement is devoted to interventions to prevent and reduce teen dating violence (TDV). TDV is a serious public health problem that is garnering growing attention by researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. Nationally representative data from the Centers for Disease Control’s 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System provide ample evidence for these concerns. Among the roughly three in four students who dated in the previous 12 months, more than 10% reported being “hit, slammed into something, or injured with an object or weapon on purpose” [1]. Findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health portray the adverse health effects of TDV over time [2]. In comparison to nonvictims, female participants who experienced TDV victimization during adolescence reported greater episodic drinking and depression 5 years later, whereas male participants reported greater antisocial behaviors and marijuana use. Such data underscore the need for effective interventions, particularly as growing numbers of communities put in place efforts to prevent and reduce TDV. To date, the greatest attention has focused on development and evaluation of school-based interventions. Two evidence-based curricula that have undergone rigorous evaluation with students eighth grade and older include Safe Dates [3] and the Fourth R [4]. However, less is known about interventions for younger adolescents when early romantic relationships may first emerge. In addition, little is known about interventions that extend beyond classroom-based curricula. Another gap is the lack of targeted interventions for high-risk students who may experience multiple risk factors (e.g., child maltreatment, exposure to violence). This supplement represents a collection of articles to help move the field forward in terms of its understanding of TDV in middle school and intervening with high-risk samples. The supplement begins with the first published data from the Centers for Disease Control’s TDV prevention initiativedDating matters: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships [5]dthat focuses on 11- to 14-year-old students in high-risk, urban communities. The article outlines the lifetime prevalence of TDV perpetration and highlights risk factors that are related to perpetration [6]. The study is unique in its broad assessment of six forms of TDV: Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Disclaimer: Publication of this article was supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The opinions or views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the funders.
threatening behaviors, verbal/emotional abuse, relational abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and stalking. The next three articles report on results from TDV interventions that target middle school students. One of these interventionsd Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships (Start Strong)dis a multicomponent initiative that focused on middle school students. This evaluation is one of few studies in the literature to evaluate effects over a 2-year period. Results indicate short-term effects on parentechild communication and boy/girlfriend relationships and long-term effects on key attitudes related to TDV [7]. The next article reports on Shifting Boundaries, a universal primary prevention program that included a classroom-based curriculum and a school-level intervention [8]. This article explores whether the intervention had differential effects for certain subgroups of students. Results show similar, positive effects for both genders and as a function of whether the student had a history of dating violence or sexual harassment. The next article also reports on Start Strong and its effects on profiles of TDV and related behaviors of bullying and sexual harassment through the application of latent transition analysis [9]. The results suggest positive impacts, particularly for students with behavioral profiles represented by very high or very low levels of TDV, bullying, and sexual harassment. This study highlights the use of person-oriented analysis that takes into account interrelated behavioral patterns. The next two articles are unique in their study of high-risk samples of adolescents. The first article includes a sample of girls in the child welfare system and compares effects of two theoretically distinct interventions [10]. One intervention was based on social learning and feminist theories, and the other in risk detection and executive function perspectives. Both interventions showed effects relative to a comparison condition. The next article is unique, not only for its focus on a high-risk sample but for its indepth, qualitative analysis. The group-based interventiondExpect Respectdtargeted middle and high school students who have been exposed to violence in their relationships. The article examines facilitators’ experience of program implementation through semistructured interviews [11]. The results provide rich data regarding factors that can enhance and challenge program implementation. Taken as a whole, these articles add to the literature in several ways. The articles report on interventions that extend beyond school-based classroom curricula that dominate the literature. The studies also report on racially and ethnically diverse samples, which further add to the knowledge base. A number of the studies also highlight prevention of TDV during early
1054-139X/Ó 2015 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.11.013
S2
Editorial / Journal of Adolescent Health 56 (2015) S1eS2
adolescence. The studies represent cutting-edge research on a diverse array of intervention strategies. This supplement can help move the field forward and guide future efforts to prevent and reduce TDV and minimize negative consequences. Laura C. Leviton, Ph.D. Denise Herrera, Ph.D. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Princeton, New Jersey Shari Miller, Ph.D. RTI International Research Triangle Park North Carolina
References [1] Kann L, Kinchen S, Shanklin SL, et al. Youth risk behavior surveillanced United States, 2013. Morbidity mortality weekly Rep Surveill Summ 2014; 63(Suppl 4):1e168. [2] Exner-Cortens D, Eckenrode J, Rothman E. Longitudinal associations between teen dating violence victimization and adverse health outcomes. Pediatrics 2013;131:71e8.
[3] Foshee VA, Bauman KE, Ennett ST, et al. Assessing the effects of the dating violence prevention program “safe dates” using random coefficient regression modeling. Prev Sci 2005;6:245e58. [4] Wolfe DA, Crooks CV, Jaffe PG, et al. A universal school-based program to prevent adolescent dating violence: A cluster randomized trial. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2009;163:693e9. [5] Tharp AT, Burton T, Freire K, et al. Dating matters: Strategies to promote healthy teen relationships. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2011 Dec;20: 1761e5. [6] Niolon P, Tharp A, Latzman N, et al. Prevalence of TDV and co-occurring risk factors among middle school youth in high risk urban communities: Underscoring the need for comprehensive prevention. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S5e13. [7] Miller S, Williams J, Cutbush S, et al. Evaluation of the Start Strong initiative: preventing teen dating violence and promoting healthy relationships among middle school students. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2): S14e9. [8] Taylor BG, Mumford EA, Stein N. Effectiveness of ‘Shifting Boundaries’ teen dating violence prevention program for subgroups of middle school students. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S20e6. [9] Williams H, Miller S, Cutbush S, et al. A latent transition model of the effects of a teen dating violence prevention initiative. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S26e32. [10] DePrince AP, Chu AT, Labus J, et al. Testing two approaches to revictimization prevention among adolescent girls in the child welfare system. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S33e9. [11] Ball B, Holland KM, Marshall KJ, et al. Implementing a targeted teen dating abuse prevention program: challenges and successes experienced by expect respect facilitators. J Adolesc Health 2015;56(2 Suppl 2):S40e6.
