Effects of the Dating Matters® Comprehensive Prevention Model on Teen Dating Violence and Relationship Behaviors in Middle School Youth: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Teen dating violence (TDV) is a sizeable public health problem affecting young people in the U.S. TDV has many long-term negative consequences, which multiply the public health impact of the violence. However, few effective prevention strategies exist. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the Dating Matters comprehensive TDV prevention model (DM) compared to the standard-of-care (SC) condition on TDV and other relationship behaviors among students who reported dating in middle school. We hypothesized that DM would be significantly more effective at preventing TDV perpetration, TDV victimization, and use of negative conflict resolution strategies and at promoting the use of positive relationship behaviors throughout and by the end of middle school than SC.

Methods: This study examined the effectiveness of DM compared to SC on TDV perpetration and victimization (TDV perpetration and victimization were latent variables including physical, sexual, and psychological aggression and was measured using the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory and the Safe Dates Scales; baseline asked about lifetime and follow-up asked about last 4 months), use of negative conflict resolution styles (latent variable using items from the Conflict Resolution Style Inventory; last 4 months), and positive relationship behaviors (latent variable using 4 items from the Supporting Healthy Marriages Study; baseline no recall period and follow-up last 4 months) using the subsample of students from Cohorts 3 and 4 who reported dating during middle school (N=2,349; M age=12 years, 49% female, 55% non-Hispanic black, 28% Hispanic, 17% other).

Results: Latent panel models demonstrate significant program effects for 3 of 4 outcomes examined; scores for students in the DM condition were 8% lower for TDV perpetration, 10% lower for TDV victimization, and 6% lower for the use of negative conflict resolution strategies, on average across time points and cohorts, than scores for students in the SC condition. There were no effects on positive relationship behaviors.

Conclusions: The Dating Matters comprehensive prevention model demonstrated comparative effectiveness, through middle school, for reducing unhealthy relationship behaviors, such as TDV and the use of negative conflict resolution strategies among high risk urban students?, relative to the SC intervention, Safe Dates. These findings indicate that a comprehensive approach including multiple intervention strategies as outlined in CDC’s technical package on the prevention of IPV may have greater impact than single-strategy interventions. This study also adds to the literature on effective TDV prevention in high-risk urban communities