Schedule:
Friday, June 1, 2018
Yellowstone (Hyatt Regency Washington, Washington, DC)
* noted as presenting author
Alana Vivolo-Kantor, PhD, Health Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Phyllis Holditch Niolon, PhD, Behavioral Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Athens, GA
Allison J. Tracy, PhD, Senior Statistician, 2M Research, Arlington, TX
Todd D Little, PhD, Director of IMMAP, Founder of Stats Camp, Professor, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Sarah DeGue, PhD, Senior Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Vi D. Le, MPH, Doctoral student, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX
Wendy L. McIntosh, MPH, Health Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Introduction: Teen dating violence (TDV) is associated with a variety of delinquent risk behaviors in adolescence, including peer violence, bullying, alcohol and substance abuse, and weapon carrying. These behaviors may share underlying risk factors and may be part of a broader constellation of related risk behaviors. CDC’s
Dating Matters comprehensive TDV prevention model addresses risk and protective factors for TDV, and thus may have an impact on peer violence and delinquent behaviors associated with TDV. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the
Dating Matters (DM) comprehensive TDV prevention model compared to the standard-of-care (SC) condition on peer violence and delinquency behaviors in middle school students. We hypothesized that students exposed to DM would report less peer violence, bullying, cyber bullying, alcohol and substance use, weapon carrying, and other delinquent behavior compared to students in the SC condition.
Methods: This study examined the effectiveness of DM compared to SC in preventing perpetration and victimization of peer violence (baseline recall period was lifetime, follow-up was last four months), bullying and cyber bullying (baseline recall period was lifetime, follow-up was last 30 days); alcohol and substance use (baseline recall period was one year, follow-up was last four months); weapon carrying (baseline and follow-up recall periods were last 30 days); and other delinquent behaviors (e.g., damaging property , stealing, etc.; baseline recall period was one year, follow-up was last four months). The study used the full student sample from Cohorts 3 and 4 (N=3,301; 53% female, 50% non-Hispanic black, and 31% Hispanic).
Results: Overall, most groups of students receiving the DM intervention had significantly lower scores on a number of peer violence and delinquent risk behavior outcome measures than students in the SC condition. By spring of 8th grade, on average, students receiving DM scored 9% lower on peer violence perpetration; 11% lower on bullying perpetration; 9% lower on cyber-bullying perpetration; 10% lower on cyber-bullying victimization; 14% lower on weapon carrying; 15% lower on alcohol and substance use; and 11% lower on delinquent behaviors than students in the SC condition. Bullying victimization and peer violence victimization scores did not differ by condition.
Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that Dating Matters is a successful cross-cutting approach for the prevention of multiple forms of violence and other risk behaviors that are associated with teen dating violence.
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