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Pilot Investigation of the Katie Brown Educational Program: A School‐Community Partnership
Author(s) -
Joppa Meredith C.,
Rizzo Christie J.,
Nieves Amethys V.,
Brown Larry K.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/josh.12378
Subject(s) - general partnership , medical education , psychology , medicine , political science , law
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Schools in the United States are increasingly being urged to address the problem of adolescent dating violence ( DV ) with their students. Given the limited time available to implement prevention programming during the school day, brief programs are needed. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of a widely disseminated, brief community‐based DV prevention program in partnership with a nonprofit community agency. METHODS We conducted a randomized waitlist control trial of a 5‐session DV prevention program (active condition) compared to health class as usual (waitlist control condition). Participants were 225 10th‐grade students with a recent dating history in a large public school in New England. Surveys were administered at baseline, end of program, and 3 months postintervention. RESULTS After completing the program, students in the active condition reported significantly lower approval of aggression, healthier dating attitudes, and more DV knowledge. These effects were sustained at 3‐month follow‐up. In addition, students in the active condition reported significantly less emotional/verbal and total DV perpetration and victimization at 3‐month follow‐up. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that a brief, community‐based DV prevention curriculum can promote change in behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge among high school students.