An RCT of Dating Matters: Effects on Teen Dating Violence and Relationship Behaviors

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Violence Prevention

Background:

• Teen dating violence is a significant public health issue with limited effective prevention strategies.
• Existing interventions often lack comprehensive approaches to address the multifaceted nature of unhealthy relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the "Dating Matters" comprehensive prevention model.
• To compare "Dating Matters" against a standard of care intervention in reducing negative relationship behaviors and promoting positive ones among middle school students.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal, cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted across 46 middle schools in high-risk urban neighborhoods.
• The study involved surveying 2,349 students (mean age 12) over three academic years (grades 6-8) from 2012-2016.
• Latent panel models were used to analyze self-reported data on teen dating violence perpetration, victimization, conflict resolution, and relationship skills.

Main Results:

• "Dating Matters" significantly reduced teen dating violence perpetration by 8.43% and victimization by 9.78%.
• The program also led to a 5.52% decrease in the use of negative conflict resolution strategies.
• No significant improvements were observed in positive relationship behaviors.

Conclusions:

• The "Dating Matters" comprehensive prevention model demonstrates comparative effectiveness in reducing unhealthy relationship behaviors through middle school.
• The findings suggest that multicomponent prevention strategies can be effective in mitigating risks associated with teen dating violence.
• Further research may explore enhancing positive relationship skill development within comprehensive models.