Expect Respect Support Groups: Preliminary Evaluation of a Dating Violence Prevention Program for At-Risk Youth

• NCJ Number: 240373
• Journal: Violence Against Women Volume: 18 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2012 Pages: 746-762
• Author(s): Barbara Ball; Andra Teten Tharp; RIta K. Noonan; Linda Anne Valle; Merle E. Hamburger; Barri Rosenbluth
• Date Published: July 2012
• Length: 17 pages
• Contract Number(s): 200-2001-00123
• Sponsoring Agency: Ctr's for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses Expect Respect support groups, a selective prevention strategy, designed to prevent and reduce dating violence among at-risk middle and high school students.

Abstract

Expect Respect support groups, a selective prevention strategy, are designed to prevent and reduce dating violence among at-risk middle and high school students. This preliminary, uncontrolled evaluation examined changes in healthy relationship skills and emotionally and physically abusive behaviors in participants' peer and dating relationships. Self-reports (N = 144) showed significant increases in healthy relationship skills from baseline to program completion, whereas levels of victimization and perpetration remained unchanged. A subgroup of students who reported baseline levels of victimization and perpetration with means at least one standard deviation above the group mean reported significantly less victimization and perpetration at program completion. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.