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

Abstract

Introduction: Teen dating violence is a serious public health problem with few effective prevention strategies. This study examines whether the Dating Matters comprehensive prevention model, compared with a standard of care intervention, prevented negative relationship behaviors and promoted positive relationship behaviors. Study design: This longitudinal, cluster-RCT compared the effectiveness of Dating Matters with standard of care across middle school. Standard of care was an evidence-based teen dating violence prevention curriculum (Safe Dates) implemented in eighth grade. Setting/participants: Forty-six middle schools in high-risk urban neighborhoods in four U.S. cities were randomized. Schools lost to follow-up were replaced with new schools, which were independently randomized (71% school retention). Students were surveyed in fall and spring of sixth, seventh, and eighth grades (2012−2016). The analysis sample includes students from schools implementing Dating Matters or standard of care for >2 years who started sixth grade in the fall of 2012 or 2013 and had dated (N=2,349 students, mean age 12 years, 49% female, and 55% black, non-Hispanic, 28% Hispanic, 17% other). Intervention: Dating Matters is a comprehensive, multicomponent prevention model including classroom-delivered programs for sixth to eighth graders, training for parents of sixth to eighth graders, educator training, a youth communications program, and local health department activities to assess capacity and track teen dating violence−related policy and data. Main outcome measures: Self-reported teen dating violence perpetration and victimization, use of negative conflict resolution strategies, and positive relationship skills were examined as outcomes. Imputation and analyses were conducted in 2017. Results: Latent panel models demonstrated significant program effects for three of four outcomes; Dating Matters students reported 8.43% lower teen dating violence perpetration, 9.78% lower teen dating violence victimization, and 5.52% lower use of negative conflict resolution strategies, on average across time points and cohorts, than standard of care students. There were no significant effects on positive relationship behaviors.

Teen Dating Violence Perpetration: Protective Factor Trajectories from Middle to High School among Adolescents

“…DM targets students, parents, teachers, and older neighborhood peers in prevention programming efforts, thereby potentially increasing social support of healthy relationship messaging for young people from adults and older peers. DM was recently evaluated, and findings on effectiveness of the program on TDV outcomes are forthcoming ().…”

Introduction to a Special Section on the Effects of the Dating Matters Model on Secondary Outcomes: Results from a Comparative Effectiveness Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

“…As hypothesized, across most time points and in most groups, students in DM schools reported less perpetration of TDV, less victimization of TDV, and less use of negative conflict resolution strategies with their dating partners. However, all students reported high use of positive relationship behaviors, and no differences emerged between groups (Niolon et al 2019). Due to the themes and content addressed across the Dating Matters comprehensive prevention model, we also expected that DM students would report less engagement in/exposure to several secondary outcomes as well.…”

“…TDV is associated with a myriad of negative consequences across the lifespan, including depression, antisocial behavior, substance use, suicidal ideation, and placing individuals at greater risk for experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in their more permanent relationships in adulthood (Exner-Cortens et al 2013;Exner-Cortens et al 2017). CDC identified several existing gaps in prevention of TDV and developed a comprehensive prevention model and implementation plan to address these gaps (Tharp et al 2011;Niolon et al 2019). At the time that Dating Matters was being developed, a few interventions that were effective at reducing TDV existed, but they were single-component, individuallevel preventive interventions implemented in school settings.…”

“…A second evaluation contract allowed us to follow our sample into high school; students were assessed once per year in the spring of 9th-11th grades. More details on the evaluation design can be found elsewhere (Niolon et al 2016;Niolon et al 2019).…”

“…The initial outcome analyses examined primary and secondary outcomes across the six time points in middle school among the two cohorts (grades) of students who had the opportunity to be exposed to all three middle school grades of the Dating Matters components if they were in the DM condition (cohorts 3 and 4, 6th graders in the first and second years of implementation). After imputing missing data (details available in Niolon et al 2019), hypotheses were examined using multiple group structural equation models. DM students were compared with SoC students among 4 groups divided by biological sex and cohort (Cohort 3 females, Cohort 3 males, Cohort 4 females, Cohort 4 males).…”