Preventing adolescent dating violence: An outcomes protocol for evaluating a gender-transformative healthy relationships promotion program

Abstract

Adolescent dating violence (ADV) is a pressing public health problem in North America. Strategies to prevent perpetration are needed, and a substantial body of research demonstrates the importance of applying a gender lens to target root causes of adolescent dating violence as part of effective prevention. To date, however, there has been limited research on how to specifically engage boys in adolescent dating violence prevention. In this short communication, we describe the protocol for a longitudinal, quasi-experimental outcome evaluation of a program called WiseGuyz. WiseGuyz is a community-facilitated, gender-transformative healthy relationships program for mid-adolescent male-identified youth that aims to reduce male-perpetrated dating violence and improve mental and sexual health, by allowing participants to critically examine and deconstruct male gender role expectations. The primary goal of this evaluation is to explore the impact of WiseGuyz on adolescent dating violence outcomes at one-year follow-up among participants, as compared to a risk- and demographically-matched comparison group. Knowledge generated and shared from this project will provide evidence on if and for whom WiseGuyz works, with important implications for adolescent health and well-being.

Evidence of Gender Violence Negative Impact on Health as a Lever to Change Adolescents’ Attitudes and Preferences towards Dominant Traditional Masculinities

“…The latter would prevent gender violence and be conducive to healthy relationships and the psychosocial and physical well-being of boys and girls. In this regard, the role of boys in preventing adolescent dating violence has been emphasized in community-based intervention programs to improve adolescents’ health and wellbeing [ 23 ]. Other studies have differentiated between three different types of masculinity to understand the role of men in gender violence: dominant traditional masculinities (DTM), oppressed traditional masculinities (OTM), and new alternative masculinities (NAM) [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ].…”

The Overlap Between Teen Dating Violent Offending and Violent Victimization

“…However, sex-specific programs have been implemented as well. For example, the “WiseGuyz” program aims to reduce TDV offending among young males by deconstructing gender roles (Exner-Cortens et al, 2019). Prevention programs aimed at reducing dating violence by teaching adolescent males about healthy relationships, substance use, and sexual risk taking have been found to be more beneficial for males (Wolfe et al, 2009).…”

“…There are various costs associated with TDV, such as physical injury and mental health problems (e.g., depression and suicide ideation; Exner-Cortens et al, 2019). The emotional turmoil resulting from TDV has been linked to poor academic performance and increased substance use among high school students (Edwards & Neal, 2017; Temple et al, 2013).…”

PRO-Mueve Relaciones Sanas – A Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program for Adolescents: Assessment of Its Efficacy in the First Year of Intervention

“…In addition, in response to the demand of some social organizations in our country that denounced that the programs were less effective for boys, our study also evaluates whether the program exerts a differential effect upon the girls and boys enrolled in it. This research question was prompted by the comments of some professionals and researchers in the field indicating that boys tend to be less involved in programs of this kind, and therefore benefit comparatively less than girls ( Exner-Cortens et al, 2019 ). However, there is precedent indicating that prevention-oriented programs in the context of secondary education have not found gender differences in their effectiveness ( Taylor et al, 2010 ).…”