Survivor Feedback on a Safety Decision Aid Smartphone Application for College-Age Women in Abusive Relationships

Adolescent Dating Violence: Supports and Barriers in Accessing Services

“…The study investigating effective DV programs within the Mexican American adolescent population was unique in that they conducted focus groups with adolescents grouped according to their level of acculturation and gender (Williams et al, 2012). Various analytic approaches were taken to identify major themes from these focus groups, including content analysis (Amar et al, 2012;Lindsay et al, 2013;Martin et al, 2012), a constant comparative method (Anderson & Danis, 2007), and phenomenology (Williams et al, 2012). The last qualitative study utilized a telephone survey to obtain data from participants (Danis & Anderson, 2008) The other four quantitative studies acquired their information through self-administered questionnaires.…”

“…Regardless of maturity, the friend may not feel safe in directly intervening in a peer's violent relationship (Amar et al, 2012). The focus group among college women who had experienced DV further developed this notion, as it was sometimes thought that formal services, such as student health clinics, are not completely confidential (Lindsay et al, 2013). This is one potential reason for why informal sources of help are more common among victims of DV.…”

“…This system helps identify members that need help and pairs them with a member of the sorority's executive council for victims to have someone to meet with regularly and to obtain assistance with their situation (Anderson & Danis, 2007). Another qualitative study that targeted female college students who had experienced DV elicited excellent feedback as the mobile phone app regarding DV was seen not only as a useful and effective tool, but also one that could be of service to victims who are unwilling or hesitant in seeking formal services of help (Lindsay et al, 2013).…”

“…These investigators also conducted research with the executive directors of sororities and sought to determine if there were standing policies and programs established within their sorority to address DV (Danis & Anderson 2008). Lindsay et al (2013) explored the use of a smart phone application (app) as a safety tool among female college students who had previously experienced DV. The other two studies focused more generally on college women.…”

A Needs Assessment, Development, and Formative Evaluation of a Health Promotion Smartphone Application for College Students

“…24 Apps can also provide useful, understandable, and appropriate health information in a private, safe, and nonjudgmental manner for college-aged women in abusive relationships. 25 Though very few studies have been conducted to assess behavior change effectiveness, one study did analyze 3 intervention modalities (webpage, smartphone app, and journal/diary) to deliver a weight loss intervention. 26 The app group had a 93% program retention rate, compared to only 55% in the webpage group and 53% in the diary group.…”