Clinical Trial: A Brief Intervention to Prevent Adolescent Dating Aggression Perpetration

Study Status: Active, not recruiting
Recruit Status: Active, not recruiting
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: A Brief Intervention to Prevent Adolescent Dating Aggression Perpetration

Brief Summary:

The proposed study is a test of the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a brief motivational interview style intervention. The intervention will take place in the pediatric emergency department of the Boston University Medical Center by a trained interventionist and will follow an intervention manual developed by a team of dating abuse and brief intervention experts. The study will involve two randomized groups of youth age 15-19: one group will receive the intervention and the other will not. The study will compare changes in data from baseline to 3- and 6-month follow-up for those in both groups. Outcomes including dating abused related knowledge, attitudes about the use of violence to resolve conflict, and dating abuse behavior (perpetration and/or victimization) will be assessed.

The hypothesis of this study is that youth who receive the intervention will show improvements in dating abuse related knowledge, attitudes and behavior that are maintained for 6 months, while those in the control group will show no similar change.


Detailed Summary:

Emergency departments offer a unique setting through which we can reach adolescents who have perpetrated Adolescent Dating Aggression (ADA). The Project READY (Reducing Aggression in Dating Relationships for Youth) brief intervention manual and training was developed by Dr. Emily Rothman, who is a former shelter worker, batterer intervention counselor, and dating violence expert, with input from research experts in brief intervention, an expert in adolescent batterer intervention, psychologists, low-income youth of color from the Start Strong Initiative, and others, with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The READY intervention intercepts youth who utilize an urban emergency department for non-acute health care needs (e.g., cuts, sprains), provides them with tailored feedback about their relationship behavior, and uses motivational interviewing techniques and prepared worksheets to move them forward on a readiness-to-change continuum towards non-violent and respectful relationship behavior. For example, after being provided with information about acts considered unhealthy in a relationship, a participant is asked to generate a list of "pros and cons" about what he or she does to solve conflicts with partners, brainstorm alternatives that he or she would use, list reasons why the alternatives might not work in the moment, and troubleshoot those potential problems. Participants are then offered a menu of referrals and invited to select those that they would use (e.g., free mental health and substance abuse counseling, sexual health testing, gang prevention resources).

The randomized controlled trial (RCT) research study will build upon our completed small-scale feasibility pilot project, which was conducted in 2012- 13. For the proposed study, we will recruit a sample large enough to evaluate whether the intervention improves ADA-related knowled
Sponsor: Boston University

Current Primary Outcome:

  • Dating Aggression Perpetration [ Time Frame: 3 months or 6 months ]
    Change in the perpetration of dating aggression from baseline to follow-up.
  • Intentions to use physical violence during next partner conflict [ Time Frame: 3 months or 6 months ]
    Change in the intention to use acts of physical violence during the next conflict with a dating partner


Original Primary Outcome:

  • Dating Aggression Perpetration [ Time Frame: three months ]
    Change in the perpetration of dating aggression from baseline to three month follow-up.
  • Dating Aggression Perpetration [ Time Frame: six months ]
    Change in the perpetration of dating aggression from baseline to six month follow-up.


Current Secondary Outcome: Knowledge and Attitudes about Dating Aggression [ Time Frame: 3 months or 6 months ]

Change in Knowledge and Attitudes about Dating Aggression from baseline to the three month follow-up


Original Secondary Outcome:

  • Knowledge and Attitudes about Dating Aggression [ Time Frame: three months ]
    Change in Knowledge and Attitudes about Dating Aggression from baseline to the three month follow-up
  • Knowledge and Attitudes about Dating Aggression [ Time Frame: six months ]
    Change in Knowledge and Attitudes about Dating Aggression from baseline to the six month follow-up.


Information By: Boston University

Dates:
Date Received: March 4, 2014
Date Started: April 2014
Date Completion: July 2017
Last Updated: March 17, 2017
Last Verified: March 2017