Parenting youth at risk : development of a parent-focused dating violence prevention program

Abstract

This literature review examines adolescent dating violence (ADV). The review defines ADV and provides prevalence rates. Next, the review summarizes existing primary and secondary prevention programs for ADV designed for adolescents. The review highlights the programs' successes, while addressing their weaknesses and areas for further growth. The importance of parent-and family-based efforts for adolescent risk behavior prevention and intervention are also discussed, including the ways in which parents influence adolescent dating and ADV. Finally, this review describes and critiques the few existing resources and parent-based programs available to address ADV, highlighting a gap in the field.