The Effects of the Moms and Teens for Safe Dates Program on Dating Abuse: a Conditional Process Analysis

Abstract

Moms and Teens for Safe Dates (MTSD) is a dating abuse (DA) prevention program for teens exposed to domestic violence. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), MTSD prevented certain types of DA victimization (psychological and physical) and perpetration (psychological and cyber) among teens with higher, but not lower, exposure to domestic violence. We built on these findings by using moderated mediation analysis to examine whether level of teen exposure to domestic violence conditioned the indirect effects of MTSD on these types of DA through targeted mediators. MTSD consisted of six mailed activity booklets. Mothers who had been former victims of domestic violence delivered the program to their teens. Mother and teen pairs were recruited into the RCT through community advertising and completed baseline and 6-month follow-up interviews (N = 277 pairs). As expected, MTSD had significant favorable effects for teens with higher but not lower exposure to domestic violence on several mediators that guided program content, including teen conflict management skills and mother-perceived severity of DA, self-efficacy for enacting DA prevention efforts, and comfort in communicating with her teen. MTSD had significant main effects on other mediators including teen feeling of family closeness and cohesion and mother-perceived susceptibility of her teen to DA. As expected, all significant indirect effects of MTSD on DA outcomes through mediators were for teens with higher exposure to domestic violence. Findings have implications for developing DA victimization and perpetration prevention programs for teens with high exposure to domestic violence.

<p>Cyber Dating Violence Prevention Programs in Universal Populations: A Systematic Review</p>

“…65 Finally, two studies were excluded because they were about a dating abuse prevention program for teens exposed to domestic violence. 66,67…”

A Meta-Analysis of Risk and Protective Factors for Dating Violence Victimization: The Role of Family and Peer Interpersonal Context

“…In experiencing their first romantic relationships and the accompanying challenges related to intimacy, youth victims of psychological, physical, sexual abuse, or who have witnessed interparental violence in childhood present a heightened risk for victimization. Selective programs (e.g., Youth Relationship Project , Wolfe et al, 2003; Expect Respect , Ball et al, 2015) or adaptation of universal programs (e.g., Safe Dates program for youth who have witnessed interparental violence, Foshee et al, 2016) represent valuable options.…”

Shared Risk Factors for the Perpetration of Physical Dating Violence, Bullying, and Sexual Harassment Among Adolescents Exposed to Domestic Violence

“…Future crosscutting programs for preventing the three forms of aggression could be informed by existing programs that demonstrated effectiveness through randomized controlled trials at changing these risk factors. Several programs targeted specifically to children exposed to domestic violence, most of which included activities for both children and mothers, have been found to be effective in decreasing depressed affect, anger and anger dysregulation in the child (Cohen et al 2011; Graham-Bermann et al 2007; Wagar and Rodway 1995), reducing mother–child discord and harsh parenting practices (Jouriles et al 2009; McDonald et al 2006), and improving parental monitoring (Foshee et al 2015a). Programs targeted to abused children and/or those exposed to community violence have also been found effective in reducing emotion-based risks (Najavits et al 2006; Stein et al 2003; Wolfe et al 2003) and improving parenting skills (Chaffin et al 2004).…”

“…Adolescents who have been exposed to domestic violence between parents/caregivers and their partners are at particularly high risk of using these forms of aggression (Baldry 2003; Dauvergne and Johnson 2001; Fineran and Bolen 2006; Foshee et al 1999). Although efforts at preventing the perpetration of physical dating violence, bullying, and sexual harassment are warranted for all adolescents, prevention efforts are especially important for adolescents exposed to domestic violence, of whom there is an estimated 4.8 million in the United States (Finkelhor et al 2013; Foshee et al 2015a). …”