Citation

Peskin MF, Markham CM, Shegog R, Baumler ER, Addy RC, Tortolero SR. Am. J. Public Health 2014; 104(8): 1471-1477.

Affiliation

All authors are with the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2014.301902

PMID

24922162

Abstract

OBJECTIVEs. We examined whether It's Your Game. . . Keep It Real (IYG) reduced dating violence among ethnic-minority middle school youths, a population at high risk for dating violence.

METHODS. We analyzed data from 766 predominantly ethnic-minority students from 10 middle schools in southeast Texas in 2004 for a group randomized trial of IYG. We estimated logistic regression models, and the primary outcome was emotional and physical dating violence perpetration and victimization by ninth grade.

RESULTS. Control students had significantly higher odds of physical dating violence victimization (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20, 1.92), emotional dating violence victimization (AOR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.36, 2.24), and emotional dating violence perpetration (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.11, 2.26) than did intervention students. The odds of physical dating violence perpetration were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Program effects varied by gender and race/ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS. IYG significantly reduced 3 of 4 dating violence outcomes among ethnic-minority middle school youths. Although further study is warranted to determine if IYG should be widely disseminated to prevent dating violence, it is one of only a handful of school-based programs that are effective in reducing adolescent dating violence behavior. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 12, 2014: e1-e7. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014.301902).

Language: en