Citation

Baumler E, Wood L, Temple JR. Pediatrics 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, American Academy of Pediatrics)

DOI

10.1542/peds.2023-062281

PMID

37675485

Abstract

Adolescent relationship abuse (ARA) is common (20% to 30% of US teens1,2) and linked to negative mental, behavioral, and physical health consequences, including depression, anxiety, substance use, and future intimate partner violence.3,-5 Thus, preventing ARA has become a national public health priority. We recently found that a 21-session classroom-based healthy relationships curriculum delivered in seventh grade effectively reduced physical ARA perpetration 1-year postintervention.6 The semester-long and classroom-based curriculum was facilitated by existing teachers and targeted the shared risk and protective factors of multiple problems behaviors (eg, dating violence, substance use). We now seek to determine if this same program, Fourth R, can function as a tertiary prevention program, which is important given the high rate of ARA in early adolescence. We assessed the intervention's long-term impact on the 36-month incidence of physical ARA perpetration within the subgroup of study participants...

Language: en