A Brief Intervention to Prevent Adolescent Dating Aggression Perpetration

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) study is a small scale test of the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a brief motivational interview-style intervention. The intervention took place in the pediatric emergency departments by a trained interventionist and will followed an intervention algorithm developed by a team of dating abuse and brief intervention experts. The research design is as follows: the investigators will randomize youth ages 12-19 years old to one of two groups: one group who receives the intervention (N=~18), and the other which does not (N=~18). The investigators compared changes in outcomes from baseline to 1-month follow-up for those in both groups. The investigators looked at outcomes including dating abuse-related knowledge, attitudes about the use of violence to resolve conflict, and dating abuse behavior (perpetration and/or victimization).

Statement of study hypothesis: Youth who receive the intervention will show improvements in dating abuse-related knowledge, attitudes and behavior that are maintained for 1 month, while those in the comparison group will show no similar change.