(PS4-D99) Meet Them Where They Scroll: A Meta-analytic Review of Teen and Young Adult Dating Violence Prevention Programs

If the adage holds true that the best offense is a good defense, then the most productive way to address intimate partner violence (IPV) is to prevent it from occurring.  The public is often surprised by the high prevalence of relationship violence. With more than 50% of adults experiencing some form of physical or psychological violence in their intimate relationships during their lifetime, IPV is a public health crisis that particularly affects marginalized communities (Breiding et al., 2015; Johns et al., 2019, 2020; Stockman et al., 2015).  

The variable results of perpetrator and victim treatments make prevention particularly important if it is effective (Anderson & Van Ee, 2018; Babcock et al., 2004; Cheng et al., 2021; Karakurt et al., 2019; Maguire, 2018; Stith, Rosen, et al., 2004; Stover et al., 2009). Thus, researchers are interested in developing empirically tested programs that reduce IPV (Jennings et al., 2017; Niolon et al., 2017). To develop these programs, they must consider whom they should target (e.g., men and/or women; Archer, 2000; Langhinrichsen-Rohling, 2010); what they should target (e.g., attitudes related to aggression or behaviors; Capaldi et al., 2007); and how it should be targeted (e.g., promoting aspects of a healthy relationship; Niolon et al., 2017). In addition to target populations, outcomes, and methods, researchers have to consider how to deliver the intervention (e.g., live instruction, mobile app, mailed booklet, etc.). 

The current study aims to conduct a meta-analysis that builds upon the existing literature by analyzing the broad effectiveness of IPV primary preventions in adolescence and young adulthood, while specifically analyzing the moderator of novel intervention methods (e.g., online, mobile app or mailed interventions). Additional moderators will include age; gender; at-risk populations; intervention type, whether focused on IPV or relationship health; outcome whether attitudes or behaviors; and length of the intervention. I will study experimental and quasi-experimental studies to gain an accurate and rigorous understanding of the state of the literature, methodological strengths and weaknesses, and clinical implications of primary prevention interventions.

This project is currently in the final stages of study coding and includes 77 experimental and quasi-experimental studies. I will analyze data using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 3. I will report descriptive statistics, effect sizes of the included treatments as a standardized mean difference, the heterogeneity of the included studies, and moderator analyses. Descriptive statistics will include the total number of participants; the average age of men, women and other gender minorities in the sample; the number of racial and sexual minorities included in the sample; prior exposure to IPV; sexual orientation; and socioeconomic status if available.