DOI: 10.3886/icpsr36879
title: A Brief Motivational Interview Intervention to Reduce Dating Abuse Perpetration, Boston, Massachusetts, 2014-2017
title: Archival Version

description: This study tests a brief intervention designed to reduce adolescent dating abuse (ADA) perpetration in a healthcare setting used primarily by low income, Black, and Hispanic youth. The Project READY (Reducing Aggression in Dating Relationships for Youth) is a theory-driven, empirically supported, brief intervention. READY intercepts youth who utilize an urban emergency department for non-urgent health care (e.g., sprains), provides them with tailored feedback about their relationship behavior, and uses motivational interviewing to move them towards non-violence and respect. READY was designed to avoid victim-blaming and is responsive to the gendered dynamic of ADA. A small feasibility pilot test of READY was completed in 2013 (N=27). Participants were 173 youth ages 15-19 years old who were patients of an urban pediatric emergency department. Youth who perpetrated at least 1 act of physical or sexual ADA 3 months prior to baseline were eligible. The proposed experimental evaluation of READY used a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, with 3- and 6-month follow-ups to assess changes in knowledge, attitude and perpetration behavior. The hypotheses are: (1) Youth who participate in the brief intervention session and telephone booster call will report improved knowledge and attitudes, and less self-reported ADA perpetration up to 6 months post-intervention as compared to youth in the control group; and (2) the cost of providing the intervention will be less than the cost of the violence that occurs in its absence. Mixed effects linear and logistic models were used to analyze longitudinal data.
description: The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of the Real Talk intervention (formerly Project READY) in reducing adolescent dating abuse perpetration in a healthcare setting used primarily by low-income, Black, and Hispanic youth.
description: This study used a longitudinal, randomized control trial (RCT) design, intercepting youth seeking treatment in an urban hospital setting. Patients waiting for non-urgent treatment were asked if they were interested in being screened for the study and given an eligibility form to complete. If they met eligibility criteria, they were invited to review the consent/assent materials on-site. Those who agreed to participate completed the baseline survey and a contact form for follow-up. Participants were randomized into the control or intervention group. The intervention group participated in a brief motivational interview and received up to three booster calls within the first six weeks of the interview. The control group received standard care and an educational handout about dating abuse. All participants were contacted for follow-ups at three months and six months by phone, web, or in person. Several changes related to scope and methods were made throughout the project lifecycle. After experiencing lower than anticipated recruitment in 2013, we expanded the age eligibility inclusion criterion for the 2014-2016 recruitment period. Therefore, in 2013 the age eligibility was 16-18 years old, and starting August 20th, 2014 through December 2016, it was 15-19 years old. After experiencing lower than anticipated recruitment in 2013-2014, we started to recruit patients from the adolescent outpatient clinic as well as the pediatric emergency department in June 2015. A new variable, "Location," was created by the research team to indicate whether a person was enrolled in the outpatient clinic or the pediatric emergency department. Although our original plan was only to recruit patients, we decided to expand inclusion criteria to include friends or family members of patients who also were at the hospital (accompanying the patient) and fit the age range and other eligibility criteria. We implemented that expansion of inclusion criteria in June 2014. However, over the course of the project only 5 out of the N=214 individuals were from this "friends and family" category.
description: Variables are named based on the section and question number they represent. For example, S1Q23 refers to section 1, question 23. Variable suffixes are named based on time of data collection: initial eligibility screening (E), baseline survey (B), 3-month follow-up (F), and 6-month follow-up (F2). Baseline and follow-up surveys consist of scales measuring dating abuse perpetration and victimization (e.g. making threats, hitting, humiliation, surveillance, etc.), behaviors during instances of relationship conflict (e.g. using dialogue, hitting, yelling, etc.) perceptions of abusive behaviors as healthy or unhealthy, openness to help/change for relationship problems, alcohol and drug use, physical and psychological health, school engagement, hospital visits, arrests, and use of counseling and other mental health services. Unique to the follow-up survey is an item set regarding participant feedback on the Real Talk intervention. Demographic variables include gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation (as measured by gender of dating partners), age, school grade level, and relationship status.
description: Not applicable.
description: Response Rates: A total of 216 participants were eligible and enrolled into the study. Participants completed a baseline survey, and then were contacted for a 3 month and a 6 month follow-up survey. A total of 141 participants completed the 3 month survey (65%), and 157 participants completed the 6 month survey (73%). After excluding participants with no follow-up data (44), the sample used for analyses was n = 173.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None.
description: This was a convenience sample of youth who sought health care treatment at an urban medical center and met the study eligibility criteria (15-19 years old, English-speaking, committed at least one act of dating abuse against a dating/sexual partner within the last three months, not currently attending batterer intervention classes).
description: Datasets: DS1: A Brief Motivational Interview Intervention to Reduce Dating Abuse Perpetration, Boston, Massachusetts, 2014-2017
description: Adolescents aged 15-19 who received health care services at an urban medical center. Smallest Geographic Unit: None
description: on-site questionnaire; telephone interview; web-based survey