Violence Prevention for Middle School Boys

Over the past ten years dating violence (DV) has been recognized as a significant public
health problem affecting adolescents. Emerging data suggest that boys and girls have
different developmental trajectories toward violence and therefore prevention programs that
target their unique pathways to DV are needed. Despite this need, there is a relative dearth
of such gender-informed programs for early adolescent boys. This research project aims to
prevent the emergence of DV perpetration/ victimization among boys by developing a web-based
intervention that is informed by research on gender-specific pathways to violence and
harnesses the influence of parents during the early adolescent years.

Among boys, the perpetration of delinquency-related violence and attitudes supporting
violence has been found to predict later perpetration of DV. Thus, gender-informed
interventions designed to prevent DV in boys need to target skills that underlie violent
behavior and attitudes. The goal of this study is to develop and test a web-based
intervention to enhance emotion regulation skills and parent-son relationship communication
to prevent DV.

Development and testing will occur in three phases. In the Development Phase, the
intervention modules will be developed and iteratively reviewed by both a panel of experts
familiar with the research in the field as well as an advisory group of parents and teens
from the target population. In the Acceptability Testing Phase, testing will be conducted to
assess acceptability and feasibility, and this will be followed by revisions to the
intervention program based on feedback and observations. During the Randomized Controlled
Trial (RCT) Phase, 120 families will complete the intervention program in an observed
setting, to ensure fidelity to intervention dosing. Parents and adolescents will complete the
program together and then complete assessments of aggressive and risk behaviors, parent-child
communication, and emotion regulation at baseline, 3-,and 9-month follow-ups.

Inclusion Criteria:

- 1) adolescent enrolled in the 7th or 8th grade,

- 2) parent/legal guardian and teen are English speaking,

- 3) parent/legal guardian is willing to provide consent for the adolescent to
participate in the study,

- 4) adolescent is willing to provide assent for their own participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

- 1) observable cognitive or developmental delays that would preclude participation,

- 2) residing with participating parent/guardian less than half time