A Cluster-Randomized Trial of a Middle School Gender Violence Prevention Program

描述(申请人提供)：拟议的整群随机学校研究将检验一项在中学男运动员中初级预防青少年约会暴力(TDV)和性暴力(SV)行为的计划的有效性。全球主要卫生组织认为，让男子和男孩参与预防对妇女和女孩的暴力行为是一项重要的公共卫生战略。“把男孩训练成男人”(CBIM)是一个以理论和证据为基础的计划，旨在改变促进TDV/SV实施的性别规范，促进旁观者干预(即，赋予男孩打断不尊重和 他们在同龄人中目睹的虐待行为)，并减少TDV/SV实施。教练员从训练师那里接受60分钟的训练和每两周一次的检查，通过在整个运动季节每周进行12节迷你课程对他们的运动员进行干预。在一项针对高中运动员计划有效性的随机试验中(CDC CE001561-01，Pi Miller)，与对照组相比，接受该计划的男性运动员表现出更多的积极旁观者干预行为和更少的虐待行为。这项提议旨在通过6-8年级的年轻男性运动员来测试这一计划的有效性。这些创新有三个方面：(1)测试针对中学男性运动员的新型TDV/SV预防计划的有效性；(2)培训体育教练员预防TDV/SV，从而实施不依赖教师或课堂时间的初级预防；以及(3)改变性别规范，结合旁观者干预方法的技术，以减少TDV/SV。这项研究具有重要意义，因为我们针对任何年龄段的循证TDV/SV预防计划太少，只有一个针对中学的循证TDV/SV预防计划，而我们没有针对课堂以外的青少年的循证TDV/SV计划。这项实验设计涉及宾夕法尼亚州26所中学的双臂随机对照试验。学校将被随机分配到干预或对照(标准教练)条件下。干预学校的教练员将接受CBIM培训。将收集所有在第一年(时间1；N=2200名运动员)每个运动季开始时进入6-8年级的干预和控制现场运动员的基线调查。跟踪调查将在每个运动赛季结束时收集(时间2)。所有参赛运动员将在基线后12个月(时间3；最终N=1980)进行重新调查。使用广义线性混合模型来解释学校层面的随机化所产生的聚集性，将评估在时间2和时间3对结果的干预效果。主要结果是积极的旁观者行为；次要结果包括：a)当目击到与TDV/SV相关的同伴行为时，干预意图的增加；b)知道什么是虐待行为，以及c)对关系行为的性别平等态度。运动员自我报告的TDV/SV实施行为也将在这两个时间点进行评估。将进行观察、访谈和重点小组讨论，以记录执行过程。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed cluster-randomized school-based study will examine the effectiveness of a program for the primary prevention of teen dating violence (TDV) and sexual violence (SV) perpetration among middle school male athletes. Engaging men and boys in preventing violence against women and girls is recognized by major global health organizations as a critical public health strategy. "Coaching Boys into Men" (CBIM) is a theory- and evidence-based program intended to alter gender norms that foster TDV/SV perpetration, promote bystander intervention (i.e., give boys skills to interrupt disrespectful and abusive behaviors they witness among peers), and reduce TDV/SV perpetration. Coaches receive a 60-minute training and biweekly check-in from the trainer to administer the intervention to their athletes via 12 mini-lessons conducted weekly throughout a sport season. In a randomized trial of program effectiveness among high school athletes (CDC CE001561- 01, PI Miller), male athletes receiving the program demonstrated increased positive bystander intervention behaviors and less abuse perpetration compared to controls. This proposal seeks to test the effectiveness of this program with younger male athletes in grades 6-8. The innovations are three-fold: (1) testing the efficacy of a novel TDV/SV prevention program for middle school male athletes; (2) training athletic coaches in TDV/SV prevention thus implementing primary prevention that does not rely on teachers or classroom time; and (3) changing gender norms integrated with the technique of a bystander intervention approach to reduce TDV/SV. This study is significant because we have too few evidence-based TDV/SV prevention programs for any age, there is only one other evidence-based TDV/SV prevention program for middle school, and we have no evidence-based TDV/SV programs for youth outside the classroom setting. The experimental design involves a 2-armed cluster-randomized-controlled trial in 26 middle schools in Pennsylvania. Schools will be randomly assigned to either intervention or control (standard coaching) condition. Coaches in intervention schools will receive CBIM training. Baseline surveys will be collected for all intervention and control site athletes entering grades 6-8 at the start of each sports seasons across Year 1 (Time 1; N=2200 athletes). Follow up surveys will be collected at the end of each sports season (Time 2). All participating athletes will be re-surveyed 12 months after baseline (Time 3; final N = 1980). Using generalized linear mixed models to account for clustering arising from randomizing at the level of schools, intervention effects on outcomes at Time 2 and at Time 3 will be assessed. The primary outcome is positive bystander behavior; secondary outcomes include increases in a) intentions to intervene when TDV/SV-related peer behaviors are witnessed, b) knowledge of what constitutes abusive behavior, and c) gender-equitable attitudes regarding relationship behaviors. Self-reported TDV/SV perpetration behaviors of athletes will also be assessed at both time points. Observations, interviews and focus group discussions will be conducted to document implementation processes.