Preventing Intimate Partner Violence among Teens Who Are Pregnant or Parenting

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): An estimated 750,000 U.S. teens become pregnant each year. Up to two-thirds of teens who are pregnant or parenting have been the victim or perpetrator of physical intimate partner violence (IPV), and the rate of psychological abuse is even higher. Teens who are pregnant or parenting and involved in IPV, as compared with those not involved in IPV, are at elevated risk for experiencing poor prenatal health and birth outcomes, substance use, depressive symptoms, and poverty. In addition, children of these parents are at increased risk for experiencing child abuse; psychological, social, and academic problems; and IPV in their own relationships. Unfortunately, existing evidence-based IPV-prevention programs do not address the specific risk factors, unique forms of abuse, and potential consequences of abuse encountered by teens who are pregnant or parenting. We are proposing to adapt the evidence-based Safe Dates IPV prevention program to address the unique needs of teen girls who are pregnant or parenting. Safe Dates is a 10-session interactive program that has demonstrated efficacy in preventing psychological, physical, and sexual abuse among dating partners in a general population of teens. The specific aims of this research are as follows: Aim 1. Adapt the Safe Dates IPV prevention program for female teens who are pregnant or parenting, using focus groups with the target population, input from a community advisory panel, and a pre-test of the program to inform adaptations. Aim 2. Evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the adapted program, compared to the original program, in a small-scale randomized pilot study with 60 female teens in North Carolina who are pregnant or parenting. We will use observations, session logs completed by implementers, participant surveys, and post-intervention focus groups to collect data about implementation feasibility, fidelity, and acceptability to participants. Pre-test and 6-month follow-up surveys with intervention and comparison group teens will be used to examine program effects on IPV perpetration and victimization. A systematic adaptation and pilot evaluation of implementation and outcomes are essential to understanding the potential for Safe Dates to meet the needs of teen girls who are pregnant or parenting. Enhancing the scientific rigor and quality of IPV prevention programs for this population may ultimately improve the health and well-being of both young parents and their children.