Expect Respect Middle School: Preventing Serious and Lethal Violence Among Youth with Prior Violence Exposure

这项以学校为基础的随机分组研究将探讨青少年约会暴力（TDV）的有效性， 防止中学发生严重暴力行为的性暴力预防方案 曾遭受暴力的学生。"期待尊重"（ER）针对性别的支助小组是为了 有暴力经历的青少年，包括目睹家庭暴力、失去亲人、 因此，这些人遭受家庭暴力/性暴力和其他暴力犯罪的风险更高。 ER是一个理论和研究知情的计划，旨在改变宽恕暴力和僵化性别的规范 助长暴力行为的期望，促进旁观者干预（即，给年轻人打断的技巧 他们在同伴中目睹的不尊重和虐待行为），并减少TDV/SV犯罪。 24期课程由受过培训的主持人实施，重点是两性平等和尊重， 认识到虐待和对自己和他人的影响，调节情绪，健康关系的技能， 成为安全和健康关系的积极倡导者。本研究以中学生为研究对象 因为目睹和经历有害行为的流行率在中学已经很高， 是性别不平等的态度，这表明支持弱势学生和改变态度的努力， 在这一发展时期，迫切需要宽容暴力的社会规范。在最近的一 由疾病控制和预防中心（CDC）进行的对照评估，包括男孩和女孩 与对照组参与者相比，反应性和主动性攻击显着减少。 鉴于减少侵略的两种性别，我们建议研究这个暴力预防计划，创建 以TDV/SV为目标，因为其在更广泛地防止暴力犯罪，包括武器犯罪方面的有效性 携带和身体的战斗。虽然目标是防止严重暴力行为的发生，但我们也预期， 减少这种暴力的前兆，包括性骚扰、仇视同性恋的戏弄和反应性的， 主动攻击同伴对照学校会如常提供学生支援服务。通过2- 在36所中学（基线N = 1080）进行的随机分组试验，我们将评估这种方法的有效性 支持针对弱势学生的基于团体的预防严重暴力行为方案（小学 结果）、携带武器（次要）、积极旁观者行为（次要）和自杀倾向 （探索性）（目标1）。基线后一年，我们将评估与对照组相比的相同结果 学生（目标2）。我们将探讨人口统计学、干预前风险和保护因素（例如， 暴力的历史，学校的连通性），和实施者的特点可能与干预相互作用 预测关注结果的变化（目标3）。这项研究意义重大，因为我们的证据太少- 针对任何年龄段的暴力预防计划，没有针对已经遭受暴力的青少年的计划， 没有一项直接涉及多重暴力后果，包括严重和致命的暴力。

This cluster-randomized school-based study will examine the effectiveness of a teen dating violence (TDV) and sexual violence (SV) prevention program for preventing serious violence perpetration among middle school students who have been exposed to violence. “Expect Respect” (ER) gender-specific support groups are for youth with history of exposure to violence including witnessing domestic violence, loss of loved one to homicide, TDV, and SV victimization, who are thus at elevated risk for TDV/SV and other violence perpetration. ER is a theory- and research-informed program intended to alter norms condoning violence and rigid gender expectations that foster violence perpetration, promote bystander intervention (i.e., give youth skills to interrupt disrespectful and abusive behaviors they witness among peers), and reduce TDV/SV perpetration. Implemented by trained facilitators, the 24-session curriculum focuses on gender equity and respect, recognizing abuse and impact on self and others, regulating emotions, skills for healthy relationships, and becoming active proponents for safe and healthy relationships. The study focuses on middle school students because the prevalence of witnessing and experiencing harmful behaviors is already high in middle school as are gender inequitable attitudes, suggesting that efforts to support vulnerable students and to shift attitudes and social norms condoning violence are urgently needed during this developmental period. In a recent controlled evaluation conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), both boys and girls demonstrated significant reductions in reactive and proactive aggression compared to control participants. Given reduction in aggression for both genders, we propose to study this violence prevention program, created to target TDV/SV, for its effectiveness in preventing violence perpetration more broadly including weapon carrying and physical fighting. While the goal is to prevent perpetration of serious violence, we also anticipate reductions in precursors of such violence including sexual harassment, homophobic teasing, and reactive and proactive aggression towards peers. Control schools will provide student support services as usual. Via a 2- arm cluster-randomized trial in 36 middle schools (baseline N =1080), we will evaluate the effectiveness of this support group-based prevention program for vulnerable students on serious violence perpetration (primary outcome), weapon carrying (secondary), positive bystander behaviors (secondary), and suicidality (exploratory) (Aim 1). One year after baseline, we will assess these same outcomes compared to control students (Aim 2). We will explore whether demographics, pre-intervention risk and protective factors (e.g., history of violence, school connectedness), and implementer characteristics may interact with the intervention to predict changes in outcomes of interest (Aim 3). This study is significant because we have too few evidence- based violence prevention programs for any age, none tailored for youth already exposed to violence, and none that directly address multiple violence outcomes including serious and lethal violence.