Preliminary Findings from an Outcome Evaluation of an Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Program for Adjudicated, African American, Adolescent Males

• Author: Laura F. Salazar,Sarah L. Cook
• Published date: 01 October 2006
• Date: 01 October 2006
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1541204006292818
• Subject Matter: Articles

368

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM AN

OUTCOME EVALUATION OF AN INTIMATE

PARTNER VIOLENCE PREVENTION

PROGRAM FOR ADJUDICATED, AFRICAN

AMERICAN, ADOLESCENT MALES

Laura F. Salazar

Emory University

Sarah L. Cook

Georgia State University

This study evaluated the efficacy of a five-session intimate partner violence (IPV) pre-

vention program for adjudicated African American male adolescents. The program was

guided by feminist theory and was culturally focused and gender specific. An experi-

mental design was used to assess changes in knowledge of IPV and patriarchal attitudes

at posttest and to test for the moderating effects of committing IPV and witnessing

parental IPV. Results indicated higher levels of knowledge and less patriarchal attitudes

among the intervention group as compared to the control group. Committing violence

was not a significant moderator of intervention effectiveness; a witnessing parental vio-

lence by group interaction revealed that adolescents in the intervention group had sig-

nificantly lower patriarchal attitudes compared with adolescents in the control group, but

only for those who witnessed high levels of parental male-to-female violence.

Keywords: intimate partner violence; adjudicated adolescents; juvenile justice;

intervention

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant issue faced not only by adult women

(Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000) but also by adolescent girls (Bergman, 1992; Decker,

Silverman, & Raj, 2005; Malik, Sorenson, & Aneshensel, 1997; O’Keefe & Treister, 1998;

D. M. Smith & Donnelly, 2001; Sousa, 1999). Studies conducted among female high school

students suggest that from 25% to 32% may experience either physical or sexual violence

(Bergman, 1992; Decker et al., 2005). Also, according to results from the National Crime

Victimization Survey, which uses data from a nationally representative sample of households

in the United States, women ages 16 to 24 experienced the highest per capita rates of intimate

violence (19.6 per 1,000 women; Rennison, 2001). Furthermore, although some research

Authors’Note: The authors would like to thank the staff at MSV, in particular Morris Gary for his tenacity and

dedication to the VPMP and also Dick Bathrick, Red Crowley, and Libby Cates-Robinson for their assistance,

guidance, and support of this evaluation. Finally,we would like to express our gratitude to Robin Nash from DJJ

and the young men who participated. The study was based on the first author’s doctoral dissertation and was sup-

ported in part by a dissertation award from Georgia State University. Correspondence concerning this article

should be addressed to Laura F. Salazar, Rollins School of Public Health, Behavioral Sciences and Health

Education, 1520 Clifton Rd. N. E., Atlanta, GA 30322; e-mail: lfsalaz@sph.emory.edu.

Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice,Vol. 4 No. 4, October 2006 368-385

DOI: 10.1177/1541204006292818

© 2006 Sage Publications

suggests that among adolescents and young adults, males and females report similar rates of

dating violence victimization (Foshee, 1996; Harned, 2001; Molidor & Tolman, 1998), it has

been noted that levels of violence, the type of violence experienced (e.g., sexual vs. psycho-

logical), the extent of injuries sustained, and the impact of violence are generally more severe

for females than for males (Foshee, 1996; Harned, 2001; Molidor & Tolman, 1998).

African American females may also be at risk for partner violence (West & Rose,

2000). Research estimating prevalence rates of IPV among African American college

students indicated that approximately one third reported a history of physical aggression

(Clark, Beckett, Wells, & Dungee-Anderson, 1994; DeMaris, 1990), whereas psychologi-

cal and verbal aggression, also a form of IPV, was more prevalent, with more than 90%

of African American males and females reporting a history of abuse (Clark et al., 1994).

Rates for sexual victimization have been estimated in other studies of African American

college students, with approximately 34% to 50% reporting a history of sexual assault or

coercion (Pierce-Baker, 1998; Rouse, 1988; White, 1997). In a study of African American

low-income youth, 40% to 67% reported a history of physical violence (West & Rose,

2000), and in another study of African American female adolescents, prevalence of phys-

ical abuse was estimated at 18% (Salazar, Wingood, DiClemente, Lang, & Harrington,

2005). Although prevalence rates vary across studies, they suggest dating violence among

adolescents, both Caucasian and African American, may be common and highlight the

need for intervention programs.

Dating Violence Interventions for Adolescents

Schewe (2005) reviewed the literature on evaluations of several teen dating violence

programs and found mixed results. The format for these programs ranged from a half-day

assembly presentation of community speakers (e.g., Hilton, Harris, Rice, Krans, & Lavigne,

1998) to multisession curricula with as many as 10 sessions. One program was very compre-

hensive in that in addition to a 10-session curriculum, there was also a play and poster contest

(Foshee et al., 1998). Most programs involved content areas that addressed traditional and/or

stereotypical gender roles (Foshee et al., 1998; Jones, 1987; Krajewski, Rybarik, Dosch,

& Gilmore, 1996), conveyed knowledge of all forms of IPV (Jaffe, Sudermann, Reitzel, &

Killip, 1992; MacGowan, 1997), conveyed knowledge that violence against women is related

to gender inequalities (Avery-Leaf, Cascardi, O’Leary, & Cano, 1997), conveyed knowledge

that abuse is related to power and control (Jones, 1987; Krajewski et al., 1996; Lavoie,Vezina,

Piche, & Boivin, 1995; MacGowan, 1997), discussed healthy relationships (MacGowan,

1997), conveyed patterns of abuse that may evolve in relationships (Jaffe et al., 1992),

addressed underlying sexist or patriarchal attitudes (Jaffe et al., 1992), taught conflict resolu-

tion and/or communication skills (Avery-Leaf et al., 1997; Foshee et al., 1998; MacGowan,

1997), or attempted to influence dating violence norms (i.e., norms accepting dating violence

under certain circumstances, norms considering dating violence unacceptable at all times) and

perceived positive and negative consequences of dating violence (Foshee et al., 1998).

A major strength of many of these described programs was the use of a theoretical

framework to guide program activities. Theories provide powerful tools for identifying the

specific beliefs and attitudes that need to be addressed when attempting to change behavior;

therefore, theory should be used to guide intervention activities. For example, programs

that incorporated activities to address male power and control, sexist attitudes, and gender

inequalities were informed by feminist theories that regard IPV as a consequence of a

Salazar, Cook / INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM 369