title: An Evaluation of Two Dating Violence Prevention Programs on a College Campus.
abstract: Dating violence is a serious and prevalent public health problem that is associated with numerous negative physical and psychological health outcomes, and yet there has been limited evaluation of prevention programs on college campuses. A recent innovation in campus prevention focuses on mobilizing bystanders to take action. To date, bystander programs have mainly been compared with no treatment control groups raising questions about what value is added to dating violence prevention by focusing on bystanders. This study compared a single 90-min bystander education program for dating violence prevention with a traditional awareness education program, as well as with a no education control group. Using a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with follow-up at 2 months, a sample of predominately freshmen college students was randomized to either the bystander ( n = 369) or traditional awareness ( n = 376) dating violence education program. A non-randomized control group of freshmen students who did not receive any education were also surveyed ( n = 224). Students completed measures of attitudes, including rape myth acceptance, bystander efficacy, and intent to help as well as behavioral measures related to bystander action and victimization. Results showed that the bystander education program was more effective at changing attitudes, beliefs, efficacy, intentions, and self-reported behaviors compared with the traditional awareness education program. Both programs were significantly more effective than no education. The findings of this study have important implications for future dating violence prevention educational programming, emphasizing the value of bystander education programs for primary dating violence prevention among college students.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: 2 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Phyllis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharps
authors.affiliation: 3 University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Banyard
authors.affiliation: 4 University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Ráchael A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.affiliation: 5 University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaukinen
authors.affiliation: 2 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: 2 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Michele R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baatz
authors.affiliation: 2 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jacquelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D001364:Awareness; D058445:Bullying; D019548:Crime Victims; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D000066511:Intimate Partner Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011902:Rape; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D014754:Violence; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: bystander intervention; college students; dating violence