title: Using a domestic and sexual violence prevention advocate to implement a dating violence prevention program with athletes.
abstract: 'Coaching Boys into Men' is an evidence-based dating violence prevention program for coaches to implement with male athletes. A common adaptation of this program is delivery by domestic violence and sexual violence prevention advocates instead of coaches. We explored how this implementer adaptation may influence athlete uptake of program messages and outcomes. Randomly, one school received the program delivered by an advocate while another school received the program delivered by coaches. Athletes completed baseline and follow-up surveys (n = 148), and a subset who received the advocate-led program participated in focus groups (four groups; n = 26). We compared changes in athlete attitudes and behaviors and conducted thematic analyses with qualitative data. We found no significant differences between athletes who received the program from the advocate versus their coaches. Athletes highlighted the advocate's delivery and role as a non-judgmental adult ally as qualities that influenced their uptake of program messages. The acceptability of the advocate-led program may be related to the implementer type along with specific implementer characteristics and delivery methods. Using advocates together with coaches as implementers could increase the reach of this program. Further study of best practices for Coaching Boys into Men adaptation is needed to guide program dissemination and sustainability.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh 15213 maria.virata@chp.edu mcdjaime1026@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M C D
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jaime
authors.affiliation: Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta 30341, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stocking
authors.affiliation: Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta 30341, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.affiliation: CDC Foundation, Atlanta 30303, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perkinson
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh 15213.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ciaravino
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh 15213.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D056352:Athletes / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D001290:Attitude; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000517:prevention & control; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D000066511:Intimate Partner Violence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires