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Studied the higher order factor structure of a self-control test developed by H. Grasmick and others (1993). Results for 1,966 eighth and ninth graders show that the self-control test may provide more valid measurement of the constructs it was designed to measure than previous research suggested. (SLD)

Adolescent-parent pairs (N=537) were interviewed concerning their communication about tobacco and alcohol use. Parent communication reports identified three domains: rules and discipline; consequences and circumstances; and media influences. Results show that parent-child communication was not related to initiation of smoking or drinking. However, parent-child communication about rules and discipline predicted escalation of use. (Author/MKA)

Examines why exposure to family violence and adolescent dating violence are associated. For both genders, this relationship was mediated by the variables of positive outcome expectations and belief in the conventional rules of society. For males, the relationship was also mediated by the variables of positive outcome expectations and belief in the conventional rules of society. (Author/JDM)

Examined relationship between perceived parental responsiveness and demandingness and violence-related behavior in 1,221 ninth and tenth graders. Found that the higher the perceived parental responsiveness and demandingness, the lower the likelihood of violence-related behavior, with stronger associations for females than for males. (Author/KB)

Investigates differences in three dating violence profiles. Analysis of participants surveyed (N=77) show that 66% of students reported mutual dating violence. Those in mutually violent relationships reported receiving and perpetrating significantly more violence than individuals involved in one-sided violent relationships as victims only or as perpetrators only, respectively. (RJM)

Background: Children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) between caregivers are at an increased risk of becoming involved in dating violence during adolescence. However, to date, few adolescent dating violence (ADV) prevention programs have been developed for and evaluated with youth exposed to IPV. An exception is Moms and Teens for Safe Dates (MTSD), an evidence-based ADV prevention program for mothers or maternal caregivers (mothers) exposed to IPV and their teenagers. The MTSD program comprises a series of booklets that families complete together in a home that includes activities to promote positive family communication and healthy teenager relationships. We developed a web-adapted version of the MTSD program--entitled eMoms and Teens for Safe Dates (eMTSD)--to provide a delivery format that may increase program appeal for digitally oriented teenagers, lower dissemination costs, lower reading burden for low-literacy participants, and incorporate built-in cues and reminders to boost program adherence. Objective: This protocol is for a research study that has the following three main objectives: to assess the acceptability of eMTSD; to identify the feasibility of the research process, including program adherence and participant recruitment and assessment; and to explore the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of 2 features--text reminders and the creation of an action plan for engaging with the program--that may increase program uptake and completion. Methods: Approximately 100 mothers and their teenagers will be invited to complete eMTSD, which includes six 30-minute web-based modules over a 6-week period. Mothers will be recruited through community organizations and social media advertising and will be eligible to participate if they have at least 1 teenager aged 12 to 16 years living with them, have experienced IPV after the teenager was born, are not currently living with an abusive partner, and have access to an internet-enabled device. Using a factorial design, enrolled dyads will be randomized to the following four adherence support groups (n=25 dyads per group): text reminders and action planning, text reminders only, action planning only, and no adherence supports. All participants will complete brief web-based assessments at enrollment after each module is completed, after the full program is completed, and 90 days after enrollment. Program adherence will be tracked using website use metrics. Results: The data collected will be synthesized to assess the acceptability of the program and the feasibility of the study procedures. An exploratory analysis will examine the impact of adherence support on program completion levels. In November 2021, ethical approval was received and recruitment was initiated. Data collection is expected to continue until December 2022. Conclusions: The web-based delivery of a family-based healthy relationship program for teenagers exposed to IPV may offer a convenient, low-cost, and engaging approach to preventing ADV. The findings from this study are expected to guide future research. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/35487 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five studies tested the hypothesis that self-regulatory failure is an important predictor of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Study 1 participants were far more likely to experience a violent impulse during conflictual interaction with their romantic partner than they were to enact a violent behavior, suggesting that self-regulatory processes help individuals refrain from perpetrating IPV when they experience a violent impulse. Study 2 participants high in dispositional self-control were less likely to perpetrate IPV, in both cross-sectional and residualized-lagged analyses, than were participants low in dispositional self-control. Study 3 participants verbalized more IPV-related cognitions if they responded immediately to partner provocations than if they responded after a 10-s delay. Study 4 participants whose self-regulatory resources were experimentally depleted were more violent in response to partner provocation (but not when unprovoked) than were nondepleted participants. Finally, Study 5 participants whose self-regulatory resources were experimentally bolstered via a 2-week training regimen exhibited less violent inclinations than did participants whose self-regulatory resources had not been bolstered. These findings hint at the power of incorporating self-regulation dynamics into predictive models of IPV perpetration. Keywords: intimate partner violence, aggression, self-regulation, self-control, relationships

Acts scales, the most common way of measuring partner violence, have been criticized for being too simplistic to capture the complexities of partner violence. An alternative measurement approach is to use typologies that consider various aspects of context. In this study, the authors identified typologies of dating violence perpetration by adolescents. They conducted in-depth interviews with 116 girls and boys previously identified by an acts scale as perpetrators of dating violence. They provided narrative descriptions of their dating violence acts. For boys and girls, many acts considered violent by the acts scale were subsequently recanted or described as nonviolent. From the narratives, they identified four types of female perpetration that were distinguished by motives, precipitating events, and the abuse history of the partners. One type of perpetration accounted for most acts by boys. The findings are discussed relative to dating violence measurement, prevention and treatment, and development of theory. Keywords: adolescent dating violence

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2005.04.006 Byline: Cecilia Casanueva, Vangie A. Foshee, Richard P. Barth Keywords: Intimate partner violence; Children's health; Emergency room; Injuries; Maternal mental health Abstract: This study examined the associations between intimate partner violence (IPV) and children's use of the emergency room (ER) for an illness or injury, and care of the child by a doctor or nurse for a serious injury, accident or poisoning. We hypothesized that a mother's mental health (depression, alcohol abuse and drug abuse) and a child's lack of supervision would mediate these associations. Data were from the National Survey of Children and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), a national probability study of children investigated for abuse and neglect. The analysis was limited to 2929 female caregivers who were the biological, adoptive, or stepmothers of the children. Exposure of the mother to current severe intimate partner violence was positively associated with children's use of the ER. There was no association between maternal current or past exposure to IPV and children's injuries. Current moderate IPV, current severe IPV and past severe IPV were significantly and positively associated with maternal depression. Maternal depression was not associated with child's lack of supervision. However, maternal alcohol abuse and drug abuse were positively associated with child's lack of supervision. The relationship between IPV and children's use of the ER was mediated by maternal depression. Maternal depression and lack of supervision of the children were positively associated with children's injuries. Identification of maternal IPV and depression during children's ER visits can help guide services to prevent future use of the ER and injuries to children. Author Affiliation: Department of Maternal and Children Health, CB # 7445, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7445, United States

The influence of neighborhoods on adolescent behaviors has received increasing research attention. In the present study, we use structural equation models to specify pathways from neighborhoods to adolescent cigarette and alcohol use through parental closeness, parental monitoring, parent substance use, and peer substance use. We use a national sample with 959 adolescents 12 to 14 years of age whose residential addresses were matched with 1990 Census tracts to provide neighborhood characteristics. We found that for adolescent cigarette use low socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods were associated with increased parental monitoring, which was further associated with decreased adolescent cigarette use. For adolescent alcohol use, high SES neighborhoods were associated with increased parent drinking, which was further associated with increased adolescent alcohol use. Low SES neighborhoods were associated with increased parental monitoring and increased peer drinking, which were in turn associated with decreased and increased adolescent alcohol use, respectively.

Objectives. This study determined 4-year postintervention effects of Safe Dates on dating violence, booster effects, and moderators of the program effects. Methods. We gathered baseline data in 10 schools that were randomly allocated to a treatment condition. We collected follow-up data 1 month after the program and then yearly thereafter for 4 years. Between the 2- and 3-year follow-ups, a randomly selected half of treatment adolescents received a booster. Results. Compared with controls, adolescents receiving Safe Dates reported significantly less physical, serious physical, and sexual dating violence perpetration and victimization 4 years after the program. The booster did not improve the effectiveness of Safe Dates. Conclusions. Safe Dates shows promise for preventing dating violence but the booster should not be used. (Am J Public Health. 2004;94:619-624)

Past research suggests that adolescents whose parents are violent toward one another should be more likely to experience dating violence. Having friends in violent relationships also may increase the odds of dating violence. The authors examined which antecedent, friend dating violence or interparental violence, if either, is more strongly predictive of own dating violence perpetration and victimization. Five hundred and twenty-six adolescents (eighth and ninth graders) completed self-report questionnaires on two occasions over a 6-month period. Consistent with hypotheses, friend dating violence and interparental violence each exhibited unique cross-sectional associations with own perpetration and victimization. However, only friend violence consistently predicted later dating violence. The authors explored influence versus selection processes to explain the association between friend and own dating violence. Keywords: dating violence; adolescents; peer influence