Dating violence in mid-adolescence: Theory, significance, and emerging prevention initiatives

Adolescent dating violence is an important juncture in the developmental pa thway to adult partnership violence. As a window of opportunity for positiv e change, the present review considers the theoretical and empirical work o n adolescent dating and dating violence. A consideration of the scope of th e problem, developmental processes, and theoretical formulations precede a review of six relationship violence prevention programs designed for and de livered to youth. Five programs are school-based and one operates in the co mmunity. Prevention is targeted toward both universal (e.g., all high schoo l students) and selected adolescent populations (e.g., youths with historie s of maltreatment, or problems with peer aggression). Programs addressed sp ecific skills and knowledge that oppose the use of violent and abusive beha vior toward intimate partners; one program addressed interpersonal violence more generally, and was also included in this review because of its implic ations for dating violence initiatives. Positive changes were found across studies in violence-related attitudes and knowledge, also, positive gains w ere noted in self-reported perpetration of dating violence, with less consi stent evidence in self-reported victimization. However, these findings shou ld be considered preliminary due to limited follow-up and generalizability. Conceptual and methodological issues are discussed with a view toward impr oving assessment methods and research design. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd .