摘要：Objectives. We examined whether It’s Your Game . . . Keep It Real ( IYG ) reduced dating violence among ethnic-minority middle school youths, a population at high risk for dating violence. Methods. We analyzed data from 766 predominantly ethnic-minority students from 10 middle schools in southeast Texas in 2004 for a group randomized trial of IYG . We estimated logistic regression models, and the primary outcome was emotional and physical dating violence perpetration and victimization by ninth grade. Results. Control students had significantly higher odds of physical dating violence victimization (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20, 1.92), emotional dating violence victimization (AOR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.36, 2.24), and emotional dating violence perpetration (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.11, 2.26) than did intervention students. The odds of physical dating violence perpetration were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Program effects varied by gender and race/ethnicity. Conclusions. IYG significantly reduced 3 of 4 dating violence outcomes among ethnic-minority middle school youths. Although further study is warranted to determine if IYG should be widely disseminated to prevent dating violence, it is one of only a handful of school-based programs that are effective in reducing adolescent dating violence behavior. Adolescent dating violence is a serious public health concern in the United States. National estimates indicate that almost 10% of high school youths (9th–12th graders) are victims of physical dating violence, 1 and more than 20% are victims of emotional dating violence. 2 In addition to being associated with many negative health outcomes (i.e., substance abuse, suicide, depression, and sexual activity), 3–8 adolescent dating violence may be predictive of intimate partner violence in adulthood, 8–10 which has exceedingly high economic costs (particularly those related to health care). 11 Thus, preventing adolescent dating violence may not only protect youths from severe health consequences, but also reduce the short- and long-term health costs associated with this type of violence. Although most research on adolescent dating violence focuses on high school youths, recent studies indicate that adolescent dating violence begins in middle school. 12–14 For example, in a survey of seventh graders from diverse geographic locations, 37% reported being victims of psychological dating violence, and 15% reported being victims of physical dating violence in the last 6 months. 14 Furthermore, there is mounting evidence that dating violence disproportionately affects ethnic-minority middle school youths. For instance, in a sample of multiethnic sixth graders from 4 US states, approximately one third of Hispanics and African Americans with a history of dating each reported physical dating violence perpetration, compared with only 14% of Whites. 15 A similar racial/ethnic pattern emerged for physical dating violence victimization. Thus, it is becoming increasingly evident that dating violence is prevalent among middle school youths, especially among those who belong to ethnic-minority groups. Adolescent dating violence prevention programs are available, but only a few have been rigorously evaluated. Of these, only 2 school-based programs— Safe Dates and Fourth R: Skills for Youth Relationships ( Fourth R )—have been shown to produce significant behavioral effects: both reduced dating violence perpetration or victimization. 16–18 However, these programs may not be as effective in ethnic-minority middle school youths because they were developed for and evaluated in older, predominantly White youths. Of the relatively fewer dating violence programs developed for and evaluated in ethnic-minority youths, most have been shown to produce either no 19 or inconsistent 20 behavioral effects, or have been limited by a weak study design (i.e., lack of control group). 21,22 Thus, there is a need for rigorously evaluated, effective dating violence prevention programs 16 that specifically target younger, ethnic-minority youths. It’s Your Game…Keep It Real ( IYG ) is a health education program designed to delay sexual behavior and promote healthy dating relationships in ethnic-minority middle school youths. It is based on the premise that healthy relationships are foundational to healthy adolescent sexual health. In 2 previous randomized controlled trials, IYG was shown to be effective in delaying sexual initiation and reducing other sexual risk behaviors. 23,24 An additional research question was whether IYG had an impact on emotional and physical dating violence perpetration and victimization. Thus, our goal was to determine if IYG reduces dating violence behavior among ethnic-minority middle school youths. We hypothesized that, by ninth grade, students who did not receive IYG would report more physical and emotional dating violence perpetration and victimization than students who did receive IYG .
