Quality of Research
Review Date: February 2011
Documents Reviewed
The documents below were reviewed for Quality of Research. The research point of
contact can provide information regarding the studies reviewed and the availability
of additional materials, including those from more recent studies that may have been conducted.
Study 1Crooks, C. V., Scott, K., Ellis, W., & Wolfe, D. A. (2011). Impact of a universal school-based violence prevention program on violent delinquency: Distinctive benefits for youth with maltreatment histories. Child Abuse and Neglect, 35(6), 393-400. (NOTE: At the time of the NREPP review, the manuscript of this article had been submitted for publication but not yet accepted.)
Crooks, C. V., Scott, K. L., Wolfe, D. A., Chiodo, D., & Killip, S. (2007). Understanding the link between childhood maltreatment and violent delinquency: What do schools have to add? Child Maltreatment, 12(3), 269-280.
Wolfe, D. A., Crooks, C., Jaffe, P., Chiodo, D., Hughes, R., Ellis, W., et al. (2009). A school-based program to prevent adolescent dating violence: A cluster randomized trial. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 163(8), 692-699.
Supplementary Materials Wolfe, D. A., Scott, K., Reitzel-Jaffe, D., Wekerle, C., Grasley, C., & Straatman, A.-L. (2001). Development and validation of the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory. Psychological Assessment, 13(2), 277-293.
Outcomes
Outcome 1: Physical dating violence |
Description of Measures
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Physical dating violence (PDV) was assessed using 8 items from the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory (CADRI), a self-report measure. Students responded to each item with "yes" or "no" to indicate behaviors they had used in the past year toward a boyfriend/girlfriend while they were having an argument, angry at one another, or having a fight. PDV was indicated if the student responded with "yes" to one or more of the items that involved physical abuse or threats to harm (e.g., "I pushed, shoved, or shook him/her," "I threatened to hurt him/her").
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Key Findings
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Participating public schools in Ontario, Canada, were randomly assigned to an intervention group, which received the Fourth R, or to a control group, which received the school's standard grade 9 health and physical education curriculum. Findings at the 2.5-year follow-up included the following:
- A smaller percentage of students in the intervention group reported engaging in PDV in the past year compared with students in the control group (7.4% vs. 9.8%; p = .05).
- A smaller percentage of male students in the intervention group reported engaging in PDV in the past year compared with male students in the control group (2.7% vs. 7.1%; p = .002).
- Similar percentages of female students in both groups reported engaging in PDV in the past year (11.9% for the intervention group and 12.0% for the control group).
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Studies Measuring Outcome
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Study 1
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Study Designs
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Experimental
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Quality of Research Rating
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3.0
(0.0-4.0 scale)
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Outcome 2: Condom use |
Description of Measures
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Condom use was assessed using a question from the University of Victoria's Healthy Youth Survey. Only sexually active students responded to this question, and condom use was defined as the male always wearing a condom.
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Key Findings
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Participating public schools in Ontario, Canada, were randomly assigned to an intervention group, which received Fourth R, or to a control group, which received the school's standard grade 9 health and physical education curriculum. Findings at the 2.5-year follow-up included the following:
- A larger percentage of sexually active male students in the intervention group reported condom use compared with sexually active male students in the control group (68% vs. 59%; p < .01).
- However, a smaller percentage of sexually active female students in the intervention group reported partner condom use compared with sexually active female students in the control group (44% vs. 51%; p < .01).
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Studies Measuring Outcome
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Study 1
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Study Designs
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Experimental
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Quality of Research Rating
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2.6
(0.0-4.0 scale)
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Outcome 3: Violent delinquency |
Description of Measures
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Violent delinquency was assessed using 8 items from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. Students indicated whether they engaged in any of the following behaviors over the past 3 months: (1) "fought with someone to the point where they needed care for their injuries," (2) "been in a fight where you hit someone with something other than your hands," (3) "carried a knife for the purpose of defending yourself or using it in a fight," (4) "carried a gun other than for hunting or target shooting," (5) "carried any other weapon such as a stick or club," (6) "threatened someone in order to get their money or things," (7) "tried to force someone to have sex with you," and (8) "set fire on purpose to a building, car, or something else not belonging to you." Students who indicated that they engaged in at least two of these behaviors were classified as exhibiting violent delinquency. Data were then statistically analyzed to determine the risk of violent delinquency.
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Key Findings
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Participating public schools in Ontario, Canada, were randomly assigned to an intervention group, which received Fourth R, or to a control group, which received the school's standard grade 9 health and physical education curriculum. Findings at the 2.5-year follow-up indicated that among students with a history of childhood maltreatment, those in the intervention group had a 3% risk of violent delinquency and those in the control group had a 46% risk of violent delinquency (odds ratio = 0.66; p < .05).
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Studies Measuring Outcome
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Study 1
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Study Designs
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Experimental
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Quality of Research Rating
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2.8
(0.0-4.0 scale)
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Study Populations
The following populations were identified in the studies reviewed for Quality of
Research.
Study
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Age
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Gender
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Race/Ethnicity
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Study 1
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13-17 (Adolescent)
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53% Female 47% Male
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100% Non-U.S. population
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Quality of Research Ratings by Criteria (0.0-4.0 scale)
External reviewers independently evaluate the Quality of Research for an intervention's
reported results using six criteria:
For more information about these criteria and the meaning of the ratings, see Quality of Research.
Outcome
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Reliability
of Measures
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Validity
of Measures
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Fidelity
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Missing
Data/Attrition
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Confounding
Variables
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Data
Analysis
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Overall
Rating
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1: Physical dating violence
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3.0
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3.0
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2.5
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2.8
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3.0
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4.0
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3.0
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2: Condom use
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2.0
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2.0
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2.5
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2.0
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3.0
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4.0
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2.6
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3: Violent delinquency
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2.0
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3.0
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2.5
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2.5
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3.0
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4.0
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2.8
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Study Strengths Research established the psychometric properties of the CADRI items, which had good test-retest reliability and convergent/divergent validity. Teachers participated in a training workshop and received detailed lesson plans, training videos, role-play demonstrations, and individual feedback from an experienced educator. Self-report fidelity checklists completed by teachers indicated that 89% of the intervention lessons were completed. Participating schools were stratified by size and location before randomization. Intent-to-treat analyses were conducted with all participant data. Separate analyses were conducted with a subsample of students who had been dating in the year before the follow-up.
Study Weaknesses Classroom sessions were not observed by an independent rater for fidelity. Student data were collected by self-report only. Analysis indicated that students lost to attrition (12% of the sample) were more likely to be male and more likely to report problem alcohol use, introducing potential confounds.
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Readiness for Dissemination
Review Date: February 2011
Materials Reviewed
The materials below were reviewed for Readiness for Dissemination. The implementation
point of contact can provide information regarding implementation of the intervention
and the availability of additional, updated, or new materials.
Gibbings, P., Crooks, C., & Hughes, R. (2009). Youth Safe Schools Committee manual: A guide for the creation and operation of a committee of students who support and encourage healthy-living choices among teens. London, Canada: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Centre for Prevention Science.
Program Web site, http://www.youthrelationships.org
The Teen Files Series [4 DVDs]:
- Binge drinking blowout. (1999).
- Smoking: Truth or dare? (2000).
- The truth about drugs. (1999).
- The truth about sex. (2000).
Wolfe, D., Crooks, C., Hughes, R., & Jaffe, P. (2009). Youth Relationships Program: Featuring the Fourth R for Healthy Relationships: A relationship-based program for 8th grade physical and health education. London, Canada: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Centre for Prevention Science.
Wolfe, D., Crooks, C., Hughes, R., Jaffe, P., & Chiodo, D. (2010). Master trainer manual. 4R: Strategies for healthy youth relationships. London, Canada: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Centre for Prevention Science. Includes:
- Master Trainer Manual [CD-ROM]
- Media Violence: Understanding Media Literacy, a Guide for Parents [Pamphlet]
- Strategies for Healthy Youth Relationships [Pamphlet]
- Wolfe, D. A. (2007). What parents need to know about teens: Facts, myths and strategies. Toronto, Canada: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
Other implementation materials:
- Name the Violence (Headings/Scenarios) [Laminated cards]
- Quiz (Fact or Myth?) [Trade cards]
- Role-Play Examples [DVD]
- Skills for Effective Relationships [2 DVDs]
- Youth Relationships Program Handouts, Overheads, Parent Newsletters, and Unit Test [CD-ROM]
Readiness for Dissemination Ratings by Criteria (0.0-4.0 scale)
External reviewers independently evaluate the intervention's Readiness for Dissemination
using three criteria:
- Availability of implementation materials
- Availability of training and support resources
- Availability of quality assurance procedures
For more information about these criteria and the meaning of the ratings, see Readiness for Dissemination.
Implementation
Materials
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Training and Support
Resources
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Quality Assurance
Procedures
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Overall
Rating
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4.0
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4.0
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4.0
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4.0
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Dissemination Strengths Comprehensive grade-specific implementation materials include DVDs, CD-ROMs, and a detailed manual. Each lesson is sequenced and includes objectives, learning strategies, and overheads. Role-playing is used for practicing skills. The Master Trainer Manual includes a training agenda, copies of training slides with detailed notes, model role-play scripts, and background information. On-site trainings for teachers and master trainers are offered; trainings include an opportunity for participants to provide feedback to each other during role-play scenarios and to the trainer via a feedback form. A fidelity checklist for each component, a student satisfaction survey, and a teacher implementation questionnaire are available to support quality assurance.
Dissemination Weaknesses No weaknesses were identified by reviewers.
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Costs
The cost information below was provided by the developer. Although this cost information
may have been updated by the developer since the time of review, it may not reflect
the current costs or availability of items (including newly developed or discontinued
items). The implementation point of contact can provide current information and
discuss implementation requirements.
Item Description
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Cost
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Required by Developer
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Fourth R Curriculum Binder, for teachers (includes cards; a DVD with role-play examples; two DVDs with skills for effective relationships; and a CD-ROM with handouts, overheads, a unit test, and other resources for printing)
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$135 per binder
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Yes
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4-DVD Teen File Series:
- Binge Drinking Blowout
- Smoking: Truth or Dare?
- The Truth About Drugs
- The Truth About Sex
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$325 per set
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No
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Youth Safe Schools Committee Manual
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$25 each
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No
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1-day, off-site teacher training workshop
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$150 per person
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No
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1-day, on-site teacher training workshop
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$1,500 for 25 participants plus trainer travel expenses
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No
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1.5-day, on-site master trainer training
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$12,500 for 25 participants plus trainer travel expenses
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No
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Master Trainer Manual (includes fidelity checklists)
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$150 each
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No
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2-day, on-site consultation
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$2,000 plus travel expenses
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No
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Phone and email support
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Free
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No
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Student Satisfaction Questionnaire
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Free
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No
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Teacher Implementation Questionnaire
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Free
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No
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Additional Information In the study reviewed by NREPP, approximately 1,700 students participated in the program, at an average cost of $16 per student. This amount included expenses for teacher release time for training and the cost of curriculum materials.
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Replications
No replications were identified by the developer.
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