A Feasibility Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Safe Dates for Teen Mothers. Issue 6 (14th October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Herrman, Judith W.; Waterhouse, Julie K.
• Is Part Of: Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing. Volume 43:Issue 6(2014)
• Page Start: 695
• Page End: 709
• Publication Date: 2014-10-14
• Subjects: Maternity nursing -- Periodicals; Gynecologic nursing -- Periodicals; Newborn infants -- Care -- Periodicals; Pediatric nursing -- Periodicals; Genital Diseases, Female -- nursing; Obstetrical Nursing; Pediatric Nursing; 618.2
• DOI: 10.1111/1552-6909.12509
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0884-2175

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p> <bold>Objective</bold>: To determine the effectiveness of the adapted Safe Dates curriculum as an intervention for pregnant and/or parenting teens to prevent teen dating violence (TDV).</p> <p> <bold>Design:</bold> This pre‐/posttest, single‐sample study provided a means to assess the effectiveness of an adapted Safe Dates curriculum for teen mothers.</p> <p> <bold>Setting:</bold> The adapted Safe Dates curriculum was implemented in three schools designed for the unique needs of teens who are pregnant and/or parenting.</p> <p> <bold>Participants:</bold> The final sample of 41 teen participants, with a mean age of 16.27, completed 80% of the curriculum and two of the three assessments. Most of the teens were pregnant during participation in the curriculum, and six had infants between age 1 and 3 months.</p> <p> <bold>Methods:</bold> The teen mothers completed the pretest, participated in the 10‐session adapted Safe Dates curriculum, and completed the posttest at the end of the program and 1 month after program completion. The pre/posttest was adapted from the Safe Dates curriculum‐specific evaluation instrument. Senior, undergraduate nursing students were trained in and implemented the curriculum.</p> <p> <bold>Results:</bold> Participation in the adapted Safe Dates program yielded significant differences in the areas of responses to anger, gender stereotyping, awareness of resources for perpetrators and victims, and psychological violence perpetration.</p> <p> <bold>Conclusions:</bold> This adapted program may be effective in changing selected outcomes. The implementation of a larger scale, experimental/control group study may demonstrate the program's efficacy at reducing the incidence of TDV among teen mothers.</p> </abstract>