Critical Review of Interventions for the Primary Prevention of Perpetration of Partner Violence

• NCJ Number: 213390
• Journal: Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: March-April 2006 Pages: 151-166
• Author(s): Daniel J. Whitaker; Shannon Morrison; Christine Lindquist; Stephanie R. Hawkins; Joyce A. O'Neil; Angela M. Nesius; Anita Mathew; Le'Roy Reese
• Date Published: March 2006
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article reviews 11 intervention programs designed for the primary prevention of partner violence (prevention of partner violence before it begins).

Abstract

Following the review, several recommendations are offered regarding the content and evaluation of dating violence prevention programs: (1) expand the limited theoretical approaches to primary partner violence prevention; (2) develop culturally sensitive and specific programming; (3) develop targeted interventions for specific groups of at-risk populations; and (4) develop programming for settings other than schools. The authors observe that the primary prevention strategies currently under use for the prevention of partner violence consist almost exclusively of school-based dating violence prevention programming that targets individual factors. Moreover, such programs are largely based on a combination of feminist theory and social learning theory, despite the wider range of theoretical positions to be developed concerning the primary prevention of partner violence. While the effectiveness of such programming remains largely undetermined, dating violence prevention programs are likely to be an important component of primary prevention programming for partner violence. Future research should focus on expanding the theoretical basis for primary prevention for partner violence and on developing interventions targeted to settings other than schools. Tables, references