Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Teaching School Psychology Students About Teen Dating Violence: A Snapshot of Training Practices Across the USA

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
School Mental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Teen dating violence is an important issue facing adolescents because of its alarming rates as well as its associated negative physical and mental health outcomes. School psychologists should be trained to recognize teen dating violence and intervene appropriately to offset risk. This is the first study of teen dating violence curriculum coverage in a national sample of school psychology training programs (N = 62 faculty members and N = 79 graduate interns). Faculty and graduate interns reported low levels of training in the area of teen dating violence. Over half of programs (54.8 %) reported no coverage of teen dating violence training, and the majority of graduate students (86.5 %) identified their lack of training as the most common barrier to appropriately dealing with teen dating violence in school settings. Logistic regression results indicated that graduate students with higher rates of self-efficacy and stronger beliefs about the importance of the role of the school psychologist in dealing with teen dating violence were more likely to respond to teen dating violence in their internship setting. Study findings indicated a critical need for educating school psychologists about teen dating violence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ashley, O. S., & Foshee, V. A. (2005) Adolescent help-seeking for dating violence: Prevalence, sociodemographic correlates, and sources of help. Journal of Adolescent Health, 36, 25–31. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2003.12.014

  • Barta, S., & Richard, D. (2005). The effects of a theory-based training program on nurses’ self-efficacy and behavior for smoking cessation through counseling. Journal of Continuing Education for Nurses, 36(3), 117–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonomi, A. E., Anderson, M. L., Nemeth, J., Bartle-Haring, S., Buetner, C., & Schipper, D. (2012). Dating violence victimization across teen years: Abuse frequency, number of abusive partners, and age at first occurrence. BMC Public Health, 12, 637. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-637.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, C. N. (2003). Invisible victims: Holding the education system liable for teen dating violence at school. Harvard Women’s Law Journal, 26, 351–391.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carver, K., Joyner, K., & Udry, R. J. (2003). National estimates of adolescent romantic relationships. In P. Florsheim (Ed.), Adolescent romantic relations and sexual behavior: Theory, research, and practical implications (pp. 23–56). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control. (2012). Understanding teen dating violence. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/teen-dating-violence-factsheet-a.pdf

  • Chronister, K. M., Marsiglio, M. C., Linville, D., & Lantrip, K. R. (2014). The influence of dating violence on adolescent girls’ educational experiences. The Counseling Psychologist, 42, 374–405. doi:10.1177/0011000012470569.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crawford, M., & Unger, R. (2004). Women and gender: A feminist psychology (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crocker, L. M., & Algina, J. (1986). Introduction to classical and modern test theory. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curtis, M. J., Castillo, J. M., & Gelley, C. (2012). School psychology 2010: Demographics, employment, and the context for professional practices-part 1. Communique: National Association of School Psychologists. 40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2013). Internet, mail, and mixed-mode surveys: The tailored design method. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Exner-Corten, D., Eckenrode, J., & Rothman, E. (2013). Longitudinal associations between teen dating violence victimization and adverse health outcomes. Pediatrics, 131(1), 71–78. doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foshee, V. A., Bauman, K. E., Arriaga, X. B., Helms, R. W., Koch, G. G., & Linder, G. F. (1998). An evaluation of Safe Dates, an adolescent dating violence prevention program. American Journal of Public Health, 88(1), 45–50.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freedner, N., Freed, L. H., Yang, Y. W., & Austin, S. B. (2002). Dating violence among gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents: Results from a community survey. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31(6), 469–474. doi:10.1016/S1054-139X(02)00407-X.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gallopin, C., & Leigh, L. (2009). Teen perception of dating violence, help-seeking, and the role of schools. The Prevention Research, 16(1), 17–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, C. T., Young, M. L., Waller, M. W., Martin, S. L., & Kupper, L. L. (2004). Prevalence of partner violence in same-sex romantic and sexual relationships in a national sample of adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 35(2), 124–131.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Janz, N. K., & Becker, M. H. (1984). The Health belief model: A decade later. Health Education Quarterly, 11(1), 1–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khubchandani, J., Price, J. H., Thompson, A., Dake, J. A., Wiblishhauser, M., & Telljohann, S. K. (2012). Adolescent dating violence: A national assessment of school counselors’ perceptions and practices. American Academy of Pediatrics, 130(2), 202–210. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khubchandani, J., Telliojann, S. K., Price, J. H., Dake, J. A., & Hendershot, C. (2013). Providing assistance to the victims of adolescent dating violence: A national assessment of school nurses’ practices. Journal of School Health, 83(2), 127–135. doi:10.1111/josh.12008.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luo, F., Stone, D., & Tharp, A. (2014). Physical dating violence victimization among sexual minority youth. American Journal of Public Health, 104(10), e66–e73. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014.302051.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maas, C. D., Fleming, C. B., Herrenkohl, T. I., & Catalano, R. F. (2010). Childhood predictors of teen dating violence victimization. Violence and Victims, 25(2), 131–149.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malik, S., Sorenson, S. B., & Aneshensel, C. S. (1997). Community and dating violence among adolescents: Perpetration and victimization. Journal of Adolescent Health, 21(5), 291–302. doi:10.1016/S1054-139X(97)00143-2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, C. E., Houston, A. M., Mmari, K. N., & Decker, M. R. (2012). Urban teens and young adults describe drama, disrespect, dating violence and help-seeking preferences. Journal of Maternal Child Healthy, 16(5), 957–966. doi:10.1007/s10995-011-0819-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Association of School Psychologists. (2010). Standards for graduate preparation of school psychologists. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/standards/2010standards/1_Graduate_Preparation.pdf

  • National Association of School Psychologists. (2011). Selecting a school psychology internship: Tips for graduate students. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/students/documents/Selecting_a_School_Psychology_Internship_Tips_for_Graduate_Students.pdf

  • National Association of School Psychologists. (2013). School psychology program information. Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/graduate-education/grad-edu.aspx

  • National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (U.S.). (2007). Choose respect annual report. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

  • O’Keefe, M. (2005). Teen dating violence: A review of risk factors and prevention efforts. Applied Research Forum, National Electronic Network on Violence Against Women.

  • Qualtrics. (2015). Qualtrics: Online survey software & insight platform [Software]. http://www.qualtrics.com/

  • Reed, E., Silverman, J. G., Raj, A., Decker, R. M., & Miller, E. (2011). Male perpetration of teen dating violence: Associations with neighborhood violence involvement, gender attitudes, and perceived peer and neighborhood norms. Journal of Urban Health, 88(2), 226–239. doi:10.1007/s11524-011-9545-x.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rizzo, C. J., Esposito-Smythers, C., Swenson, L., Hower, H. M., Wolff, J., & Spirito, A. (2014). Dating violence victimization: Dispositional aggression and nonsuicidal self-injury among psychiatrically hospitalized male and female adolescents. The American Association of Suicidology, 44(3), 338–351. doi:10.1111/sltb.12081.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rizzo, C. J., Hunter, H. L., Lang, D. L., Oliveira, C., Donenberg, G., DiClemente, R. J., & Brown, L. K. (2012). Dating violence victimization and unprotected sex acts among adolescents in mental health treatment. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 21(5), 825–832. doi:10.1007/s10826-011-9543-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sousa, C. (1999). Teen dating violence: The hidden epidemic. Family and conciliation courts review of AFCC. Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stader, D. (2011). Dating violence. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Special Issue, School Safety: Implications and Guidelines for Secondary School, 84(4), 139–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitaker, M. P., & Savage, T. E. (2014). Social-ecological influences on teen dating violence: A youth rights and capabilities approach to exploring context. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 7(3), 163–174. doi:10.1007/s40653-014-0023-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zweig, J. M., Dank, M., Yahner, J., & Lachman, P. (2013). The rate of cyber dating abuse among teens and how it relates to other forms of teen dating violence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 42(7), 1063–1077. doi:10.1007/s10964-013-9922-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Sarah E. Johnson, Jessica A. Hoffman, Louis J. Kruger & Christie J. Rizzo

Authors
  1. Sarah E. Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jessica A. Hoffman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Louis J. Kruger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Christie J. Rizzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sarah E. Johnson.

Additional information

The authors thank the school psychology program faculty and student interns who participated in this study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Johnson, S.E., Hoffman, J.A., Kruger, L.J. et al. Teaching School Psychology Students About Teen Dating Violence: A Snapshot of Training Practices Across the USA. School Mental Health 7, 249–260 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-015-9156-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-015-9156-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation