Short-Term Effects of a Violence Prevention Curriculum on Knowledge of Dating Violence among High School Students in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Author(s): Gage AJ, Honoré JG, Deleon J

Year: 2014

Abstract:

This study was carried out to determine whether a violence-prevention curriculum taught to students in grades 10-12 in one public and one private high schools in Port-au-Prince, Haiti would increased knowledge about dating violence. A one-group pretest-posttest study was carried out in November to December 2013.  Students who took the exam prior to curriculum implementation and after the program was completed were assessed for knowledge of dating violence.  The curriculum was an adaptation of the SAFE Dates Program and consisted of ten 50-minutes sessions that were taught over a period of five weekends.  The curriculum consisted of interactive activities, games and role plays addressing the definition of dating violence, dating violence norms, gender stereotyping, conflict management skills and forms of support that may be provided to friends in abusive relationships.  Bivariable analysis was conducted to determine whether the curriculum was associated with increased knowledge of dating violence. A total of 221 students completed both the pretest and posttest exams, of whom 32 were from the private school.  Pretest levels of knowledge of dating violence were low.  All eight measures of knowledge increased singificantly between the pretest and posttest in both schools.  The mean score for knowledge of dating violence facts and myths increased from 5.2 at pretest to 8.4 at posttest out of a maximum of 10. Gains in knowledge of dating violence were higher among public school students than among private school students for some outcomes.  Exposure to the curriculum increased knowledge of dating violence in the short-term.