Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109603

Joan E. Kub, PhD APRN, BC¹, Nina Fredland, PhD(c) RN, CS, FNP¹, Karen Soeken, PhD², Heidi Lary, MHS³, Jessica Roberts, RN, BSN¹, Phyllis W. Sharps, PhD, RN, FAAN⁴, Gene A. Shelley, PhD⁵, Kendell Cephas, MPH⁵, and Jacquelyn Campbell, PhD, RN, FAAN¹. (1) School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, 525 N. Wolfe, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-955-7763, jkub@son.jhmi.edu, (2) School of Nursing, University of Maryland, 655 W. Lombard Street, Room 445C, Baltimore, MD 21201, (3) Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 Wolfe Street, E5033, Baltimore, MD 21205, (4) Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing, 525 N. Wolfe Street, Room 464, Baltimore, MD 21205, (5) Division of Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS K60, Atlanta, GA 30341

Promoting healthy relationships and preventing dating violence among middle school students is the primary goal of “An Arts Based Initiative for the Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls”. This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded demonstration project is focused in four urban middle schools in the northeast. This presentation will identify risk factors for emotional relationship abuse among 7th grade students. In this sample of predominately African American youth, (N = 450) the prevalence of past year physical victimization was 24.8%, while perpetration was 39.5%. The prevalence of emotional victimization was 24.3% in the past year, with emotional perpetration of abuse being 16.7%. Risk factors (attitudes toward violence, exposure to personal, family, community violence and victimization) for emotional perpetration within boyfriend/girlfriend relationships are examined. Victimization was the strongest predictor of emotional abuse perpetration both within the past year (OR = 6.93) and ever (OR = 9.76). The relationship between emotional abuse and physical abuse will be examined. Physical and emotional abuse have mental health implications for early adolescents who are at a critical point in the development of healthy relationships. The need for prevention efforts by public health nurses and other health care providers will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the prevalence of emotional abuse in girl/boyfriend relationships among young adolescents.
• Identify risk factors for emotional abuse perpetration.
• Examine the relationship between emotional abuse and physical violence.
• Discuss the role of public health nurses and other health care providers in the prevention of relationship abuse.

Keywords: Violence Prevention,

Related Web page: www.son.jhmi.edu/research/violenceprevention/index.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.