142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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298779
Impact of Fathers on Reducing Prevalence of Dating Violence, and Sexual Risk Behaviors among a National Sample of Adolescent Females

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM

Binta Alleyne-Green, PhD , Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, New York, NY
Claudette Grinnell-Davis , School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Abor, MI
Trenette Clark, PhD , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Background: The role of biological fathers on dating violence and sexual risk behaviors among adolescents is limited. This study explored the impact of biological fathers on dating violence and sexual risk behaviors among a national sample of adolescent females.

Methods: Wave II of the public release of the AddHealth was used; focusing on sexually active females with an intimate partner in the previous 18 months (N=879). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to best utilize capacity for dealing with latent variables and testing for possible mediation effects.

Results: Analysis demonstrates significant effects of dating violence (B =- .27, p = .002) and father involvement  (B = .26, p = .004) on sexual behaviors. The more dating violence an adolescent experiences, the less likely she is to engage in healthy sexual behaviors. Likewise, the more involvement a father has in his daughter’s life, the more likely she is to engage in positive sexual behaviors.

Dividing the sample by race (White/non-White) results in different effects of dating violence on sexual behaviors but only minimally different from the previous model on the effect of father involvement (non-White: B = .28, p = .028; White: B = .27, p = .008). The effect of dating violence on sexual risk behaviors shifted significantly by race, disappearing for White females; yet intensifying for non-White females (non-White: B = -.64, p = .000; White: B = -.040, p = .711).

Conclusions: Given the findings of this study, professionals should consider integrating fathers into prevention programs and policies.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Assess the impact of biological fathers on reducing the prevalence of dating violence and sexual risk behaviors among a national sample of adolescent females

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Dr. Alleyne-Green’s has been the recipient of a number of funding awards including a Diversity Supplement from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), a First Year Faculty Grant from Fordham University as well as a Faculty Research Development Award to promote her research agenda. To date, Dr. Alleyne-Green has published a number of articles that examine the impact of relationship violence on sexual and other risk behaviors among minority adolescent females.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.