Assessing the impact and implementation of state laws for adolescent intimate partner violence

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Adolescent intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem in the United States. More than 60%
of adolescents aged 12-18 in relationships report experiencing IPV (physical, sexual, and/or psychological
abuse). Given the widespread prevalence and associated adverse outcomes, states are actively engaged in
primary prevention strategies for reducing IPV, including the enactment and implementation of IPV laws. These
state laws, which are rapidly expanding across the country, have the potential to alter the social context in which
IPV occurs by encouraging or requiring school districts to adopt prevention education curricula and policies for
addressing IPV. Such policies include definitions, training requirements for teachers and staff, and reporting
procedures. Currently, 19 states have passed laws encouraging or mandating school IPV policies. Despite these
laws gaining momentum in the past decade, there is a paucity of research examining the effectiveness of state
laws and how schools implement policies to meet states’ legal mandates. The objectives of the proposed
research in this Pathway to Independence Award are to determine if state IPV laws reduce the prevalence of
adolescent IPV victimization and to assess if and how high schools implement these laws adequately. The
specific aims are to: 1) estimate the effectiveness of state IPV laws on reducing the prevalence of adolescent
IPV; 2) assess the implementation of IPV laws and the relationship between school IPV policies and IPV
outcomes at the school-district level; 3) identify barriers and facilitators to implementing IPV policies in high
schools; and 4) develop, refine, and test the feasibility and acceptability of a toolkit for implementation of IPV
legislation in high schools. This study will provide the largest and most comprehensive evaluation of state IPV
legislation to date. Findings will provide critical data on the effectiveness of school IPV policies in preventing
adolescent IPV and actionable evidence for policy makers and agencies responsible for carrying out IPV policy
implementation. To acquire the necessary skills to accomplish this project, I will receive training in three critical
areas: 1) health policy and advanced econometrics; 2) implementation science; and 3) qualitative methods. I will
also engage in professional development, extend my professional networks, and further develop my grant writing
and oral presentation skills. I have assembled an interdisciplinary mentorship team with expertise in public
health, medicine, public policy, law, and education to ensure completion of the proposed research and training
plan and a successful transition to independence. This Pathway to Independence Award will enable me to
develop into an interdisciplinary, independent investigator who examines the causes and consequences of IPV
at the individual level and assesses how multilevel policies and interventions can prevent adolescent IPV.

Grant Number: 5R00HD102567-05
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Avanti Adhia