Preventing intimate partner violence between adolescent mothers and young fathers: The Young Parenthood Program

The Young Parenthood Program (YPP) is a co-parenting counseling program designed to support positive communication and healthy relations between pregnant adolescents and their biological partners. A primary goal of YPP is to prevent or reduce the occurrence of intimate partner violence among pregnant adolescents and their biological partners. Developing prevention programs for preventing IPV among pregnant adolescents is important because pregnant adolescents are at heightened risk for IPV. IPV poses a serious threat to the physical and psychological well being of both men and women. It is also a serious maternal-child health concern, associated with low birth weight, premature birth, and child abuse and neglect. In this study, 120 expectant couples were recruited, assessed, and randomized into the YPP IPV prevention group or the “treatment as usual” (e.g. control) group. Couples were reassessed at 4 months (Time 2) and 18 months (Time 3). The assessment process included an interview-based screening for the occurrence of IPV which was administered to both pregnant adolescents and their partners individually. Preliminary results indicated marginally significant treatment effect on change in IPV scores from Time 1 to Time 2 (F=3.50, p=0.065); treatment-group IPV scores remained relatively steady while control-group IPV scores increased. However, at Time 3, this difference was diminished (F=2.134, p=0.125). Because the YPP is new and our sample is relatively small, findings should be regarded as preliminary. Additional testing of YPP is necessary, but initial results are promising and underscore the potential value of targeted programs for preventing IPV among at risk populations.