Safe Transitions for Teens

Proposed project.  Adolescents exposed to adult intimate partner violence (IPV) are at high risk for teen dating violence (TDV), bullying perpetration and victimization, peer violence, and juvenile justice system (JJS) involvement, creating the potential for polyvictimization experiences with consequences across the lifespan. Housing and homelessness are pressing issues for families exposed to IPV. There is a gap in research on community-level interventions to reduce risk and increase protective factors for exposed teens.  IPV transitional housing (IPVTH) programs provide housing and support services to families who have experienced IPV, but remain largely untested—especially for impact among adolescent residents. To address these gaps, we will use the structure of our current OVW study, Safe Transitions, which examines the longitudinal impact of IPVTH among adult residents, to recruit an adolescent cohort of IPVTH residents and examine the impact of supportive housing on adolescent violence. This project, Safe Transitions for Teens, will develop knowledge on trajectories of risk behaviors for teens in IPVTH, parent-child relationship impacts, and the role of IPVTH in addressing risk and increasing protective factors for interpersonal violence victimization and perpetration in a high-risk group of adolescents.  

Activities. We will conduct semi-structured interviews with 40 adult parents enrolled in the Safe Transitions study and 40 of their adolescent children, as well as 30 IPVTH service providers. Using learning from qualitative analysis, we will recruit and longitudinally follow 250 adolescent IPVTH residents (aged 12-17) whose parents are enrolled in Safe Transitions.  The study will employ a mixed method, multi-generational, longitudinal approach to examine the prevalence of TDV, peer violence, bullying, and JJS involvement at five time points over two years among adolescents IPVTH residents. We will test the impact of IPVTH on adolescent and family risk/protective factors for adolescent violence. Repeated measures hierarchical linear modeling will be used to assess outcomes over time and differences in risk and protective factors for parent-adolescent dyads. Thematic analysis will be used for qualitative data.  

Service area. Adolescents living with their parents in IPVTH will be recruited from existing Safe Transitions sites in 5 states- Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Texas, as well as additional sites being onboarded. 

Products and deliverables. An advisory board of subject matter experts will guide the study. Manuscripts, brief reports, webinars, and conference presentations will be produced for academic and practitioner outlets, participating agencies, and NIJ. Additions to the Safe Transitions website will facilitate real-time dissemination. NCA/NCF
This award is funded as an administrative funding adjustment of 15PNIJ-22-GG-01615-REVA.