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AAP.org > About the AAP > AAP Press Room > Most U.S. Schools Do Not Train Staf f in Preventing Dating Violence Among Teens
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7/9/2012
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ating violence has been recognized as a significant child and adolescent health
problem in the United States, and studies have linked adolescent dating
violence to suicidal ideation, unhealthy weight gain, sexually transmitted
diseases, and other physical and mental health problems. However, little is known about
the role of school personnel in preventing and responding to adolescent dating violence.
In the study, Adolescent Dating Violence: A National Assessment of School Counselors
Perceptions and Practices, in the August 2012 Pediatrics (published online July 9),
researchers conducted the first national assessment of school counselors practices
and perceptions of adolescent dating violence prevention. The majority of school
counselors (81.3 percent) reported that they did not have a protocol in their schools to
respond to an incident of dating violence. Ninety percent of school counselors reported
that in the past two years, there had been no staff training to assist survivors of dating
violence, and their school did not have a committee to address health and safety issues
including dating violence. However, the majority of school counselors (61 percent)
reported that they had assisted a survivor of dating violence in the past two years. Most of
the survivors who received help were female students. The main barriers identified by
school staff in assisting survivors of dating violence were lack of formal training and lack
of time. School counselors also perceived that dating violence is a minor issue and that
even if they want to help, parents might not approve of the schools interference. The
most common method of responding to a survivor was calling the parents and
guardians or referral to legal authorities. Only a little more than 1 in 10 school
counselors referred a survivor to child protection agencies and school nurses for legal or
medical assistance. Study authors also found that school personnel who received
formal training perceived dating violence to be a serious problem, and were significantly
more likely to assist survivors of dating violence.

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