RESEARCH AND CONSULTING

It is with great pleasure that we announce the publication of our most recent research. A School-Based Program to Prevent Adolescent Dating Violence: A Cluster Randomized Trial was just released in the August issue of the Archives of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

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EVALUATION OF THE FOURTH R:

The local Fourth R Project has completed its five-year randomized control trial (RCT; 2004-2009) to determine whether the curriculum taught in Grade 9 Health classes would reduce physical dating violence relative to standard Health classes two and half years later. More than 1,700 students participated in the RCT in 20 schools. We found that students who received the Fourth R used significantly fewer acts of violence toward a dating partner by the end of Grade 11, compared to those who received standard Health classes. This effect was greatest among boys receiving the Fourth R program. In addition, among sexually active boys, those receiving The Fourth R Project were more likely than controls to practice safe sex 2.5 years later (i.e., always use a condom). Our findings support the contention that teaching youth about healthy relationships and ways to avoid physical dating violence in Grade 9 Health classes can reduce physical dating violence and related risk behaviors 2.5 years later, especially for boys. These results have been submitted to a major medical journal for publication. We expect to hear a decision by October 2008.

The Fourth R Project in Ontario expanded significantly in 2007-2008. The program was implemented in 340 schools throughout Ontario last year and continues to expand across the province. The successful implementation in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, made possible by the partnership with Crime Prevention of Ottawa, saw the program implemented in 12 schools in 2007-2008. A teacher training session was held in September of 2007, with 12 teachers participating. Since that time, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has purchased the program for 20 schools, based on the positive feedback received from the pilot implementation. The Ottawa Catholic School Board has also recently implemented the Catholic version of the Fourth R program in five schools, and one French version.

The largest school board in the province, the Toronto District School Board successfully delivered the program in 43 schools during 2007-2008. Two training sessions were held, one in the fall of 2007 and the second in January of 2008. More than120 teachers were trained and schools are currently implementing the program in the 2008 academic year. Moreover, the largest Catholic board in Ontario, the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), implemented the program in 2007-2008. The program coordinator for the TCDSB, Anthony Pettiti, has provided feedback on the program, stating “I would highly recommend this resource to any health and physical education educator teaching in a secondary school in Ontario”. Continued implementation of the program for 2008-2009 is expected.