• Ramona K C Finnie, Devon L Okasako-Schmucker, Leigh Buchanan, Denise Carty, Holly Wethington, Shawna L Mercer, Kathleen C Basile, Sarah DeGue, Phyllis Holditch Niolon, Jennifer Bishop, Tisha Titus, Samia Noursi, Shavon Artis Dickerson, Daniel Whitaker, Susan Swider, Patrick Remington, and Community Preventive Services Task Force.
• Community Guide Office, Office of the Associate Director for Policy and Strategy, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia. Electronic address: vng7@cdc.gov.
• Am J Prev Med. 2022 Jan 1; 62 (1): e45e55e45-e55.

IntroductionIntimate partner violence and sexual violence are widespread and often occur early in life. This systematic review examines the effectiveness of interventions for primary prevention of intimate partner violence and sexual violence among youth.MethodsStudies were identified from 2 previous systematic reviews and an updated search (January 2012-June 2016). Included studies were implemented among youth, conducted in high-income countries, and aimed to prevent or reduce the perpetration of intimate partner violence or sexual violence. In 2016-2017, Guide to Community Preventive Services (Community Guide) methods were used to assess effectiveness as determined by perpetration, victimization, or bystander action. When heterogeneity of outcomes prevented usual Community Guide methods, the team systematically applied criteria for favorability (statistically significant at p<0.05 or approaching significance at p<0.10) and consistency (75% of results in the same direction).ResultsA total of 28 studies (32 arms) met inclusion and quality of execution criteria. Interventions used combinations of teaching healthy relationship skills, promoting social norms to protect against violence, or creating protective environments. Overall, 18 of 24 study arms reported favorable results on the basis of the direction of effect for decreasing perpetration; however, favorability for bystander action diminished with longer follow-up. Interventions did not demonstrate consistent results for decreasing victimization. A bridge search conducted during Fall 2020 confirmed these results.DiscussionInterventions for the primary prevention of intimate partner violence and sexual violence are effective in reducing perpetration. Increasing bystander action may require additional follow-up as effectiveness diminishes over time. Findings may inform researchers, school personnel, public health, and other decision makers about effective strategies to prevent intimate partner violence and sexual violence among youth.Published by Elsevier Inc.

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