Nada Elias-Lambert

Gamification for Behavior Change: Lessons from Developing a Social, Multiuser, Web-Tablet Based Prevention Game for Youths

Interest is growing in gamification, the use of game techniques and mechanics to engage and motivate. Future predictions suggest that this interest will continue to grow especially in the use of games to change individual behavior. However, applying gamification concepts and principles is challenging. Despite the growing interest, few gamification efforts have documented the challenges associated with the game development and application process. This article illustrates how gamification concepts and principles were applied to the development of an online, multiuser, substance abuse, and relationship violence prevention game for youths. We discuss challenges encountered during the efforts to develop and test a prototype version of the game and then present concrete and practical strategies for addressing these challenges. This article provides guidance for other researchers and practitioners who may want to gamify human service processes and use gamification techniques within a behavior change framework.

Bystander Sexual Violence Prevention Program: Outcomes for High- and Low-Risk University Men

This research reports the findings of an evaluation of a peer-facilitated, bystander sexual violence prevention program to determine its effectiveness at changing attitudes and behaviors related to sexual violence with university males who are at low- and high-risk of using sexually coercive behavior. Bystander interventions focus on men and women as bystanders to change social norms in a peer culture that supports abusive behaviors. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of these interventions with high-risk populations, which is the focus of this study. A bystander sexual violence prevention program was presented to 142 fraternity members. A quasi-experimental design utilizing pre-, post-, and follow-up surveys was used to compare the effectiveness of this prevention program with university males who are at low- and high-risk of using sexually coercive behavior in intervention and comparison groups. Participants’ risk status was measured prior to the intervention using the Modified-Sexual Experiences Survey. The measures evaluated changes in attitudes (rape myth acceptance and bystander attitudes) and behaviors (sexually coercive behaviors, sexually coercive behavioral intentions, and bystander behaviors). Data analyses included Repeated-Measures Analysis of Covariances. The findings suggest that a bystander sexual violence prevention program has a positive impact on attitudes and behaviors related to sexual violence among fraternity members, however, the program had less impact on high-risk males. The results of this study will expand our ability to design programs that can have an impact on reducing sexual violence on campus by ensuring the programs are having the desired impact on the target audience.

Controlling behaviors in middle school youth's dating relationships: reactions and help-seeking behaviors

This exploratory study examined middle school students’ (N = 380) help-seeking behaviors and other reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Over three-fourths of the participants perpetrated and were victimized by controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Youth used emotional/verbal and dominance/isolation forms of controlling behaviors. More youth were victimized by dominance/isolation controlling behaviors than emotional/verbal controlling behaviors. Gender and age differences emerged when evaluating the type of controlling behaviors youth used. The majority of youth were willing to seek help when confronted with various types of controlling behaviors in their dating relationships. Gender and age differences also emerged in youth’s reactions to controlling behaviors. More understanding of youth’s reactions to controlling behaviors in their dating relationships may assist prevention educators in intervening before controlling behaviors in dating relationships turn into actual dating violence.

Iraqi American Refugee Youths’ Exposure to Violence: Relationship to Attitudes and Peers’ Perpetration of Dating Violence

This exploratory study examines the relationships between exposure to violence in the community, school, home and dating relationships among Iraqi American youth. As Iraqi American youth are traditionally not allowed to date, dating violence measures focused on attitudes about and perceptions of abuse occurring in the relationships of friends. The number of friends known who were secretly dating was the most significant predictor of acceptability of dating violence and perceived prevalence of abuse. Youth who experienced child abuse perceived higher rates of dating violence among their peers. Findings highlight the complexities of prevention and intervention of teen dating violence within secretive relationships.

Influence of Victim and Perpetrators’ Alcohol Use on Social Work Student’s Levels of Rape Myth Acceptance

Rape myths are stereotyped, false cultural values that serve to justify sexual assault against women. This study examined the perceptions of alcohol use on levels of rape myth acceptance among social work students. One hundred and ninety-five bachelors and masters students were randomly assigned to read a vignette developed by researchers depicting a date rape with the victim, perpetrator, both, or neither consuming alcohol. Results of a descriptive analysis showed that students are willing to accept certain rape-supportive beliefs, but not others. Participant responses to rape myths differed based on the particular vignette the respondent was assigned to read. Further research is needed to examine the particular myths social work students endorse and the situational factors that influence those endorsements. Social work students must be educated about how endorsements of rape myths can affect their interaction with survivors and perpetrators.

Rape Myth Acceptance among Social Work Students

ABSTRACT It is important to examine rape myth acceptance and the pertinent situational factors that affect attitudes and beliefs concerning the act of rape, perpetrators, and survivors. This study examines the influence of alcohol consumption and perceptions of alcohol use on levels of rape myth acceptance among social work students. Results showed differences in levels of rape myth acceptance based on race or ethnicity and gender. Results also showed that the version of the vignette read by the participant was a significant predictor of rape myth acceptance. Respondents’ perceptions of alcohol consumption were also a strong predictor of rape myth acceptance levels. These results demonstrate there are multiple factors that influence social work students’ rape myth acceptance levels that need further examination.

Love is Not Abuse (LINA)

The Love Is Not Abuse application is an educational resource that provides information about teen dating violence and simulates the dangers of digital dating abuse.