Increasing Knowledge and Awareness About Dating Violence Among College Students Through a Smartphone Application

It is known that intimate partner violence has negative psychological and physical consequences. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that victims of interpersonal violence are more likely to have acute and chronic physical health problems as well as engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and binge drinking (Breiding et al., 2015). College students are in a unique situation where they can find themselves in a variety of social situations that can lead to new romantic relationships and sexual encounters. Although these new experiences can be liberating to the young adult’s life, they also can be vulnerable to physical and psychological abuse. A lack of understanding of what dating violence is can potentially deteriorate a student’s health and academic career. Colleges across the United States have attempted to address dating violence by implementing educational programs and providing resources to their students.

This presentation will report findings from a quasi-experimental study that investigated the effectiveness of a smartphone application increasing the knowledge of dating violence among college students. Prospective participants were recruited from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). Following consent to participate each participant was given instructions on how to upload and use the myPlan smartphone app. Consenting participants used the myPlan smartphone application for 10-week period. A post evaluation was given to the participants through email following the 10-week period. Results indicated the myPlan smartphone app was overall positively received and widely accepted among the UAH college student

Dating violence on college campus is a significant health issue for nurses and other healthcare workers to consider. With the stresses of schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and part-time jobs, college students can easily fall victim to an abusive relationship. College students may feel overwhelmed with their numerous responsibilities and thus not be able to or willing to actively seek help for an abusive relationship. The myPlan smartphone application is easily accessible, free and less intimating than a healthcare professional.