Text Messaging Information for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

Purpose: Disruptive Innovations (DI), using an intentionally and deliberately developed product or service that becomes part of daily human activity such as Text Messaging Intervention (TMI) is the conceptual framework we used.  Our specific aim is to evaluate text messaging as a feasible disruptive and protective tool on IPV. Three research questions are: Will TMI 1) increase participants’ awareness of potential IPV? 2) improve participants’ knowledge of the warning signs of IPV? and 3) improve participants’ knowledge of actions to take to prevent IPV?

Methods: A mixed methods design was used to examine the feasibility of text messaging qualitatively and quantitatively. We recruited 20 participants to receive one text message once every week five days a week for 4 weeks. Examples of the TMI are “Roses are red, violets are blue, dating is sweet but should not leave marks on you”, and “Concerned for your safety? Move to an area where witnesses are plenty”. One-way ANOVA, Chi-square test or other nonparametric statistical procedures will be used as appropriate to analyze quantitative data from the pre-TMI and post-TMI survey. Change in scores from pretest to posttest will be computed and compared.

Results: Of the 20, 14 owned and have used it for the past 5 years. Twelve of the participants reported texting as their first mode of communication via a smartphone, 9 reported texting every hour. Fourteen of the 20 respondents felt somewhat confident in their knowledge of dating violence warning signs. Posttest results will also be reported in this presentation.

Conclusions: Preliminary data suggest that texting is a primary form of communication for college students. If TMI will be found to be feasible, we will explore TMI’s effectiveness in reducing IPV in a larger study to show the importance of evaluating and developing evidence-based IPV prevention programs using mobile devices.