A new study by Elizabeth Miller, lead investigator and chief of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC entails that school-based centers are very helpful to teenagers in determining an abusive relationship.
School-based centers provide on-site confidential counselling to teenagers and adolescents which promises the confidentiality of the matter. This can be a potent educational tool in helping young people to understand relationships and when they are already abusive.
In the study, a total of 1,062 teenagers ages 14 to 19 were surveyed on their exposure to abusive relationships. This also included relationships through the internet or cyber dating, sexual behaviors and care-seeking for sexual health in eight school-based health centers found in California.
Out of the eight centers, four have staff who are trained about communicating with students about topics on health and unhealthy relationships. They were also provided with educational materials. On the other hand, the other four had no training or information.
After the survey, there were noted significant differences between centers with trained staff and those with no trained staff. Apparently, students who reported an abusive relationship to trained staff did not report abuse in the next three months unlike those schools with no such services.
Out of the 400 students who reported abuse on their first visit, 65% were still reporting abuse in school-based health centers with services unlike in centers without intervention clinics, 85% reported abuse.
In the whole country, there are more than 2,000 health centers based in schools and they serve almost 2 million students. The services being offered vary based on the needs of the students and their resources. It is not certain if Pittsburgh-area schools are establishing these centers but Dr. Miller and her collaborators hope that they will especially based on the data from the study.
"Creating spaces for young people to learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships -- and how to help their friends can really help reduce adolescent relationship abuse," she said.