Longitudinal Investigation of the Risk and Protective Factors of Dating Violence (Dating it Safe) - Firearms

This sub-study aims to identify key individual (e.g., demographic, socioeconomic, attitudes), relationship, behavioral and situational, trauma related, and neighborhood/community risk and protective factors for gun access, carriage, and use.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Dating Violence; Firearm Injury and Violence

Detailed Description

The use of an ongoing longitudinal dataset is cost-effective, efficient, and highly innovative in that we will examine developmental and prospective factors associated with FIV. Indeed, our dataset fills gaps in our existing understanding of FIV through robust assessment of trauma history, risk and protective factors, employment, relationships, and physical and mental health. The study team's use of a community sample, emphasis on protective factors, innovative combination of assessment methods (quantitative and qualitative) and multiple sources (self-reports and official records), and research translation and dissemination to policymakers and practitioners will produce an unparalleled and detailed account of FIV. Findings will be critically important to theoretical development and refinement, as well as informing evidence-based FIV prevention and intervention programs and policy.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 1500

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77054
      • The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

High school freshman and sophomores from 7 ethnically diverse high schools located in Southeast Texas.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Waves 1-13 (years 2010-2024): High school freshman and sophomores located at a designated study school and classroom that returned a signed parent consent form and student assent form.
• Beginning with Wave 10, current partners of participants are eligible to participate.
• Waves 13 - 14 (years 2024-2025) + Firearm injury and violence (FIV) cohort: Original study participants from Waves 1-13 and their current partners will be asked gun usage survey questions. Anyone endorsing gun carriage in Wave 11 will be eligible for an in-depth interview in Waves 13 - 14.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Anyone not originally consented in 2010 or not a current partner of a participant originally consented in 2010 is not eligible to participate in the research survey. Participants who declined to participate or passed away during previous waves will not be included. Anyone not endorsing gun carriage in Wave 11 will be excluded from in-depth interview invitations.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Cohort consists of adult participants with an average age of 28 - 30 years old.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Identify key individual (e.g., demographic, socioeconomic, attitudes), relationship, behavioral and situational, trauma related, and neighborhood/community risk and protective factors for gun access, carriage, and use.		From 2024 to 2027
Qualitative interviews with known gun-carriers	Conduct a series of 60 in-depth semi-structured interviews with known gun-carriers (Mean age = 26) recruited from Wave 10 of the ongoing study to better understand their thinking, practices, contexts, and experiences of acquiring, carrying, using, sharing, and storing firearms.	2024-2027

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Disseminate evidence based products	Taking the complex political environment into account, we will translate results into jargon-free language and disseminate evidence-based products (i.e., policy briefs, summary reports) to policymakers and practitioners to inform FIV prevention legislation. By leveraging and extending the scope and breadth of our robust longitudinal dataset and conducting in-depth qualitative interviews of known gun carriers, we will enhance our understanding of the risk and protective factors related to firearm access, carriage, and use. Findings from this mixed-methods project will directly benefit the field by informing policy and the evolution of developmentally appropriate evidence-based interventions, with the ultimate goal of reducing firearm violence among adolescents and young adults.	2024-2027

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
• Collaborators: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Rhode Island Hospital; Sam Houston State University; Georgia State University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jeffrey R Temple, PhD, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 16, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 4, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 4, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 11, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 11, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 4, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: dating violence; community violence; interparental violence; firearm injury; firearm violence
• Other Study ID Numbers: HSC-MS-24-0006; R01CE003614 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No