State Teen Dating Violence School Legislation in The United States: A Content Analysis

Abstract

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a pervasive issue that can have a variety of negative effects on those who have been victimized. Prior research shows that state-level laws have an impact on the extent of TDV; however, scant research has analyzed the variations in the language used in the legislation. The present study analyzes the existing state legislation for addressing TDV in schools and compares the content of the legislation. This study provides a detailed analysis of each of the states’ legislation. It examines differences in how states conceptualize TDV and provides details demonstrating the variations of state legislation. We utilized qualitative descriptive content analysis and purposive sampling with maximum variation. A total of 27 states have legislation to address TDV in schools. Findings demonstrate that states have great variation in legislation addressing TDV in schools. Some states appear to take a minimalistic approach in specifying legislation on how schools should address TDV, other states provide their schools with general guidelines to address TDV, and a few states provide very specific guidelines for schools to follow. This study is an important step to understanding what components of state TDV legislation in schools are most universal and might impact the prevalence of TDV. Future research is needed to identify the components of state TDV legislation that are related to impacting TDV prevalence.