Adolescent Dating Violence Research and Violence Prevention: An Opportunity to Support Health Outcomes

The contributions to the special issues on adolescent dating violence that make up the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma 19(5) and 19(6) reflect continued learning on the description, predictors, and patterns within adolescent relationship development. As reflected here, adolescent dating violence is at a level of concern that warrants enhanced focused research attention, as well as a renewed interest in testing interventions. As a relatively new area of inquiry and intervention, adolescent dating violence will benefit from a co-consideration of epidemiological and clinical research, as well as a move toward randomized control trials to direct those programs that show consistent positive impact across trials. With sufficient population data showing no change in dating violence victimization, it is imperative that adolescent dating violence be accorded due status as a public health issue, with import for future child maltreatment and adult intimate partner violence.