Refugee youth as peer leaders in a teen dating violence study

AbstractThis article examines the experiences of six Karen peer leaders involved in research evaluating the effectiveness of a teen dating violence (TDV) program. Seven categories were identified: 1) the benefits of peer leadership, 2) motivation to become a peer leader, 3) concerns, 4) favorite part of the experience, 5) lessons learned about research, 6) TDV content learned, and 7) recommendations for researchers. Associated themes emerged within each category. Implications for prevention programs include providing an abbreviated version of the program to the peer leaders and engaging parents in recruitment. Future research should focus on conducting similar studies with Karen or other refugee youth in other areas of the United States.