Change request Memo 7-23-2012

Evaluation of Dating Matters:

Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships

(OMB no. 0920-0941, exp. date 06/30/2015

Proposed Changes: Justification and Overview

Submitted: July 23, 2012

Justification

This nonmaterial, non-substantive change request reflects changes to clarify procedures and reduce redundancies in data collection instruments. This change results in a streamlined and improved flow in readability of information collection instruments and instructions in order to improve participant comprehension.

Project Description

Dating Matters: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships™ is an approved Information Collection Request focused on teen dating violence prevention. Dating Matters is a comprehensive teen dating violence prevention program based on the current evidence about what works in prevention. Dating Matters focuses on middle school youth in high-risk, urban communities. It includes preventive strategies for individuals, peers, families, schools, and neighborhoods. The primary goal is to conduct an outcome and implementation evaluation of Dating Matters to determine its feasibility, cost, and effectiveness. This evaluation of Dating Matters will be conducted in the following cities: Alameda County, California; Baltimore, Maryland; Broward County, Florida; and, Chicago, Illinois.

Proposed Changes

Summary of changes:

1. Outcome Evaluation Surveys: Attachments D, H, I – The three baseline outcome evaluation instruments were streamlined in order to reduce redundancy. The overall aim and content of the instruments are unchanged. These instruments will be administered in early August 2012.

   1. For example, Attachment D assesses somatic symptoms of stress, which results in elimination of 10 items in order to increase response efficiency and decrease redundancy. Instructions for skip patterns have been reworded to increase clarity and accuracy of reporting.

2. Communication Surveys, Capacity and Readiness Assessments, Technical Assistance (TA) Tracking Form, and Session Logs for 5 curricula: Attachments J-SS, CCC-LLL, DDDD – Refined scales to reflect the final student and parent curricula.

   1. For example, Attachment U includes a question about implementation of ground rules in Session 1 of the 6^th grade student curricula. In the original version several examples of ground rules were included, which resulted in a lengthy, potentially unclear question. These refinements throughout the session logs reflect the final programmatic materials and reduce redundancy in questions.

Change to Burden and/or Cost

Overall decrease in burden and burden cost:

	Total Burden Hours	Total Burden Cost
Approved	44,978	$510,674.17
Proposed	35,054	$420,158.17
Difference	-9,924	-$90,516.00