Coaching Boys Into Men is an evidence-based sexual violence/dating violence program that supports athletic coaches to talk to male athletes about healthy relationships. Dr. Elizabeth Miller and her team of researchers at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh announced the results of a study to test the effectiveness of Coaching Boys Into Men in middle schools:
- Middle school male athletes who participated in Coaching Boys Into Men were 50% more likely to engage in positive bystander behaviors like intervening when a peer is being disrespectful. The change persisted over time. A year later those athletes were twice as likely to intervene instead of standing by and watching peers act inappropriately or abusively.
- When looking at the behavior of middle schoolers who date (2/3 of those in the study), boys who completed Coaching Boys Into Men were 76% less likely to commit abuse against a dating partner one year after the program was over.
Read the press release to learn more about the research study and its findings.
FISA Foundation and United Way of Southwestern PA have long supported expansion of Coaching Boys Into Men across our region, by partnering with agencies like PAAR, Homewood Children’s Village, DV Services of WPA, Blackburn Center, and Wesley Spectrum Services. Since this collaboration began in 2015, Coaching Boys into Men has been implemented:
- by over 1300 coaches
- in 69 unique schools
- across 54 school districts
- in 9 counties throughout southwestern PA
- with over 10,000 athletes
Together, we’re making a big difference in preventing abuse from happening. We look forward to supporting Coaching Boys Into Men in area middle schools!