Design and Feasibility of a School-Based Text Message Campaign to Promote Healthy Relationships

Despite the effectiveness of some school-based programs to prevent teen dating violence, the burden it puts on schools and teachers presents a unique challenge. A simple, low-cost alternative is a text message campaign. Data suggest that most adolescents have access to a mobile phone, and texting is the leading form of social interaction. The current qualitative study examined the design and feasibility of a 6-week healthy relationships campaign, and a text message intervention designed to reduce teen dating violence and promote healthy relationships. Twenty-four adolescents participated in three focus groups for the first round of text messages (‘pilot project’), with another twenty-two adolescents texting their feedback after the campaign went live to the public (‘initial implementation project’). Overall, participants reported that the campaign was helpful in acquiring new knowledge and maintaining healthy relationships. They also found it more engaging than other means of intervention, such as brochures or social media applications.