A comparison of teachers vs. parents as instructors of a personal safety program for preschoolers

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of parents and teachers as instructors of a personal safety program. Sixty-one low-income preschool children were pretested and participated in either a homebased program, a school-based program, or a control program. Children were posttested on knowledge and skill gains. No significant differences were found between groups of children taught by teachers or parents, and children in both of these groups demonstrated greater knowledge about sexual abuse and higher levels of personal safety skills compared with controls. Knowledge and skill gains were maintained at the two-month follow-up. No program-related increases in negative behaviors were reported by teachers, nor were the treatment children perceived by their parents as more fearful subsequent to participation. These results suggest that parents are as effective as teachers at teaching skills in personal safety to preschool-age children, and that the programs can be implemented safely and effectively both at home and at school.