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Exploratory evaluation of a school-based child sexual abuse prevention program
Ian G Barron1, Keith J Topping
1a University of Dundee , Dundee , Scotland , UK.
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse
|November 29, 2013
Summary
Child sexual abuse prevention programs for adolescents showed minor knowledge gains, suggesting a need for improved methods. The Tweenees program was cost-effective but requires further research for better efficacy in schools.
Area of Science:
- Child development
- Public health interventions
- Educational psychology
Background:
- School-based child sexual abuse prevention programs often lack methodological rigor.
- Previous studies have inconsistently recorded disclosures and have not evaluated program costs or presenter adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the Tweenees program for preventing child sexual abuse.
- To address methodological shortcomings in existing prevention program research.
Main Methods:
- A pretest-posttest waitlist control design was employed with 6th-grade and 7th/8th-grade students.
- Outcome measures included knowledge/skills questionnaires, systematic coding of disclosures, and video interaction analysis.
- Program costs were calculated per student, class, and school.
Main Results:
- Adolescents demonstrated modest knowledge and skills improvements, indicating a potential program ceiling effect.
- Implementation analysis revealed that low levels of adult control may facilitate disclosures.
- The Tweenees program was found to be relatively inexpensive to implement.
Conclusions:
- The Tweenees program shows potential for cost-effective implementation in schools.
- Further research is recommended to enhance program effectiveness and address limitations identified in this study.
- Future studies should focus on improving methodologies for evaluating child sexual abuse prevention programs.
