Effectiveness of structured teaching program on parents' knowledge about child physical abuse

Area of Science:

• Child Health
• Public Health
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Child physical abuse (CPA) is a widespread issue, affecting a significant proportion of young children globally.
• CPA can lead to long-lasting negative impacts on a child's physical and mental well-being.
• Understanding parental knowledge is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the existing knowledge of parents concerning child physical abuse (CPA).
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured teaching program (STP) in enhancing parental knowledge about CPA.

Main Methods:

• A pre-experimental, one-group pre-test post-test design was employed.
• Thirty parents of children treated at a child psychiatry center were recruited via convenience sampling.
• Data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire on CPA administered online via Google Forms, with an online STP delivered over three days.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant improvement in parents' knowledge scores regarding CPA was observed post-intervention (P < 0.001).
• Post-test scores showed substantial gains immediately after the STP and one week later.
• No significant correlation was found between socio-demographic variables and pre-intervention knowledge levels.

Conclusions:

• Parents possess a fair level of knowledge regarding child physical abuse.
• The online structured teaching program (STP) proved effective and feasible for improving parental knowledge of CPA.
• This highlights the potential of online educational interventions in public health initiatives targeting child abuse prevention.