Child abuse and neglect: researching the use of a programmed instructional manual

The problem studied was whether different instructional methods could increase assessment skills and affect reporting patterns of child abuse and neglect among undergraduate students majoring in nursing. Two hundred nineteen nursing students were selected from two urban universities. A programmed instruction manual, Child Abuse and Neglect, a pretest booklet, and a posttest booklet were developed specifically for this research. The nonequivalent control-group design was selected for this quasi-experimental study. Programmed instruction was found to be a viable alternative method of instruction on the topic of child abuse and neglect. Further, students who are instructed using the programmed instruction manual are able to acquire and retain information on the topic equally as well as students who are instructed by the more traditional method of lecture and discussion.