Child Sexual Abuse
Conditions
Keywords
child sexual abuse, prevention, parenting, intervention science
Brief summary
The purpose of the proposed study is to assess the effectiveness of the addition of a single-session child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention module (Smart Parents - Safe and Healthy Kids) on improving parents' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding CSA prevention for parents already receiving parent-education services. The investigators hypothesize that parents who receive the parenting curriculum and the CSA prevention module will (a) demonstrate significant improvement in CSA-related awareness (i.e., knowledge, attitudes) and protective behaviors from pre-test to post-test, and (b) demonstrate higher scores on CSA-related awareness and protective behaviors as compared to parents who only receive the parenting curriculum.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALSmart Parents - Safe and Healthy Kids
Smart Parents - Safe and Healthy Kids (SPHSK) is a module designed to be added to existing evidence-based parent education programs. Because the module builds off of the core parenting skills developed in existing parent education programs, the module can be delivered in one session. SPSHK is comprised of three key CSA-prevention components: healthy child sexual development, parent-child communication about sex and sexual behaviors, and CSA-specific safety strategies such as vetting a babysitter and monitoring one-on-one time with adults. Behaviorally based, the module presents developmentally comprehensive information to parents of children 0-13 and utilizes role-playing scenarios and activities to maximize parents' use of learned skills.
BEHAVIORALParents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers (PAT) is a parent-support program delivered to parents of children under five and focuses on improving parenting skills through parent-child interactions, development centered parenting, and general well-being. PAT has demonstrated positive effects on child and parent outcomes related to school readiness.
Sponsors
Penn State University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
1. Parent or caregiver \> 18 years old 2. Parent or caregiver of at least one child under 13 3. Enrolled in PAT
Exclusion criteria
1. Parent/caregiver does not speak English 2. Parent is mandated (i.e., court-ordered) to attend parent-training program
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in SmartParents' Knowledge (ASK): Awareness Factor | through study completion, an average of 14 weeks | This factor measures change in parents' self-reported knowledge of CSA and positive attitudes toward CSA prevention, operationally defined henceforth as 'awareness' |
| Change in SmartParents' Knowledge (ASK): Protective Behaviors Factor | through study completion, an average of 14 weeks | This factor measures change in parents' self-reported use of protective behaviors to limit risk for CSA. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire: Involvement | through study completion, an average of 14 weeks | e.g., You ask your child about his/her day in school |
| Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire: Positive Parenting | through study completion, an average of 14 weeks | e.g., You hug or kiss your child when he/she does something well |
| Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire: Inconsistent Discipline | through study completion, an average of 14 weeks | e.g., The punishment you give your child depends on your mood |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed