Evaluating Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs (From Child Sexual Abuse: Critical Perspectives on Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment, P 41-48, 1991, Christopher R Bagley and Ray J Thomlison, eds. -- See NCJ-132818)

• NCJ Number: 132821
• Author(s): H B Ferguson; S Mendelson-Ages
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 8 pages
• Sale Source: Wall and Emerson, Inc
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

Based on a literature review, this study describes the characteristics of Canada's child-sexual-abuse prevention programs and evaluations of them and is followed by recommendations for improving such programs and their evaluations.

Abstract

Generally, the prevention programs teach children how to act so as to prevent themselves from becoming victims of sexual abuse. Children's educational programs focus on body ownership, the touch continuum, secrets, feelings, how to say no, and how to tell others of the abuse. The programs tend to differ according to the child's age, kinds of materials, number of sessions, occupation/role of the trainer, parental involvement, teacher involvement, student evaluation, and teacher evaluation. Recommendations for improving child-sexual-abuse prevention programs address the development of programs that target potential perpetrators, a greater focus on the development of a child's self-esteem, improved training for teachers, and programs for disabled and developmentally delayed children. One recommendation for program evaluations is that they be designed to measure what children actually learn from programs, the extent to which program goals of information impartation and behavioral skills development have been met, the retention of changes over time, and the effect on possible mediating variables such as self-esteem. 17 references