NCJ Number
106033
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: (1987) Pages: 173-177
Date Published
1987
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study describes actual observation and measurement of behavioral change in children before and after prevention education and correlates that behavioral response with more traditional measures of effectiveness.
Abstract
Each child left the school with a stranger, unaware of a videotaping of the test. Tests of language development, self-esteem, and knowledge of prevention and safety concepts were given before and after subjects participated in the Children Need to Know Personal Safety Program. A primary prevention program based on age-appropriate, experiential, and interactive instruction was documented. Higher self-esteem before instruction and higher knowledge/attitude scores after instruction were found to predicate a reduction in vulnerability. The study concludes that traditional use of cognitive questions which elicit written or verbal responses about safety are sometimes misleading. 1 table and 13 references. (Author abstract modified)