TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2023//
TI  - Randomized control trial of a school-based curriculum that teaches about multiple forms of abuse
JO  - Child maltreatment
A1  - Bright, Melissa A.
A1  - Huq, Mona Sayedul
A1  - Miller, M. David
A1  - Patel, Shivam
A1  - Li, Ziying
A1  - Finkelhor, David
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - Most school-based prevention curricula for young children fail to address multiple types of abuse and limit instruction to a single day, despite evidence that polyvictimization is common and children learn better when allowed to practice material repeatedly. This study utilized a cluster randomized control trial design to evaluate a multi-abuse prevention program, the Monique Burr Foundation for Children (MBF) Child Safety Matters®, based on varying lesson structure. Participants included nine Florida schools consisting of 843 children in grades K-2. Schools were randomized within cluster to implement in two lessons, four lessons, or after study data collection (i.e., control group). Lessons averaged 34 minutes (SD = 8.8 minutes) in length for 2-lesson group and 23.6 minutes (SD = 6.9 minutes) for the 4-lesson condition. Knowledge was assessed before implementation and on average 11 weeks after implementation. There were no statistical differences between clusters. Controlling for pre-test scores, schools in the four-lesson group scored highest on a measure of knowledge of potentially risky and unsafe situations (M = 69.68, SE =.80) on post-test, followed by schools in the two-lesson group (M = 67.31, SE =.77), followed by schools in the control group (M = 62.92, SE =.76). <br><br>RESULTS support use of more frequent, shorter lessons for prevention programs and the promise of addressing multiple forms of child victimization.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1077-5595
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10775595231152623
ID  - ref1
ER  -