Publication year
2012
Citation Title
Feasibility and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program for childcare professionals: Comparison of a web-based and in-person training.
Journal Name
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse
Journal Volume
21
Page Numbers
422-436
DOI
10.1080/10538712.2012.675422
Summary
It is important to provide child sexual abuse prevention programs for child care workers; however, there is limited research on the feasibility and acceptability of such programs. This study randomly assigned 188 child care workers to two formats (in-person and web-based) of a child sexual abuse prevention program, "Stewards of Children." Results indicated that both formats were well-received by child care workers and there were no significant differences in feasibility and acceptability of the two formats.
Key Findings
No significant difference was found between the in-person and web-based training formats in terms of feasibility to implement and acceptance to child care workers.
Compared to web-based training, child care workers who received in-person training were more likely to share the training information with others and felt more comfortable.
Approximately one quarter (24%) of child care workers who received web-based training reported at least one technical issue.
Implications for Military Professionals
Recommend different child sexual abuse prevention programs based on different military family's needs to maximize the likelihood that the families will benefit from the program
Facilitate support groups in various formats (e.g., children alone, children and parents) for military-affiliated children who experienced sexual abuse
Implications for Program Leaders
Develop workshops for Service members and their families on effective ways to prevent child sexual abuse
Offer both in-person and web-based child maltreatment prevention programs to meet different military families' needs
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support child sexual abuse prevention programs for child care providers who work with military families
Continue to support the development of web technologies so that military families can access web-based training easily
Methods
Participants were recruited from several child-serving organizations (e.g., schools, daycares); the method of recruitment was not specified, and participants had to be child care workers to be included in the study.
Participants were randomly assigned to the in-person training group (n = 119, completion rate = 78%) and the web-based group (n = 117, completion rate = 81%); both training formats took about 2.5 hours.
Participants' perceptions of the feasibility and acceptability of the training were assessed at the end of the training, and data were analyzed to compare the feasibility and acceptability of the two training formats.
Participants
Participants were 188 child care workers (85% female) who completed either the in-person or web-based training.
The average age of participants was 39 years (age range = 19-64 years, SD = 11.4).
The majority of participants were White (65%), followed by Black (28%); the race/ethnicity of the other 7% of participants was not specified.
Limitations
The questionnaires used to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the training were designed exclusively for this study; therefore, the reliability and validity of the questionnaires were unknown.
Child care workers of different professions (e.g., teachers, day care providers, coaches) may have different opinions about the training; however, the design of the study did not allow for examining the potential differences based on worker type.
The study examined the feasibility and acceptability of different formats of one single child sexual abuse prevention program; therefore, the conclusions related to the different formats may not apply to other child sexual abuse prevention programs.
Avenues for Future Research
Investigate whether child care workers of different professions have different opinions about child sexual abuse prevention programs
Examine the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of diverse formats of other child sexual abuse prevention programs
Examine factors (e.g., length, materials) that may contribute to the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
Recent prevention research has established the efficacy of some child sexual abuse prevention programs targeting adults; however, less is known about the feasibility of implementing such programs. The current study examines the feasibility and acceptability of a child sexual abuse prevention program for child care professionals provided in two different formats: in person and Web based. The sample consisted of 188 child care professionals from a large-scale, multisite, randomized controlled trial. Findings indicate that both in-person and online training formats are feasible to implement and acceptable to professionals. When comparing formats, the in-person format was favored in terms of comfort level and likelihood of sharing information with others. These findings have significant implications for dissemination of child sexual abuse prevention programs for child care professionals.
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