Empowering Elementary and Middle School Youth to Speak Up and Be Safe: Advancing Prevention of Child Maltreatment with a Universal School-Based Curriculum
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Speak Up Be Safe (SUBS) Curriculum
1.2. Present Study—SUBS RCT
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Sample
2.2. Procedures
2.2.1. Schools and Randomization
2.2.2. Measures
2.2.3. Procedure and Implementation Protocol
2.2.4. Data Collection
2.2.5. Data Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Safety Knowledge
3.2. Safety Rules
3.3. RESIST Strategies
3.4. Learning Assessment
4. Discussion
Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Alink, L.R.A.; Cicchetti, D.; Kim, J.; Rogosch, F.A. Longitudinal associations among child maltreatment, social functioning, and cortisol regulation. Dev. Psychol. 2012, 48, 224–236. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Cui, Z.; Oshri, A.; Liu, S.; Smith, E.P.; Kogan, S.M. Child maltreatment and resilience: The promotive and protective role of future orientation. J. Youth Adolesc. 2020, 49, 2075–2089. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Stamoulis, C.; Vanderwert, R.; Zeanah, C.; Fox, N.; Nelson, C. Neuronal networks in the developing brain are adversely modulated by early psychosocial neglect. J. Neurophysiol. 2017, 118, 2275–2288. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Milojevich, H.M.; Levine, L.J.; Cathcart, E.J.; Quas, J.A. The role of maltreatment in the development of coping strategies. J. Appl. Dev. Psychol. 2018, 54, 23–32. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Felitti, V.J.; Anda, R.F.; Nordenberg, D.; Williamson, D.F.; Spitz, A.M.; Edwards, V.; Marks, J.S. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study. Am. J. Prev. Med. 1998, 14, 245–258. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Global Status Report on Preventing Violence against Children; World Health Organization: Geneva, Switzerland, 2020.
- Hillis, S.; Mercy, J.; Amobi, A.; Kress, H. Global prevalence of past-year violence against children: A systematic review and minimum estimates. Pediatrics 2016, 137, e20154079. Available online: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/01/25/peds.2015-4079 (accessed on 20 October 2020). [CrossRef]
- A Familiar Face: Violence in the Lives of Children and Adolescents; United Nations Children’s Fund: New York, NY, USA, 2017.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: A Statistical Analysis of Violence against Children; United Nations Children’s Fund: New York, NY, USA, 2014.
- Behind the Numbers: Ending School Violence and Bullying; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: Paris, France, 2019.
- Stoltenborgh, M.; Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J.; Alink, L.R.A.; van IJzendoorn, M.H. The universality of childhood emotional abuse: A meta-analysis of worldwide prevalence. J. Aggress. Maltreat. Trauma 2012, 21, 870–890. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Fore, H.H. A wake-up call: COVID-19 and its impact on children’s health and wellbeing. Lancet Glob. Health 2020, 8, e861–e862. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Baron, E.J.; Goldstein, E.G.; Wallace, C.T. Suffering in silence: How COVID-19 school closures inhibit the reporting of child maltreatment. J. Public Econ. 2020, 190, 104258. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Katz, C.; Cohen, N. Invisible children and non-essential workers: Child protection during COVID-19 in Israel according to policy documents and media coverage. Child Abus. Negl. 2020, 116, 104770. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Conrad-Hiebner, A.; Byram, E. The temporal impact of economic insecurity on child maltreatment: A systematic review. Trauma Violence Abus. 2020, 21, 157–178. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Proulx, K.; Lenzi-Weisbecker, R.; Rachel, R.; Hackett, K.; Cavallera, V.; Daelmans, B.; Dua, T. Responsive caregiving, opportunities for early learning, and children’s safety and security during COVID-19: A rapid review. medRxiv 2021. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rodriguez, C.M.; Lee, S.J.; Ward, K.P.; Pu, D.F. The perfect storm: Hidden risk of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Child Maltreat. 2020, 26, 139–151. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Self-Brown, S.; Reuben, K.; Perry, E.W.; Bullinger, L.R.; Osborne, M.C.; Bielecki, J.; Whitaker, D. The impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of an evidence-based child maltreatment prevention program: Understanding the perspectives of SafeCare® Providers. J. Fam. Violence 2020, 37, 825–835. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Santoli, J.M.; Lindley, M.C.; DeSilva, M.B.; Kharbanda, E.O.; Daley, M.F.; Galloway, L.; Gee, J.; Glover, M.; Herring, B.; Kang, Y.; et al. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine pediatric vaccine ordering and administration, United States, 2020. MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 2020, 69, 591–593. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Finkelhor, D.; Turner, H.; Ormrod, R.; Hamby, S.L. Violence, abuse, and crime exposure in a national sample of children and youth. Pediatrics 2009, 124, 1411–1423. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Tutty, L.M. What children learn from sexual abuse prevention programs: Difficult concepts and developmental issues. Res. Soc. Work Pract. 2000, 10, 275–300. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Durlak, J.A.; Weissberg, R.P.; Dymnicki, A.B.; Taylor, R.D.; Schellinger, K.B. The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Dev. 2011, 82, 405–432. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Fonner, V.A.; Armstrong, K.S.; Kennedy, C.E.; O’Reilly, K.R.; Sweat, M.D. School based sex education and HIV prevention in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE 2014, 9, e89692. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Evans, C.B.; Fraser, M.W.; Cotter, K.L. The effectiveness of school-based bullying prevention programs: A systematic review. Aggress. Violent Behav. 2014, 19, 532–544. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morris, M.C.; Kouros, C.D.; Janecek, K.; Freeman, R.; Mielock, A.; Garber, J. Community-level moderators of a school-based childhood sexual assault prevention program. Child Abus. Negl. 2017, 63, 295–306. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Walsh, K.; Berthelsen, D.; Hand, K.; Brandon, L.; Nicholson, J.M. Sexual abuse prevention education in Australian primary schools: A national survey of programs. J. Interpers. Violence 2019, 34, 4328–4351. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- World Health Organization Health Promoting Schools. Available online: https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-promoting-schools#tab=tab_1 (accessed on 1 August 2022).
- Mahoney, J.L.; Durlak, J.A.; Weissberg, R.P. An update on social and emotional learning outcome research. Phi Delta Kappan 2018, 100, 18–23. [Google Scholar]
- Finkelhor, D.; Ormrod, R.K.; Turner, H.A. Lifetime assessment of poly-victimization in a national sample of children and youth. Child Abus. Negl. 2009, 33, 403–411. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Eddy, J.M.; Sneddon, D. Rigorous research on existing child maltreatment prevention programs: Introduction to the special section. Prev. Sci. 2020, 21, 1–3. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kenny, M.C.; Long, H.; Billings, D.; Malik, F. School-based abuse prevention programming: Implementation of child safety matters with minority youth. Child Abus. Rev. 2022, 31, e2742. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Del Campo, A.; Fávero, M. Effectiveness of programs for the prevention of child sexual abuse: A comprehensive review of evaluation studies. Eur. Psychol. 2020, 25, 1–15. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Katz, C.; Priolo Filho, S.R.; Korbin, J.; Bérubé, A.; Fouché, A.; Haffejee, S.; Kaawa-Mafigiri, D.; Maguire-Jack, K.; Muñoz, P.; Spilsbury, J.; et al. Child maltreatment in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic: A proposed global framework on research, policy and practice. Child Abus. Negl. 2021, 116 Pt 2, 104824. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Diaz, M.J.; Wolfersteig, W.; Moreland, D.; Yoder, G.; Dustman, P.; Harthun, M.L. Teaching youth to resist abuse: Evaluation of a strengths-based child maltreatment curriculum for high school students. J. Child Adolesc. Trauma 2021, 14, 141–149. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bronfenbrenner, U. The Ecology of Human Development; Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA, USA, 1979. [Google Scholar]
- Masten, A.S. Global perspectives on resilience in children and youth. Child Dev. 2014, 85, 6–20. [Google Scholar]
- Zimmerman, M.A. Resiliency theory: A strengths-based approach to research and practice for adolescent health. Health Educ. Behav. 2013, 40, 381–383. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Leinhardt, G. What research on learning tells us about teaching. Educ. Leadersh. 1992, 49, 20–25. [Google Scholar]
- Diaz, M.J.; Moreland, D.; Wolfersteig, W. Assessing the effects of Childhelp’s Speak Up be Safe child abuse prevention curriculum for high school students. J. Child Adolesc. Trauma 2021, 14, 425–432. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Tavakol, M.; Dennick, R. Making sense of Cronbach’s alpha. Int. J. Med. Educ. 2011, 2, 53. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Kincaid, J.; Fishburne, R.; Rogers, R.; Chissom, B. Derivation of New Readability Formulas (Automated Readability Index, Fog Count and Flesch Reading Ease Formula) for Navy Enlisted Personnel; Institute for Simulation and Training: Orlando, FL, USA, 1975; Available online: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/istlibrary/56 (accessed on 7 September 2022).
Total | SUBS | Control | |
---|---|---|---|
Variable | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) |
School | 13 (100%) | 7 (53.8%) | 6 (46.2%) |
Free/Reduced Lunch | 2539 (100%) | 1415 (55.7%) | 1124 (44.3%) |
Grade Characteristics | |||
Kindergarten | 258 | 158 | 100 |
School | 11 | 6 | 5 |
Boy | 124 (48.1%) | 83 (52.5%) | 41 (41.0%) |
Girl | 127 (49.2%) | 70 (44.3%) | 57 (57.0%) |
Unknown | 7 (2.7%) | 5 (3.2%) | 2 (2.0%) |
First | 272 | 175 | 97 |
School | 11 | 7 | 4 |
Boy | 132 (48.5%) | 88 (50.3%) | 44 (45.4%) |
Girl | 136 (50.0%) | 83 (47.4%) | 53 (54.6%) |
Unknown | 4 (1.5%) | 4 (2.3%) | 0 (0%) |
Second | 340 | 228 | 112 |
School | 11 | 6 | 5 |
Boy | 158 (46.5%) | 105 (46.1%) | 53 (47.3%) |
Girl | 180 (52.9%) | 121 (53.1%) | 59 (52.7%) |
Unknown | 2 (0.6%) | 2 (0.9%) | 0 (0%) |
Third | 222 | 112 | 110 |
School | 11 | 6 | 5 |
Boy | 112 (50.5%) | 57 (50.9%) | 55 (50.0%) |
Girl | 110 (49.5%) | 55 (49.1%) | 55 (50.0%) |
Unknown | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
Fourth | 416 | 264 | 152 |
School | 11 | 6 | 5 |
Boy | 211 (50.7%) | 132 (50.0%) | 79 (52.0%) |
Girl | 205 (49.3%) | 132 (50.0%) | 73 (48.0%) |
Unknown | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
Fifth | 442 | 222 | 220 |
School | 12 | 6 | 6 |
Boy | 215 (48.6%) | 109 (49.1%) | 106 (48.2%) |
Girl | 221 (50.0%) | 111 (50.0%) | 110 (50.0%) |
Unknown | 6 (1.4%) | 2 (0.9%) | 4 (1.8%) |
Sixth | 357 | 203 | 154 |
School | 12 | 6 | 6 |
Boy | 174 (48.7%) | 96 (47.3%) | 78 (50.6%) |
Girl | 181 (50.7%) | 106 (52.2%) | 75 (48.7%) |
Unknown | 2 (0.6%) | 1 (0.5%) | 1 (0.6%) |
White | 18 (5.0%) | 13 (6.4%) | 5 (3.3%) |
Hispanic | 337 (94.4%) | 190 (93.6%) | 147 (95.9%) |
Black | 39 (10.9%) | 23 (11.3%) | 16 (10.5%) |
AI/AN | 21 (5.9%) | 12 (5.9%) | 9 (5.9%) |
Asian/PI | 11 (3.1%) | 8 (3.9%) | 3 (2.0%) |
Other | 2 (0.6%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (1.3%) |
Seventh | 241 | 94 | 147 |
School | 11 | 5 | 6 |
Boy | 126 (52.3%) | 47 (50.5%) | 79 (54.1%) |
Girl | 110 (45.6%) | 45 (48.4%) | 65 (44.5%) |
Unknown | 5 (2.1%) | 2 (1.1%) | 3 (1.4%) |
White | 7 (2.9%) | 5 (5.3%) | 2 (1.4%) |
Hispanic | 224 (92.9%) | 85 (90.4%) | 139 (94.6%) |
Black | 27 (11.2%) | 16 (17.0%) | 11 (7.5%) |
AI/AN | 14 (5.8%) | 8 (8.5%) | 6 (4.1%) |
Asian/PI | 7 (2.9%) | 5 (5.3%) | 2 (1.4%) |
Other | 3 (1.2%) | 1 (1.1%) | 2 (1.4%) |
Eighth | 249 | 117 | 132 |
School | 10 | 4 | 6 |
Boy | 134 (53.8%) | 69 (59.0%) | 65 (49.6%) |
Girl | 110 (44.2%) | 47 (40.2%) | 63 (48.1%) |
Unknown | 5 (2.0%) | 1 (0.9%) | 4 (2.3%) |
White | 8 (3.2%) | 3 (2.6%) | 5 (3.8%) |
Hispanic | 241 (96.8%) | 103 (88.0%) | 138 (104.5%) |
Black | 36 (14.5%) | 19 (16.2%) | 17 (12.9%) |
AI/AN | 10 (4.0%) | 5 (4.3%) | 5 (3.8%) |
Asian/PI | 3 (1.2%) | 1 (0.9%) | 2 (1.4%) |
Other | 3 (1.2%) | 1 (0.9%) | 2 (1.4%) |
Grade | SUBS | Control | ANCOVA | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M | SD | M | SD | F ratio | Df | η2p | |
Kindergarten | 0.84 | 0.22 | 0.77 | 0.26 | 5.985 * | 1, 237 | 0.025 |
1 | 0.85 | 0.21 | 0.72 | 0.28 | 14.959 *** | 1, 252 | 0.056 |
2 | 0.84 | 0.23 | 0.77 | 0.23 | 7.761 ** | 1, 326 | 0.023 |
Grade | SUBS | Control | ANCOVA | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M | SD | M | SD | F Ratio | Df | η2p | |
3 | 0.91 | 0.18 | 0.81 | 0.19 | 13.183 *** | 1, 203 | 0.061 |
4 | 0.95 | 0.12 | 0.87 | 0.19 | 28.512 *** | 1, 390 | 0.068 |
5 | 0.96 | 0.13 | 0.87 | 0.17 | 32.090 *** | 1, 418 | 0.071 |
6 | 0.98 | 0.07 | 0.89 | 0.17 | 36.699 *** | 1, 340 | 0.097 |
7 | 0.92 | 0.20 | 0.89 | 0.17 | 0.430 | 1, 231 | 0.002 |
8 | 0.95 | 0.14 | 0.91 | 0.17 | 2.340 | 1, 239 | 0.010 |
Grade | SUBS | Control | ANCOVA | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M | SD | M | SD | F Ratio | Df | η2p | |
4 | 0.94 | 0.16 | 0.82 | 0.28 | 29.282 *** | 1, 388 | 0.070 |
5 | 0.96 | 0.17 | 0.77 | 0.29 | 56.498 *** | 1, 407 | 0.122 |
6 | 0.94 | 0.16 | 0.89 | 0.21 | 7.329 ** | 1, 344 | 0.021 |
7 | 0.94 | 0.20 | 0.91 | 0.20 | 1.682 | 1, 236 | 0.007 |
8 | 0.97 | 0.14 | 0.89 | 0.22 | 11.909 ** | 1, 243 | 0.047 |
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. |
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Wolfersteig, W.; Diaz, M.J.; Moreland, D. Empowering Elementary and Middle School Youth to Speak Up and Be Safe: Advancing Prevention of Child Maltreatment with a Universal School-Based Curriculum. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 11856. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911856
Wolfersteig W, Diaz MJ, Moreland D. Empowering Elementary and Middle School Youth to Speak Up and Be Safe: Advancing Prevention of Child Maltreatment with a Universal School-Based Curriculum. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(19):11856. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911856
Chicago/Turabian StyleWolfersteig, Wendy, Marisol Juarez Diaz, and Diane Moreland. 2022. "Empowering Elementary and Middle School Youth to Speak Up and Be Safe: Advancing Prevention of Child Maltreatment with a Universal School-Based Curriculum" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 19: 11856. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911856