Evaluation of a Sexual Abuse Prevention Education for Chinese Preschoolers

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of a sexual abuse prevention education in a sample of Chinese preschool children in Beijing, China. Method: One hundred and fifty preschool children were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (N ¼ 78) or the wait-list control group (N ¼ 72). Children were posttested on sexual abuse prevention knowledge and self-protection skills gains. Results: Following program participation, preschool children in the intervention group demonstrated greater knowledge about sexual abuse prevention and higher levels of self-protection skills compared with children in the wait-list control group. Conclusions: Findings suggest that it is feasible to implement the sexual abuse prevention education with Chinese preschoolers. Applications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Early

“…Previous research provides strong evidence to support that school-based prevention can be helpful in preventing CSA as a whole (Finkelhor, 2007;Topping & Barron, 2009), and that beginning primary CSA prevention with preschoolaged children is important and feasible (Berrick & Barth, 1992;Finkelhor, 2007;Wurtele & Owens, 1997;W. Zhang et al, 2014).…”

“…In the United States, Wurtele and Owens (1997) employed data from five studies with preschool-aged children and found that preschool-aged children who had participated in a 5-day Behavioral Skills Training (BST) program had significant improvement in their selfprotection skills. In another recent study in China, W. Zhang et al (2014) found that Chinese preschool-aged children increased their scores on knowledge of sexual abuse and skills related to CSA prevention after participating in a childdirected prevention program.…”

“…A solid body of studies has demonstrated that schoolbased programs are able to increase children's knowledge (e.g., knowing personal boundaries and that it is not the child's fault if the abuse occurs) and skills related to CSA prevention (e.g., recognizing, resisting, and reporting inappropriate touch requests; Baker, Gleason, Naai, Mitchell, & Trecker, 2012;Chen, 2012;Chen, Du, & Zhang, 2013;Finkelhor, 2007;Rispens, Aleman, & Goudena, 1997;Topping & Barron, 2009;Tutty, 1997;Weatherley et al, 2012;Wurtele & Owens, 1997;W. Zhang et al, 2014).…”

“…Zhang et al, 2014). Especially, recent research has indicated that beginning primary prevention with preschoolers is feasible, and that children as young as 3 years old can learn to recognize inappropriate touching and acquire self-protection skills (Kenny, Wurtele, & Alonso, 2012;Wurtele & Owens, 1997;W. Zhang et al, 2014).…”

Increasing Knowledge and Skill in Preventing Children Sexual Abuse

“…Findings suggest that it is feasible to implement the sexual abuse prevention education with Chinese pre-schoolers [10]. Another finding shown based on analysis of 3 areas in Chinese, it was found that there was a lack of connection between theoretical models and concrete preventive interventions [11]. Another experimental research conducted prevention with three conditions: (1) in person training, (2) web-based training, or (3) wait list control.…”