EVALUATION OF A SCHOOL-BASED CHILD-ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM

This article reports the results of an evaluation study of a school-based educational child abuse prevention program using a quasi-experimental design. Seven hundred ninety-six (796) children, both male and female, at three grade levels, and from nine public and parochial schools participated in the study. Following the presentation of the educational program, an impressive increase in the posttest mean score on a child abuse questionnaire of the treatment group occurred, differences between the posttest mean scores of the treatment and control groups being statistically significant. There was no significant difference between male and female children in their need for and benefit from the program. At the lower grade level, the program was needed more and the gain was greater.