The Road to Evidence-Based Practice: Preliminary Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Efficacy of a Child Abuse Prevention Curriculum for Grades K-8

Introduction. Data suggest a critical need for increased attention to the prevention of child abuse and neglect in the United States. In 2016, an estimated 676,000 victims of abuse and neglect cost the US approximately $124 billion. Given the long-term harmful effects on the victims, as well as the tremendous societal cost, child maltreatment is an imperative issue of health equity because the effects of child maltreatment disproportionately impact impoverished communities, many communities of color, and those affected by the child welfare system. Proposing to implement evidence-based programs to address child maltreatment is becoming a standard requirement for funders as well as a driver of policy development. This presentation will focus on preliminary results from the randomized controlled trial conducted to test the efficacy of Childhelp’s Speak Up Be Safe child abuse prevention education curriculum. Childhelp, the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit advocating for abused and neglected children, contracted with the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center at Arizona State University to conduct this trial.

Design. Using a randomized controlled design to assign schools in a large school district in the Southwest, schools were categorized as either a curriculum implementation or a control site. The resulting assignment included 2,891 youth in the curriculum implementation condition who will be compared to 3,224 youth in the control condition schools. An approximate total of 6,115 students will be included across 14 randomized schools, with children participants spanning Kindergarten through 8^th grade.

Methods. Measures were designed to assess the efficacy of the curriculum in increasing children’s knowledge of safety risks and self-protection strategies. Measures’ content validity was addressed in a previous pilot test of the instrument with 896 students. This RCT used a pre/post/follow-up study design to assess student gains. The lessons were aligned with the Common Core State Standards and U.S. national health and safety standards. Data analysis will be conducted using SPSS software. Demographic items, overall knowledge scores, and statistically significant scores within and between RCT group and grade level differences will be reported. Each analysis will be performed to determine overall efficacy including results stratified by grade level.

Results. Preliminary results of efficacy testing will be presented following initial data analysis that will be completed in Spring 2019.

Conclusions. Study results will show the degree of efficacy of this child abuse prevention curriculum, informing school systems and policy makers hoping to choose evidence-based programs to prevent child maltreatment and improve family health.