Child Maltreatment and Long-Term Physical and Mental Health Outcomes: An Exploration of Biopsychosocial Determinants and Implications for Prevention.

Child maltreatment rates remain unacceptably high and rates are likely to escalate as COVID-related economic problems continue. A comprehensive and evidence-building approach is needed to prevent, detect and intervene where child maltreatment occurs. This review identifies key challenges in definitions, overviews the latest data on prevalence rates, reviews risk and protective factors, and examines common long-term mental health outcomes for children who experience maltreatment. The review takes a systems approach to child maltreatment outcomes through its focus on the overall burden of disease, gene-environment interactions, neurobiological mechanisms and social ecologies linking maltreatment to mental ill-health. Five recommendations relating to the accurate measurement of trends, research on brain structures and processes, improving the reach and impact of teleservices for detecting, preventing and treating child maladjustment, community-based approaches, and building population-focused multidisciplinary alliances and think tanks are presented.

Child protection training for professionals to improve reporting of child abuse and neglect.

BACKGROUND: Many nations require child-serving professionals to report known or suspected cases of significant child abuse and neglect to statutory child protection or safeguarding authorities. Considered globally, there are millions of professionals who fulfil these roles, and many more who will do so in future. Ensuring they are trained in reporting child abuse and neglect is a key priority for nations and organisations if efforts to address violence against children are to succeed. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of training aimed at improving reporting of child abuse and neglect by professionals and to investigate possible components of effective training interventions. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, 18 other databases, and one trials register up to 4 June 2021. We also handsearched reference lists, selected journals, and websites, and circulated a request for studies to researchers via an email discussion list. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and controlled before-and-after studies examining the effects of training interventions for qualified professionals (e.g. teachers, childcare professionals, doctors, nurses, and mental health professionals) to improve reporting of child abuse and neglect, compared with no training, waitlist control, or alternative training (not related to child abuse and neglect). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used methodological procedures described in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We synthesised training effects in meta-analysis where possible and summarised findings for primary outcomes (number of reported cases of child abuse and neglect, quality of reported cases, adverse events) and secondary outcomes (knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards the reporting duty). We used the GRADE approach to rate the certainty of the evidence. MAIN RESULTS: We included 11 trials (1484 participants), using data from 9 of the 11 trials in quantitative synthesis. Trials took place in high-income countries, including the USA, Canada, and the Netherlands, with qualified professionals. In 8 of the 11 trials, interventions were delivered in face-to-face workshops or seminars, and in 3 trials interventions were delivered as self-paced e-learning modules. Interventions were developed by experts and delivered by specialist facilitators, content area experts, or interdisciplinary teams. Only 3 of the 11 included studies were conducted in the past 10 years. Primary outcomes Three studies measured the number of cases of child abuse and neglect via participants' self-report of actual cases reported, three months after training. The results of one study (42 participants) favoured the intervention over waitlist, but the evidence is very uncertain (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18 to 1.43; very low-certainty evidence). Three studies measured the number of cases of child abuse and neglect via participants' responses to hypothetical case vignettes immediately after training. A meta-analysis of two studies (87 participants) favoured training over no training or waitlist for training, but the evidence is very uncertain (SMD 1.81, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.32; very low-certainty evidence).  We identified no studies that measured the number of cases of child abuse and neglect via official records of reports made to child protection authorities, or adverse effects of training. Secondary outcomes Four studies measured professionals' knowledge of reporting duty, processes, and procedures postintervention. The results of one study (744 participants) may favour the intervention over waitlist for training (SMD 1.06, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.21; low-certainty evidence). Four studies measured professionals' knowledge of core concepts in all forms of child abuse and neglect postintervention. A meta-analysis of two studies (154 participants) favoured training over no training, but the evidence is very uncertain (SMD 0.68, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.01; very low-certainty evidence). Three studies measured professionals' knowledge of core concepts in child sexual abuse postintervention. A meta-analysis of these three studies (238 participants) favoured training over no training or waitlist for training, but the evidence is very uncertain (SMD 1.44, 95% CI 0.43 to 2.45; very low-certainty evidence). One study (25 participants) measured professionals' skill in distinguishing reportable and non-reportable cases postintervention. The results favoured the intervention over no training, but the evidence is very uncertain (SMD 0.94, 95% CI 0.11 to 1.77; very low-certainty evidence). Two studies measured professionals' attitudes towards the duty to report child abuse and neglect postintervention. The results of one study (741 participants) favoured the intervention over waitlist, but the evidence is very uncertain (SMD 0.61, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.76; very low-certainty evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The studies included in this review suggest there may be evidence of improvements in training outcomes for professionals exposed to training compared with those who are not exposed. However, the evidence is very uncertain. We rated the certainty of evidence as low to very low, downgrading due to study design and reporting limitations. Our findings rest on a small number of largely older studies, confined to single professional groups. Whether similar effects would be seen for a wider range of professionals remains unknown. Considering the many professional groups with reporting duties, we strongly recommend further research to assess the effectiveness of training interventions, with a wider range of child-serving professionals. There is a need for larger trials that use appropriate methods for group allocation, and statistical methods to account for the delivery of training to professionals in workplace groups.

Cluster randomised-control trial for an Australian child protection education program: Study protocol for the Learn to be safe with Emmy and friends™.

BACKGROUND: Child maltreatment has severe short-and long-term consequences for children's health, development, and wellbeing. Despite the provision of child protection education programs in many countries, few have been rigorously evaluated to determine their effectiveness. We describe the design of a multi-site gold standard evaluation of an Australian school-based child protection education program. The intervention has been developed by a not-for-profit agency and comprises 5 1-h sessions delivered to first grade students (aged 5-6 years) in their regular classrooms. It incorporates common attributes of effective programs identified in the literature, and aligns with the Australian education curriculum. METHODS/DESIGN: A three-site cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) of Learn to be safe with Emmy and friends™ will be conducted with children in approximately 72 first grade classrooms in 24 Queensland primary (elementary) schools from three state regions, over a period of 2 years. Entire schools will be randomised, using a computer generated list of random numbers, to intervention and wait-list control conditions, to prevent contamination effects across students and classes. Data will be collected at baseline (pre-assessment), immediately after the intervention (post-assessment), and at 6-, 12-, and 18-months (follow-up assessments). Outcome assessors will be blinded to group membership. Primary outcomes assessed are children's knowledge of program concepts; intentions to use program knowledge, skills, and help-seeking strategies; actual use of program material in a simulated situation; and anxiety arising from program participation. Secondary outcomes include a parent discussion monitor, parent observations of their children's use of program materials, satisfaction with the program, and parental stress. A process evaluation will be conducted concurrently to assess program performance. DISCUSSION: This RCT addresses shortcomings in previous studies and methodologically extends research in this area by randomising at school-level to prevent cross-learning between conditions; providing longer-term outcome assessment than any previous study; examining the degree to which parents/guardians discuss intervention content with children at home; assessing potential moderating/mediating effects of family and child demographic variables; testing an in-vivo measure to assess children's ability to discriminate safe/unsafe situations and disclose to trusted adults; and testing enhancements to existing measures to establish greater internal consistency. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ACTRN12615000917538). Registered (02/09/2015).

School-based education programmes for the prevention of child sexual abuse.

BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse is a significant global problem in both magnitude and sequelae. The most widely used primary prevention strategy has been the provision of school-based education programmes. Although programmes have been taught in schools since the 1980s, their effectiveness requires ongoing scrutiny. OBJECTIVES: To systematically assess evidence of the effectiveness of school-based education programmes for the prevention of child sexual abuse. Specifically, to assess whether: programmes are effective in improving students' protective behaviours and knowledge about sexual abuse prevention; behaviours and skills are retained over time; and participation results in disclosures of sexual abuse, produces harms, or both. SEARCH METHODS: In September 2014, we searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE and 11 other databases. We also searched two trials registers and screened the reference lists of previous reviews for additional trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: We selected randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster-RCTs, and quasi-RCTs of school-based education interventions for the prevention of child sexual abuse compared with another intervention or no intervention. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed the eligibility of trials for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We summarised data for six outcomes: protective behaviours; knowledge of sexual abuse or sexual abuse prevention concepts; retention of protective behaviours over time; retention of knowledge over time; harm; and disclosures of sexual abuse. MAIN RESULTS: This is an update of a Cochrane Review that included 15 trials (up to August 2006). We identified 10 additional trials for the period to September 2014. We excluded one trial from the original review. Therefore, this update includes a total of 24 trials (5802 participants). We conducted several meta-analyses. More than half of the trials in each meta-analysis contained unit of analysis errors.1. Meta-analysis of two trials (n = 102) evaluating protective behaviours favoured intervention (odds ratio (OR) 5.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.98 to 16.51), with borderline low to moderate heterogeneity (Chi² = 1.37, df = 1, P value = 0.24, I² = 27%, Tau² = 0.16). The results did not change when we made adjustments using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) to correct errors made in studies where data were analysed without accounting for the clustering of students in classes or schools.2. Meta-analysis of 18 trials (n = 4657) evaluating questionnaire-based knowledge favoured intervention (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.61, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.78), but there was substantial heterogeneity (Chi² = 104.76, df = 17, P value < 0.00001, I² = 84%, Tau² = 0.10). The results did not change when adjusted for clustering (ICC: 0.1 SMD 0.66, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.81; ICC: 0.2 SMD 0.63, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.77).3. Meta-analysis of 11 trials (n =1688) evaluating vignette-based knowledge favoured intervention (SMD 0.45, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.65), but there was substantial heterogeneity (Chi² = 34.25, df = 10, P value < 0.0002, I² = 71%, Tau² = 0.08). The results did not change when adjusted for clustering (ICC: 0.1 SMD 0.53, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.74; ICC: 0.2 SMD 0.60, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.89).4. We included four trials in the meta-analysis for retention of knowledge over time. The effect of intervention seemed to persist beyond the immediate assessment (SMD 0.78, 95% CI 0.38 to 1.17; I² = 84%, Tau² = 0.13, P value = 0.0003; n = 956) to six months (SMD 0.69, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.87; I² = 25%; Tau² = 0.01, P value = 0.26; n = 929). The results did not change when adjustments were made using ICCs.5. We included three studies in the meta-analysis for adverse effects (harm) manifesting as child anxiety or fear. The results showed no increase or decrease in anxiety or fear in intervention participants (SMD -0.08, 95% CI -0.22 to 0.07; n = 795) and there was no heterogeneity (I² = 0%, P value = 0.79; n=795). The results did not change when adjustments were made using ICCs.6. We included three studies (n = 1788) in the meta-analysis for disclosure of previous or current sexual abuse. The results favoured intervention (OR 3.56, 95% CI 1.13 to 11.24), with no heterogeneity (I² = 0%, P value = 0.84). However, adjusting for the effect of clustering had the effect of widening the confidence intervals around the OR (ICC: 0.1 OR 3.04, 95% CI 0.75 to 12.33; ICC: 0.2 OR 2.95, 95% CI 0.69 to 12.61).Insufficient information was provided in the included studies to conduct planned subgroup analyses and there were insufficient studies to conduct meaningful analyses.The quality of evidence for all outcomes included in the meta-analyses was moderate owing to unclear risk of selection bias across most studies, high or unclear risk of detection bias across over half of included studies, and high or unclear risk of attrition bias across most studies. The results should be interpreted cautiously. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The studies included in this review show evidence of improvements in protective behaviours and knowledge among children exposed to school-based programmes, regardless of the type of programme. The results might have differed had the true ICCs or cluster-adjusted results been available. There is evidence that children's knowledge does not deteriorate over time, although this requires further research with longer-term follow-up. Programme participation does not generate increased or decreased child anxiety or fear, however there is a need for ongoing monitoring of both positive and negative short- and long-term effects. The results show that programme participation may increase the odds of disclosure, however there is a need for more programme evaluations to routinely collect such data. Further investigation of the moderators of programme effects is required along with longitudinal or data linkage studies that can assess actual prevention of child sexual abuse.

Schools' readiness for child sexual abuse prevention education: Preliminary scale development using a Delphi method.

BACKGROUND: This study employed a Delphi method with a panel of experts to collaboratively design a new instrument to assess schools' readiness for school-based child sexual abuse prevention education. METHODS: An initial item pool was generated based on a review of existing empirical research and theoretical models. We invited researchers and stakeholders in the field of child sexual abuse prevention as experts to participate in a two-round online Delphi study in which they rated item importance and clarity, contributed their views on superfluous and/or missing items, gave rephrasing suggestions, and re-appraised revised items. Following the Delphi study, the instrument was pilot tested with a convenience sample of school staff. RESULTS: The initial item pool comprised 81 items in five construct sub-scales congruent with Wiener's Organizational Readiness for Change theory: contextual factors, informational assessment, change valence, change commitment, and change efficacy. In the Delphi study, 24 experts participated in round 1, and 13 participated in round 2. Based on Delphi study responses, the instrument was reduced to 56 items in the five construct subscales: contextual factors (28 items), informational assessment (13 items), change valence (6 items), change commitment (3 items), and change efficacy (6 items). The Schools' Readiness for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education (SR-CSAPE) was successfully pilot tested with school staff (n = 19) and minor changes to demographic items were incorporated. CONCLUSIONS: Informed by experts, the Schools' Readiness for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education (SR-CSAPE) is a newly-developed 56-item scale that identifies key organizational dimensions to schools' preparedness for CSA prevention education. Psychometric properties of the scale must be determined in future research.

Engaging Parents in Child-Focused Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education Strategies: A Systematic Review.

Parents are their children's first teachers and there are long-standing calls for their involvement in child sexual abuse prevention. In this rapid systematic review, we asked the following questions: what rationales are used to justify parental involvement in child-focused child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention programs? what approaches are used for parental engagement in child-focused CSA prevention programs? and what are the facilitators and barriers to parental involvement in child-focused CSA prevention programs? We searched CINAHL, Cochrane, ERIC, Medline, PsycInfo, Scopus, and SocINDEX in May 2021. A total of 57 papers met our inclusion criteria, comprised of 50 empirical studies, and 7 program descriptions. Rationales for parental involvement included monitoring and shaping parental attitudes toward CSA program delivery in schools; reinforcing children's learning at home; promoting parent-child communication about CSA prevention; building parent capacity to respond to child disclosures; and supporting program delivery for preschoolers. Types of parental involvement included the following: communication, learning at home, volunteering, decision-making, and collaboration with the community. Barriers to parent involvement included ineffective program engagement modalities, and parental fears and misconceptions.

Parental Involvement in Programs to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse: A Systematic Review of Four Decades of Research.

This systematic review is the first to synthesize knowledge of parental involvement in child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention programs. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, 24 intervention evaluations met the inclusion criteria of aiming to change parental knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, behavioral intentions, self-efficacy, response-efficacy, or capabilities for prevention of CSA. Included papers were identified via a combination of electronic database searches (PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, google.com.au, open.grey.eu, Global ETD, Open Access Theses & Dissertations, EThOS, and Trove) and direct communication with researchers. Improvement post intervention was found most commonly for parental behavioral intentions and response-efficacy, closely followed by parental behaviors, then capabilities, self-efficacy, knowledge, and lastly, parental attitudes. Improvements in behaviors, intentions, and response-efficacy occurred in 88 to 100% of the studies in which they were addressed, improvements in self-efficacy and capabilities occurred in 67 to 75%, and improvements in knowledge and attitudes occurred in only 50 to 56%. Many of the included evaluation studies suffered from methodological and reporting flaws, such as high participant attrition, lack of control group, lack of statistical tests, missed testing time points, and a lack of (or short) follow-up. Future parent-focused CSA prevention evaluations must address these concerns by conducting rigorous empirical research with sound methodologies and comprehensive reporting. Furthermore, study designs should consider measuring the real-world impact of increases in assessed parent variables, including their ability to prevent sexual victimization of children.

School-based prevention education for children and youth with intellectual developmental disabilities.

Children with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD) are at a heightened risk of experiencing child maltreatment (CM) when compared to their peers without IDD. Despite expanding evidence supporting the efficacy of school-based CM prevention programs, there are limited programs that tailor their lessons to the unique needs of children with IDD. This discussion first presents information regarding the prevalence and risk factors of CM among children with IDD. We then present existing peer-reviewed CM programs that have been developed for children with IDD. Finally, based on the latest research of CM prevention and special education, we present our considerations for a comprehensive school-based CM prevention program for children with IDD. Prevention programs for children with IDD may increase risk awareness among children with IDD and their parents, equip children with IDD with the protective skills necessary to navigate unsafe situations, and decrease the overall incidence of CM against this population.

Diagnostic Accuracy and economic value of a Tiered Assessment for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (DATAforFASD): Protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Australian practices for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are lengthy and require specialist expertise. Specialist teams are based in urban locations; they are expensive and have prolonged waitlists. Innovative, flexible solutions are needed to ensure First Nations children living in rural/remote communities have culturally appropriate and equitable access to timely diagnosis and support. This study compares the accuracy of rapid assessments (index tests) that can be administered by a range of primary healthcare practitioners to specialist standardised FASD assessments (reference tests). The cost-efficiency of index tests will be compared with reference tests. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: At least 200 children aged 6-16 years at-risk of FASD will be recruited across at least seven study sites. Following standards for reporting diagnostic accuracy study (STARD) guidelines, all children will complete index and reference tests. Diagnostic accuracy statistics (including receiver operating curves, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and likelihood ratios) will identify whether rapid assessments can accurately identify: (1) the presence of an FASD diagnosis and (2) impairment in each neurodevelopmental domain, compared to comprehensive assessments. Direct and indirect healthcare costs for index tests compared to reference tests will be collected in primary healthcare and specialist settings. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS: Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/20/QCHQ/63173); Griffith University Human Research Ethics Committee (2020/743). Results will assist in validating the use of index tests as part of a tiered neurodevelopmental assessment process that was co-designed with First Nations community and primary healthcare practitioners. Outcomes will be summarised and provided to participating practitioners and sites, and disseminated to community health services and consumers. Findings will be presented at national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12622000498796.

Mother-child communication about sexual abuse prevention.

Two hundred and twelve Australian mothers completed an online survey examining features of mother-child communication about child sexual abuse prevention. Two-thirds (67.5%) of respondents had discussed child sexual abuse prevention with their children, with proportions varying according to age range (highest for mothers with children aged 5-12 years) and only-child status (lowest for mothers of only children). The number of topics discussed with their children differed according to child gender (greater number of topics discussed by mothers with both girls and boys) and age range (greater number of topics discussed by mothers with children aged 5-12 years). These findings provide new insights into mother-child communication about child sexual abuse prevention.

Exploratory factor analysis and psychometric evaluation of the teacher reporting attitude scale for child sexual abuse.

This paper presents an evaluation of an instrument to measure teachers' attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse and discusses the instrument's merit for research into reporting practice. Based on responses from 444 Australian teachers, the Teachers' Reporting Attitude Scale for Child Sexual Abuse was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis. The scale isolated three dimensions: commitment to the reporting role, confidence in the system's response to reports, and concerns about reporting. These three factors accounted for 37.5% of the variance in the 14-item measure. Alpha coefficients for the subscales were 0.769 (commitment), 0.617 (confidence), and 0.661 (concerns). The findings provide insights into the complexity of studying teachers' attitudes toward reporting of child sexual abuse and have implications for future research.

Recall of sexual abuse prevention education at school and home: Associations with sexual abuse experience, disclosure, protective parenting, and knowledge.

BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention is dominated by a focus on child education. However, evidence that this education reduces CSA risk is limited and mixed. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether participants' history of receiving school-based child sexual abuse prevention (CSAPP) was associated with experiencing CSA. Uniquely, we also investigated whether parent-led CSA education (PLSAE) and received protective parenting were associated with CSA. CSA knowledge was also considered. METHODS: Australian university students (N = 1265, Mage = 22.8, SD = 7.7, Moage = 18, Mdage = 20, 75% female) reported their history of CSAPP and PLSAE, experience of CSA, disclosure of CSA, parenting, and CSA knowledge. RESULTS: CSAPP attendance was reported by 29% of respondents, 72% reported PLSAE, and 24% reported CSA. PLSAE was significantly associated with lower risk of CSA, but was CSAPP attendance was not. PLSAE was significantly associated with higher levels of parental involvement/care and monitoring/supervision. In a multivariate logistic regression model, involvement/care and monitoring/supervision were associated with lower risk of CSA, but PLSAE was not. Neither CSAPP attendance nor PLSAE was associated with CSA disclosure or CSA knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: These findings add to the small body of literature using reports of real-life experiences. Results call into question the over-reliance of child-education in CSA prevention and highlight the role of protective parenting. Building parenting capacity to include parenting practices is most likely to be effective for CSA prevention, such as monitoring and involvement, and should be included in CSA prevention efforts.

Moving school-based CSA prevention education online: Advantages and challenges of the "new normal".

One of the many outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic was a shift in the delivery of elementary (primary) education. Schools transitioned swiftly to e-learning and prioritized education that was already or could be easily adapted to virtual formats. Given the paucity of online content available, it is not likely that child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention education was prioritized. Given that CSA prevention education has demonstrated success in increasing knowledge, protective behaviors, and disclosures, and the potential long-term need for e-learning options, there is a demand for an exploration of how CSA prevention can be implemented using e-learning strategies. In the current discussion, we explore how school-based CSA prevention education could be implemented in a "new normal" context of e-learning. We first present the existing e-learning content for CSA prevention education. We then describe how best practices for prevention education can be applied to e-learning. Finally, we present considerations for the use of e-learning specifically for CSA prevention education. In short, implementing CSA prevention programs through e-learning offers many affordances for program accessibility and reach, flexibility in implementation and opportunities for greater exposure to content, and a wide range of ways to demonstrate effective skills and engage children in cycles of practice and feedback. E-learning, may also, however, limit important conversations between children and trained instructors that lead to disclosures. The extant literature leaves us unsure as to whether implementing CSA prevention programs through e-learning will result in better or worse outcomes for children. However, given the increasing demand for e-learning options, and the promise of some new e-learning programs, further research on the effectiveness of e-learning CSA prevention programs is warranted.

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention: Parental Discussion, Protective Practices and Attitudes.

Understanding parental practices and attitudes regarding child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention could be used to improve CSA prevention, but little information is available. In this study, we summarise survey data collected from 248 Australian and UK parents (87% female) with at least one child aged 6-11 years (M = 8.6, SD = 1.8). This is the first study to quantify parental use of protective practices, other than prevention education, which may guard against CSA. Parental media mediation, which may safeguard against online dangers, was another unique focus of this study. Participants reported their discussion of sensitive topics with their children including CSA; behaviors that may reduce the incidence of CSA (e.g., monitoring, supervision, delegation of care and checking-in with the child); mediation of their child's media use; and attitudes towards CSA prevention education. Parents reported discussing sexual abuse less than other sensitive topics such as abduction dangers, drugs, and death but more than issues surrounding puberty, sex and pornography. Parents reported using high levels of protective behaviours, however some areas of concern were revealed. Of concern was the low-moderate level of parental media mediation, with substantial numbers of children potentially exposed to online risks such as using devices unsupervised in bedrooms or chatting to individuals unknown to their parents and not having their devices checked for concerning content. Almost all parents were supportive of CSA prevention education and felt they should provide this education. However, two-thirds of parents thought CSA education may be associated with harms for the child and two-thirds of parents believed children could prevent their own abuse. Reported results will aid in our understanding of which areas of parenting could be strengthened to create safer environments for children. This research has particularly highlighted the need for parents to be more protective around their children's access to online devices.

The ethics of child maltreatment surveys in relation to participant distress: Implications of social science evidence, ethical guidelines, and law.

Epidemiological surveys measuring the prevalence of child maltreatment generate essential knowledge that is required to enhance human rights, promote gender equality, and reduce child abuse and neglect and its effects. Yet, evidence suggests Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) may assess the risk of these studies using higher than normal thresholds, based on a perception they may cause high distress to participants. It is essential for IRBs and researchers to have an accurate understanding of the nature and extent of participant distress associated with these studies, and of the duties of researchers towards survey participants, so that meritorious research is endorsed and duties to participants discharged. Assessment by IRBs of the ethics of such research must be appropriately informed by scientific evidence, ethical principles, and legal requirements. This article adds to knowledge by considering participant distress in child maltreatment surveys and its appropriate ethical and operational treatment. We provide an updated overview of scientific evidence of the frequency and severity of distress in studies of child maltreatment, a review of ethical requirements including a focus on beneficence and participant welfare, and a new analysis of researchers' legal duties towards participants. Our analyses demonstrate that participant distress is infrequent and transitory, that researchers can satisfy ethical requirements towards participants, and that legal liability does not extend to emotional distress. Informed by these bodies of knowledge, we distil key principles of good epidemiological practice to provide solutions to operational requirements in these surveys, which both fulfil ethical requirements to participants, and demonstrate trauma-informed practice.

Youth Internet Safety Education: Aligning Programs With the Evidence Base.

BACKGROUND: This review critically examines the messages of youth internet safety education programs in the light of research about both the dynamics of internet dangers and the efficacy of youth prevention education. METHODS: Using terms "internet safety education" and "digital citizenship," a Google search identified 12 multi-topic safety programs. Review articles were identified via Google Scholar for six forms of online harm to youth that have been targeted by many of these programs: cyberbullying (19 articles); online sexual exploitation (23 articles); sexting (19 articles); online fraud, hacking, and identity theft (6 articles); online suicide and self-harm promotion (18 articles); and internet overuse or addiction (15 articles). FINDINGS: There appear to be mismatches between dynamics revealed in the research about internet harms and the messages emphasized in educational programs, particularly on the issues of sexual exploitation and sexting. Overall, the review literature also suggests major advantages to integrating internet safety into already well-established and evidence-based programs currently addressing related off-line harms, for example, programs focusing on general bullying, dating abuse, or sexual abuse prevention. The advantages stem from four factors: (1) the considerable overlap between online harms and similar off-line harms, (2) the apparent greater prevalence of off-line harms, (3) the evidence that the same risk factors lie behind both online and off-line harms, and most importantly, (4) the substantially superior evidence base for the longer standing programs developed originally around the off-line harms.

Teachers' attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse: problems with existing research leading to new scale development.

This paper details a systematic literature review identifying problems in extant research relating to teachers' attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse and offers a model for new attitude scale development and testing. Scale development comprised a five-phase process grounded in contemporary attitude theories, including (a) developing the initial item pool, (b) conducting a panel review, (c) refining the scale via an expert focus group, (d) building content validity through cognitive interviews, and (e) assessing internal consistency via field testing. The resulting 21-item scale displayed construct validity in preliminary testing. The scale may prove useful as a research tool, given the theoretical supposition that attitudes may be changed with time, context, experience, and education. Further investigation with a larger sample is warranted.

Audit tool for assessing child sexual abuse prevention content in school policy and curriculum.

Although audit and feedback has not been well-used in social research, it is a useful method by which to answer research questions concerned with the notion of "best practice", for example, whether a policy or program meets a required standard or benchmark. This paper draws on educational research conducted for a 5-year nation-wide public inquiry: the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. The research comprised an audit of the strength and comprehensiveness of child sexual abuse prevention education policy and curriculum in 32 Australian school systems. The paper describes the development of the audit tool including its conceptual background, step-by-step process for identifying and synthesising evidence to generate the audit criteria and descriptors, and an explanation of how the tool was used. It also presents a succinct protocol for the research method, and critical commentary on the strengths and weaknesses of audit and feedback for social research.

Outcomes of In Situ Training for Disclosure as a Standalone and a Booster to a Child Protective Behaviors Education Program.

In this study, the effectiveness of the Observed Protective Behaviors behaviors test, a single-session, disclosure-focused, in situ skills training (IST), was evaluated as a standalone program (IST only) or as a booster to the child protective education program, Learn to be safe with Emmy and friends ™ (program + IST). Participants included 281 Year 1 children (5-7 years; 52% male), randomly assigned to IST only, program + IST, program only or waitlist, and followed across 6 months. At each assessment, children completed interviews to assess their intention and confidence to disclose unsafe situations (disclosure intentions and confidence) and their ability to identify unsafe situations (safety identification skills). Children also reported their anxiety symptoms to assess for a possible iatrogenic effect. The IST-only condition was effective, with children showing increased disclosure intentions relative to waitlist children. The program + IST condition was also effective, with children showing increased disclosure intentions relative to children in the waitlist or program-only conditions as well as greater increases in disclosure confidence relative to waitlist children. No differences were observed between conditions in children's safety identification skills, and no iatrogenic effect on anxiety was found. Future research may seek to develop an IST that will also boost children's safety identification skills.

Queensland nurses' attitudes towards and knowledge of the legislative duty to report child abuse and neglect: results of a state-wide survey.

In 2005, legislation commenced requiring Queensland nurses to make reports of suspected child abuse and neglect to government child protection authorities. This development further harmonised Australian mandatory reporting laws and their application to the nursing profession, although inconsistencies still exist between States and Territories. As indicated by research published in 2006, little is known about nurses and the reporting of child abuse and neglect. The legislative change in Queensland provided a new opportunity to study nurses' attitudes to reporting, knowledge of the legal reporting duty, and reporting practice, all of which provides much-needed evidence about the reporting of child abuse and neglect, and about the laws themselves. This article describes results from a State-wide survey of Queensland nurses. Findings have implications for law reform, nursing practice, and nurses' training in child abuse and neglect reporting.