Parent-Focused Child Sexual Abuse Prevention

KATE GUASTAFERRO, PhD
Assistant Research Professor, Pennsylvania State University

Child sexual abuse (CSA) affects about 60,000 children per year in the United States and has estimated societal costs in excess of $9.3 billion. Despite the proliferation of parent education programs that have successfully reduced the risk for physical abuse and neglect, these programs are not designed to prevent CSA specifically and have not affected rates of CSA. While parents are not the most common perpetrators of CSA, they are an important agent of change within the family context and they control access to children by creating a protective and safe environment. This study sought to examine the knowledge, attitude, and behavioral changes attributable to the addition of a newly-created, parent-focused CSA prevention module to existing evidence-based parent education programs commonly prescribed for parents who are deemed ‘at risk’ within the child welfare system.

A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among six community-based organizations randomized to provide Parents as Teachers plus a one-hour CSA module (PAT+CSA) or Parents as Teachers delivered as usual (PAT Only). CSA related-knowledge, attitudes, and protective behaviors (i.e., involvement, positive parenting, and inconsistent discipline) were assessed at four time points (baseline, post-PAT Only, post-PAT+CSA, and a one month follow-up).

CSA related knowledge and attitudes were significantly higher in the PAT+CSA condition than in the PAT Only condition (p = 0.032) at post-intervention. Behaviors also increased from baseline to post-intervention (p < 0.05) and remained increased at the one month follow-up assessment (p < 0.001).

A singular added session focused on CSA prevention can significantly improve parents’ ability to demonstrate CSA preventive knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral skills which can be maintained over time. Parents are critical in preventing CSA and these findings indicate it is possible to augment current approaches to parent education with CSA-specific curricula to impact rates of CSA.