Effectiveness of school-based educational intervention on knowledge, attitudes, and socialization about child abuse among adolescents, parents, and teachers: A longitudinal study.

Abstract

Introduction: Child abuse is a serious public health and human rights issue that can have long-term psychological, social, and behavioral consequences for adolescents. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a school-based educational intervention on knowledge, attitudes, and socialization regarding child abuse among adolescents, parents, and teachers, with a six-month follow-up.
Methods: A longitudinal, true-experimental design was adopted. A total of 108 adolescents and their parents and 90 teachers were selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire. A structured school-based educational intervention was implemented for the intervention group.
Results: The findings demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and socialization scores among adolescents, parents, and teachers in the intervention groups compared with the control groups, followed by a slight decline at post-test 2. The findings indicate that school-based child abuse prevention programs can improve adolescents’, parents’, and teachers’ knowledge and socialization and may contribute to strengthening self-protection skills and positive attitudes. Education for parents and teachers may further strengthen their knowledge, attitudes, and practices, supporting child-initiated protection and disclosure.
Conclusion: The school-based educational intervention was effective in improving knowledge, attitudes, and socialization regarding child abuse among adolescents, parents, and teachers. The findings highlight the importance of involving adolescents, parents, and teachers in school-based child abuse prevention programs to strengthen protective knowledge, skills, and supportive environments for prevention and disclosure.
Keywords: Adolescents; Attitude; Child abuse; Knowledge; Parents; Schoolteachers; Socialization; School-based educational intervention