A Multimedia Violence Prevention Program Increases Pediatric Residents’ and Childcare Providers’ Knowledge About Responding to Childhood Aggression

Abstract

A pre-post knowledge test using alternate forms was used to determine if a multimedia violence prevention program can increase knowledge about management of childhood aggression. The participants were pediatric residents and childcare workers who attended lectures about aggression management in young children. The intervention was a presentation of a 30 minute CD-ROM program, Play Nicely, which teaches how to manage aggression in young children ages 1 to 7 years. A pretest and posttest multiple-choice knowledge assessment that focused on the program’s most important recommendations was administered. Childcare workers and pediatric residents had significantly increased knowledge scores after viewing the CD-ROM demonstration (F=6.8, p = 0.01). Childcare workers’ scores improved by 2.6 points (p< 0.001) and residents’ scores by 3.8 points (p< 0.001). A relatively short CD-ROM can improve knowledge about how to manage aggression in young children, indicating its usefulness as a violence prevention resource.