Effects of a Personal Safety Program on Preschoolers' Knowledge,Skills,and Perceptions of Child Sexual Abuse

Abstract

This study examined preschoolers' knowledge, skills, and perceptions of child sexual abuse. Seventy-five preschoolers were pretested, randomly assigned to participate in either a personal safety program or a general safety control program, and then posttested. The personal safety program produced significant gains in knowledge and skills thought to be useful in helping children avoid sexual victimization. Program participants improved significantly in their abilities to recognize abuse, respond in potentially abusive situations (say “no,” get away), report secret touching, and remember key concepts (e.g., that abuse is never a child's fault). The program did not, however, affect participants' perceptions of the age and gender of perpetrators or the gender of the victims, the relationship between victims and perpetrators, or the possibility of abuse recurrence. The program did not make children suspicious of innocuous touches, nor did it affect negatively their views on normal sexual behavior. The advantages of studying children's responses to personal safety programs through a developmental lens are discussed, and suggestions for future research are offered.