Preventing Sexual Abuse of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities–Evaluation Results of a Prevention Training for University Students.

Date

2016

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education

Abstract

This paper presents first results of the Cologne (Germany) evaluation study about a prevention training for University students. University students of special needs education (N=391) received a special prevention training on sexual abuse of children and adolescents with disabilities. The training was evaluated in an experimental- controlgroup- design with three points of measurement. The effectiveness of the training was investigated by exploring learning and attributional outcomes. These constructs were operationalized by using the “Questionnaire for the assessment of verbal knowledge” (FDW) and the “Child Sexual Abuse Myth Scale” (CSAM). Results show that increased knowledge and decreased Myth Acceptance over the series of measurements is related to completing the training. Our findings provide empirical evidence for the effectiveness of the prevention training. Furthermore we were able to present a training that may be implemented in education for students in university setting. Our results are in accordance with empirical evidence that staff who had been trained on the prevention of sexual abuse shows a greater awareness and sensitivity towards sexual abuse as well as a greater commitment to put prevention and intervention plans into action. Thus the education of students and staff is an important contributor in preventing sexual abuse of children and adolescence with disabilities.

Description

Keywords

sexual abuse, prevention, evaluation, disabilities, International Resources, Germany

Citation

Verlinden, K., Scharmanski, S., Urbann, K., & Bienstein, P. (2016). Preventing Sexual Abuse of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities–Evaluation Results of a Prevention Training for University Students. International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education, 5(2), 859-867.

DOI