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MA/PhD Theses Abstracts of Current Students & Alumni |
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Hining, Jessica. 1996. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION: A GUIDE TO PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.
Abstract: This
thesis attempts to lay the groundwork for the preparation of child
abuse prevention programs, particularly those targeted at elementary
school children and their parents. The studies that were designed for
this purpose, and the instruments used in them, were pilot tested in
the San Juan metropolitan area of Puerto Rico. The results from these
are reported in this thesis. These studies weigh the potential risks
and benefits of child abuse prevention programs for school children.
Also considered are the developmental stages of the children to whom
such programs will be presented and the preparation needed by parents
and teachers to participate in prevention programs. Psychologists and
psychiatrists were given questionnaires and a sample of them were interviewed.
This was to determine if these experts believed their clients, with
knowledge of some of the general information about prevention, could
have avoided or escaped an abusive situation. Elementary school teachers
were targeted by a second study to assess their knowledge of, and experience
with, child abuse prevention in their classrooms and to obtain their
recommendations for a child abuse prevention program. Social workers
were included in a third study, which was to collect information about
child abuse reporting and the circumstances leading to most of the reports
of child abuse. Their suggestions for the program were also requested,
particularly about how to convince victims to come forward. The general
adult population was also surveyed through a set of questionnaires to
get their opinions regarding child abuse prevention. This research seeks
to help determine the most important factors involved in the child abuse
prevention program and show the potential risks and benefits of the program,
as well as give an indication of probable effectiveness. The initial
testing resulted in revision of all of the survey instruments, the original
and revised copies of which are included as appendices. Further testing
of these questionnaires is required before any significant conclusions
can be drawn. Suggestions for future use of these studies to develop,
implement, and evaluate child abuse prevention programs are included
in this report, as well as possible roles for applied anthropologists
in this endeavor.
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