Articlegold2022

Knowledge hardly translates to reality—A randomized controlled trial on sexual abuse prevention for girls with intellectual disabilities

Olaf Reis · Frank Häßler · Anne Daubmann · Wencke Chodan

14 citations0/0 files storedFrontiers in Psychiatry

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Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies Behavioral and Psychological Studies Down syndrome and intellectual disability research

Abstract

Objective People with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at higher risk of being sexually abused and developing psychiatric disorders in consequence. The effects of behavior prevention programs for children with ID have rarely been investigated. Previous studies suffer from methodical weaknesses, such as the lack of a control group, small sample size, or invalid outcome measures. This study aimed at demonstrating the efficacy of a prevention program by overcoming these flaws. Methods A group prevention program was developed and evaluated. One hundred and six girls aged from 8 to 12 years with mild ID were enrolled in a randomized controlled study, comparing the training to a sham intervention. Effects were examined in a three-time follow-up design as individual changes in preventive knowledge (board game, verbal reports) and preventive behavior (role-play, in situ tests). Participants' behaviors were videotaped and rated by three blinded raters. Results Girls from the intervention group ( n = 64) showed significant improvements in preventive knowledge compared with the control group ( n = 39) but showed non-significant improvements for preventive behavior. In situ tests with realistic seduction situations revealed no improvement. The intervention proved to be safe, but several risks need to be considered. Discussion This is the first study that evaluates a behavioral prevention program on sexual abuse for children with ID on a high level of evidence. Group interventions empowering girls with ID to recognize abuse situations are suitable to enhance sexual preventive knowledge but are less suitable to enhance preventive behavior. Naturalistic settings are indispensable for providing evidence for preventive interventions in children with ID.

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1979The Ecology of Human Development 2000Manual for the ASEBA preschool forms and profiles 1991Patterns of sexual abuse and assault 2017Prevalence and psychological sequelae of sexual abuse among individuals with an intellectual disability: A review of the recent literature 1990Sexual abuse and exploitation of children and adults with mental retardation and other handicaps 2021Sexual Violence Against Persons With Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis 2005EVALUATION OF BEHAVIORAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR TEACHING ABDUCTION‐PREVENTION SKILLS TO YOUNG CHILDREN 1999TRAINING AND GENERALIZATION OF SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION SKILLS FOR WOMEN WITH MENTAL RETARDATION

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