UNIFYING PREVENTION INSTRUCTION IN OUR SCHOOLS

THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP AND TEST A CURRICULUM, BASED ON STANDARDIZED VIDEOTAPED DEMONSTRATIONS AND STRESSING ROLE-PLAYING AS A LEARNING TECHNIQUE, FOR USE WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN. THE CURRICULUM WILL INCREASE THE CHILDREN'S SENSE OF SELF-ESTEEM, THEREBY DECREASING THEIR RISK OF ABUSE, VICTIMIZATION OR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR. A CURRICULUM COMPONENT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING CHILD SEXUAL,PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE PREVENTION HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE, AND IS NOW BEING TESTED IN THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, USING MEASUREMENT OF CHILDREN'S ACTUAL CHANGE IN OBSERVED BEHAVIOR, WHEN PLACED IN SIMULATED RISK ENVIRONMENTS, FROM PRE-TO POST-TEST. THIS STUDY WILL BUILD ON THAT EFFORT BY BROADENING THE FOCUSOF THE CURRICULUM TO TEACH CHILDREN LIFE SKILLS THAT ENABLE THEM TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY, UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE THEIR FEELINGS, MAKE DECISIONS AND CHOICES, RESIST PEER PRESSURE, AND KNOW WHEN THEY NEED HELP AND HOW TO GET IT. THIS EXPANDED CURRICULUM WILL BE PILOT-TESTED IN PHASE I, INTWO DISTRICTS NOW UNDER STUDY AND TWO NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS,UTILIZING A CLASSICAL EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN WITH PRE- AND POST-TESTING OF REPONSES IN SIMULATIONS.