CE25-026 - Evaluation of the school-based Healthy Relationships Project for primary prevention of child sexual abuse and problematic sexual behaviors among youth in 7th and 8th grades

About This Grant

Project Abstract Evaluation of the school-based Healthy Relationships Project for primary prevention of child sexual abuse and problematic sexual behaviors among youth in 7th and 8th grades Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a major issue worldwide, with rigorous evidence of its magnitude and impacts on social, emotional and physical health. Problematic sexual behavior (PSB) among youth, or youth-perpetrated CSA, accounts for more than 70% of CSA experiences (Gewirtz-Meydan A et al. 2019). While interventions for CSA primary prevention exist, few have been rigorously evaluated and even fewer focus on PSB. A review of school-based CSA prevention programs (Walsh et al., 2015) found 24 trials elementary and high schools across 7 countries that showed evidence of improvements in protective behaviors and knowledge, but no changes in CSA incidence/prevalence. The Healthy Relationships Project (HRP) created, modified, and run by Prevent Child Abuse Vermont, has been delivering CSA primary prevention curricula, with PSB prevention as a major tenet, since 1990 with implementation across 30 U.S. States, including statewide in Vermont. Substantiated cases per year in Vermont dropped 61% and importantly for this proposed evaluation, the number of child perpetrators per year dropped 69%. Utilizing a stepped wedge randomized trial design, we will evaluate the 10- lesson Sexual Abuse Free Environment for Teens (SAFE-T) curriculum of the HRP, and TECHNICOOL, an internet safety workshops for caregivers, in 16 schools with 7th and 8th grade students. SAFE-T uses an upstream universal public health approach for primary prevention of youth problematic sexual behaviors with developmentally appropriate intervention elements for youth, faculty/staff, and caregivers. Longitudinal data will be collected on key outcomes, including improvements in protective behaviors, self-efficacy, and knowledge among students and adults, and CSA-related incident school reports. This program will meet criteria for the 2018 School Safety Omnibus Amendment Act that obligates DC schools to address sexual abuse prevention. Our implementation partner, MCSR, has outstanding relationships with Washington, DC schools. MCSR has a long history of implementing evidence-based, gender-based violence prevention programs including the Men of Strength (MOST) Club and Women Inspiring Strength and Empowerment (WISE) Club in over 120 locations across 34 states, and Washington, DC. Our evaluation team has demonstrated success in a similar trial of HRP curricula for pre-K through 5th graders in 12 public/public charter schools in DC, with an additional 4 schools scheduled. Qualitative research will assess strengths/weaknesses of intervention rollout, fidelity monitoring, lessons learned, and sustainability. This innovative, novel mixed methods evaluation study will move the science of CSA/PSB prevention research forward with a community-based participatory research partnership between prevention research scientists, community-based organizations, and public schools in high need, diverse urban areas. In summary, a rigorous experimental evaluation will be conducted of an existing universal primary prevention program for child sexual abuse and problematic sexual behavior among 7th/8th graders, a program with 30+ years of implementation history in 30 U.S. states and robust pilot data.