NCJ Number
225020
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 32 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2008 Pages: 949-957
Date Published
October 2008
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study compared interventional materials intended to raise public awareness of the care giving practices connected to Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS).
Abstract
Findings indicate that interventions targeting child abuse during infancy may benefit from including video materials in their outreach efforts, as results presented here suggest that both video intervention levels promoted a higher probability of change over the group of participants who received only a brochure by as much as 26 percent. Those materials that spend more time on teaching skills to cope with an inconsolable cry than on victim testimonial promote additional potential for positive change in SBS awareness. Results supported two of the three hypotheses: a video intervention does improve change in attitudes more so than an intervention that uses only a brochure, and single dose interventions are capable of supporting change (participants viewed intervention material only once in the study, as opposed to viewings at each time point, for example). The third hypothesis that caregivers would have an increased probability of attitude change and experience these changes at a faster rate than non-caregivers was not supported, although results on the timing of change indicate that regardless of childcare status, attitude change was less likely at each sequential followup point. Data were collected from 2 independent samples of 264 adults, parents, and non-parents who were recruited for longitudinal intervention. Tables, figure, and references