A Study to Assess the Knowledge and Evaluate the Efficacy of Multi Spectral Intervention on Prevention of Child Maltreatment among School Children in Selected Schools at Karaikal

Abstract

Introduction: Child maltreatment is a global problem with serious lifelong consequences. Child maltreatment includes all forms of physical ill-treatment, emotional, sexual maltreatment, neglect or negligent treatment for commercial or other exploitation which causes potential harm. to the child's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility and trust or power. Aim: To assess the knowledge and evaluate the efficacy of

multi spectral intervention on prevention of child maltreatment among school children in selected schools at Karaikal. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Quantitative, Quasi experimental pre test and post test research design was adopted for this present study. The cluster random sampling method was used to select the schools. 1071 children studying from  1st  standard to 8th  standard, were chosen by convenience sampling technique. The data were collected by using demographic proforma and self structured knowledge questionnaire to assess the knowledge on

prevention of child maltreatment.

 RESULTS: Among the 1071 school children, in the pretest, a majority of 889(83.0%) of children had inadequate knowledge, posttest I, 437(40.8%) of children had moderate knowledge

and posttest II, 863(80.6%) of children had adequate knowledge on prevention of child maltreatment. The calculated ‘p’ value showed statistically significant association between the age of the child, studying class, gender, educational status of fathers and mothers, occupation of the fathers and mothers, religion, type of family, living pattern, number of sisters, sources of information on prevention of child maltreatment, attended session regarding prevention of child maltreatment among the selected school children the level of significant at p <0.05. It proved that the multi spectral intervention on prevention of child maltreatment among school children was highly effective to improve the their knowledge.