Original Research Article
A study to assess the effect of video assisted teaching programme on knowledge regarding child abuse among school children in a selected school of West Bengal
1College of Nursing, R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
2Government College of Nursing, Diamond Harbour Government Medical College and Hospital, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India
Received: 08 May 2025
Accepted: 21 June 2025
*Correspondence:
Sumitra Das,
E-mail: sumitrasaha43732@gmail.com
Copyright: © the author(s), publisher and licensee Medip Academy. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
ABSTRACT
Background: Every child has a right to a safe childhood and a life free from brutality. The experience of child abuse and neglect contravene upon that right. Child abuse is the state of emotional, physical, economical and sexual maltreatment to a person below the age of 18 years and is a globally prevalent phenomenon. Child abuse is a global issue affects children of all ages, gender, races, ethnicities, in varied socioeconomic classes and is in the vanguard in the line of widespread social issues and social problems. Education regarding child abuse for children is very important to promote all round development of children.
Methods: In this pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test research study to evaluate the effect of video assisted teaching programme on knowledge regarding child abuse was conducted among 100 school children of Basunagar High School (H.S.), North 24 Parganas from 06 March 2023 to 31 March 2023 were selected by non- probability convenience sampling technique. Demographic and general information collection tool and structure knowledge questionnaire were used for data collection.
Results: The study finding revealed that the mean post-test score was 14.66 which was higher than mean of pre-test 4.57. It was revealed that mean difference between post-test and pre-test knowledge score was found to be statistically significant t (1.985), df-99, p<0.05 which indicate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on child abuse and there was a significant association of pre-test knowledge score with age monthly income of family, occupation of father, type of house (p<0.05).
Conclusions: From the study findings it is concluded that the provision of video assisted teaching programme helps to motivate the school children to learn and also to improve their knowledge level regarding child abuse.
Keywords: Effect, Video assisted teaching programme, Knowledge, Child abuse, School children
INTRODUCTION
Childhood is an important stage in human life and the best time to develop spiritual, intellectual and emotional traits. Children must be treated well and properly fed, because they are the future assets of society.1 Any behaviour that harms the children either physically, emotionally, sexually, neglect or exploit is considered as child abuse. Reach out organization in Australia (2020) defined that abusive behaviour involves treating the child with cruelty or violence and could happen regularly or repeatedly. Around 53% of Indian children reported experience of different kinds of abuse, which included being forced to watch nude photography, inappropriate touching, and sexual abuse and assault.2 It is preventable through teaching or raising awareness about child abuse and its prevention to children itself for early identification. Therefore, the researcher selected the topic to determine the level of knowledge about child abuse among children and, as a result, to show a significant improvement in the level of knowledge about child abuse following the video assisted teaching.
METHODS
This pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test research study was conducted to evaluate the effect of video assisted teaching programme on knowledge regarding child abuse among 100 school children of Basunagar High School (H.S.) from 06 March 2023 to 31 March 2023.
Study design
Pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test research design was used.
Study location
This study was conducted at Basunagar High School (H.S.), North 24 Parganas, Urban Community, West Bengal.
Study period
The duration of the study was from 06 March 2023 to 31 March 2023.
Sample size
Sample size was 100 school children.
Subjects and selection method
The study population was drawn by non-probability convenience sampling technique.
Inclusion criteria
School children who were willing to participate in this study, who were able to read, write and understand Bengali, and school children who were present at the time of data collection were included.
Exclusion criteria
School children who have major physical or mental illness were excluded.
Procedure of methodology
After written informed consent was obtained, structured questionnaire was used for assessment of demographic characteristics. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, family monthly income, education of the mother, education of father, occupation of father, occupation of mother, type of house, and total no. of family member.
The structured knowledge questionnaire was used for assessment regarding child abuse. It was consisted of 20 multiple choice questions and each question has only one correct response. Each correct response carries '1' mark. Maximum score was 20. An answer sheet was prepared for scoring the response. Knowledge questionnaire and scoring key was developed with the help of the experts. Minimum possible score was 0 and maximum possible score was 20.
Statistical analysis
Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. To find out the demographic characteristics of school children frequency and percentage was used. Frequency, percentage, mean, and SD were used to assess the knowledge of school children regarding child abuse before and after administration of video assisted teaching programme. Paired ‘t’ test was used to assess the effectiveness of video assisted teaching programme on knowledge regarding child abuse. Chi-square was performed to test association between pre-test knowledge score with the selected demographic variables.
RESULTS
Data present in Table 1 showed that majority (51%) school children belonged to 12 years, majority (57%) were male, maximum (40%) school children’s monthly family income Rs. 10000-15000. In considering the educational status of mother, 59% mother passed upper primary examination, and maximum (35%) father passed upper primary. In considering occupation, 40% father wear businessman, 60% mother were housewife. In terms of type of house, 68% school children had own house, with respect to no. of family member in family, 51% had up to 4 family member, and 70% had one siblings. In considering about receive any information regarding child abuse,88% did not receive any information regarding child abuse, and only 12% got information regarding child abuse. Maximum (91%) did not face abuse before. Among the abuses majority (77.8%) were faced physical abuse, 66.7% were abused from father, in this case, 88.9% school children informed their mother about abuse.
Data present in Table 2 reveals that maximum (65%) school children had average knowledge and 29% had poor knowledge, and only 6% were having good knowledge regarding child abuse in the pre-test.
Data presented in Table 3 shows that in post-test knowledge, maximum (74%) had average knowledge and 15% were having good knowledge regarding child abuse and only 11% were having poor knowledge in the post test.
Data present in Table 4 depict that in pre-test, the mean value is 4.57 with SD 2.00 and in post-test, the mean value is 14.66 with SD 3.169 and the mean difference is 10.09 There is a statistically significant differences in mean values between pre-test and post-test knowledge regarding child abuse as the calculated paired t-value (23.619) is higher than table value of ‘t’ (1.985) at 0.05 level of significance. This signifies that the video assisted teaching programme is effective.
Data present in Table 5 reveals that there was statistically significant association between pre-test knowledge with the selected demographic (age, monthly income, occupation of father, type of house) variables as the calculated value of chi square is higher than table value of Chi square at 0.05 level of significance. Data showed that above median pre-test knowledge score is higher among 13 and 14 years’ age group of children (32) than 12 years’ age group of children. Above median pre-test knowledge score of children is higher (26) those family incomes more than Rs. 10000 than children those family income less than Rs. 10000 (23). Data exhibit that above median pre-test knowledge score of children is higher (43) those fathers are employed than children those fathers are unemployed (5). Data also showed that above median pre-test knowledge score is higher (45) those have own house than those children who leave in rented house (32).
‘t’ (df 99) =1.985 p<0.05 level of significance
P<0.05-significant
DISCUSSION
Assessment of the pre-test and post-test knowledge of school children regarding child abuse
Present study results revealed that in pretest knowledge, maximum (65%) school children had average knowledge and 29% of school children had poor knowledge regarding child abuse, and only 6% were having good knowledge. In post-test knowledge, majority (74%) of school children had average knowledge and 15% were having good knowledge and 11% were having poor knowledge regarding child abuse. The present study finding was partially sup poor knowledge (< mean-1 sd) (<11) ported by the study findings conducted by Naregal et al among school children results revealed that 80% had good knowledge in post-test and 20% had poor knowledge.6 Study conducted by Ojha et al among school children.3 The study findings reported that 17% of the students had average knowledge and 83% had good knowledge regarding sexual abuse. Another study conducted by Anusha et al, a descriptive study among adolescent girls results reported that majority 62% of adolescent girls had average knowledge, 27% had good knowledge and 11% had poor knowledge regarding sexual abuse.4
Assessment of the effect of video assisted teaching programme on knowledge regarding child abuse
Mean knowledge score 14.66 in posttest regarding child abuse among school children was higher than pretest mean knowledge score 4.81. There is a statistically significant difference in mean values between pretest and posttest knowledge regarding child abuse as evidenced by ‘t’ value (23.619) at df (99) at 0.05 level of significance. This signifies that the video assisted teaching programme was effective. The present study finding is supported by the study findings conducted by Karale et al among mothers results found that post test knowledge score was higher (15.81) than pretest knowledge score (11.75) and statistically significant at 0.05 level of significance.5 Another study conducted by Shaiji et al among school going students results revealed that the mean post-test (20.06) was significantly greater than the mean pre-test (10.24) regarding knowledge on child abuse.7
Association between pre-test knowledge with the selected demographic variables
There was statistically significant association found between pretest knowledge with the selected demographic (age, monthly income, occupation of father, type of house) as evidenced by chi square value [4.944 (df1), 7.167 (df1), 5.701 (df1), 6.646 (df1)] at 0.05 level of significance. My study finding is supported by the study findings conducted by Karale et al among mothers results revealed that mother’s knowledge regarding child abuse is statistically significant with religion, monthly family income, education of mothers.5 Another study by Naregal et al conducted among primary school teachers result found that there is a significant association between knowledge scores with age of teachers.6 The study was supported by the study findings conducted by Shaiji et al among school going students.7 The study result revealed significant association between knowledge of student with occupation of mother and previous knowledge regarding awareness about sexual abuse.
CONCLUSION
From this research study findings, it could be concluded that the provision of video assisted teaching programme improve knowledge level of school children regarding child abuse. Every school can use video assisted teaching method for teaching school children on child abuse so that incidence of this happening can be prevented.
Funding: No funding sources
Conflict of interest: None declared
Ethical approval: The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee
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