iLookOut for Child Abuse -Online Learning Module for Early Childcare Providers (iLookOut)

Early Childhood Practitioner's Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Reporting Child Abuse/Neglect-iLookOut

Phase 1 was a randomized control trial that used a test-retest model to evaluate the impact of iLook Out for Child Abuse, an online, interactive learning module about reporting suspected child abuse. Delivered via a learning management system to early childhood professionals who work with infants and young children, this study assessed iLookOut's effect on 1) knowledge about reporting suspected child abuse; 2) attitudes toward reporting suspected child abuse; and 3) preparedness to protect children at risk.

Findings from Phase 1 were that iLookOut will improved knowledge, changed attitudes, and increase self-reported preparedness of early childhood providers to report suspected child abuse.

Phase 2 of this trial is an open-enrollment study that records pre-/post- data on the same measurements as Phase 1, and is available for use (free of charge) for all childcare providers in Pennsylvania at https://www.ilookoutforchildabuse.com.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Child Abuse; Child Neglect; Child Maltreatment
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: iLook Out for Child Abuse

Detailed Description

Despite their daily interactions with young children, little research has been conducted into early childhood professionals' (ECPs') knowledge of, and attitudes towards, reporting of child abuse/neglect. This study:

1. Evaluates the effectiveness of the online learning module, iLook Out for Child Abuse, created to train and inform early childhood providers about reporting suspected child abuse;
2. Identifies early childhood providers' current knowledge regarding Pennsylvania law on mandated reporting of suspected child abuse;
3. Explores the factors influencing early childhood providers' current knowledge and attitudes;
4. Evaluates the impact of an online educational program on early childhood providers' knowledge, attitudes, and patterns of decision-making regarding mandated reporting of suspected child abuse;
5. To explores the factors influencing the impact of an online educational program on early childhood providers' knowledge and attitudes regarding mandated reporting of suspected child abuse

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 35000
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Nicole Verdiglione, BS; Phone Number: 283-765 717-531-8521; Email: nverdiglione@hmc.psu.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD; Phone Number: 717-531-8778; Email: BHLevi@psu.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States, 17033
      • Recruiting
      • Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center / Penn State College of Medicine
      • Contact: Nicole Verdiglione, BA; Phone Number: 283-765 717-531-8521; Email: nverdiglione@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
      • Contact: Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD; Phone Number: 717-531-8521; Email: BHLevi@psu.edu
      • Principal Investigator: Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Paid or volunteer staff at childcare facility

Exclusion Criteria:

• Younger than 18 years of age

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: iLook Out for Child Abuse; The online learning module is an interactive, multi-media, self-paced intervention.	Other: iLook Out for Child Abuse; The online learning module is an interactive, multi-media, self-paced intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in knowledge regarding reporting suspected child abuse.	Participants will complete pre- and post-intervention measures regarding reporting suspected child abuse. A sample of Phase 1 participants also repeated knowledge measures 3-6 months post-intervention.	48 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in attitudes regarding reporting suspected child abuse.	Participants will complete pre- and post-intervention measures to assess attitudes regarding reporting suspected child abuse. A sample of Phase 1 participants also repeated attitudinal measures 3-6 months post-intervention.	48 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Evaluation of online learning module.	Participants will complete a post-intervention questionnaire evaluating various aspects of the online learning module. A sample of Phase 1 participants also repeated evaluation measures 3-6 months post-intervention.	48 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center / Penn State College of Medicine

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Walsh K, Eggins E, Hine L, Mathews B, Kenny MC, Howard S, Ayling N, Dallaston E, Pink E, Vagenas D. Child protection training for professionals to improve reporting of child abuse and neglect. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Jul 5;7(7):CD011775. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011775.pub2.
• Yang C, Panlilio C, Verdiglione N, Lehman EB, Hamm RM, Fiene R, Dore S, Bard DE, Grable B, Levi B. Generalizing findings from a randomized controlled trial to a real-world study of the iLookOut, an online education program to improve early childhood care and education providers' knowledge and attitudes about reporting child maltreatment. PLoS One. 2020 Jan 8;15(1):e0227398. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227398. eCollection 2020.
• Mathews B, Yang C, Lehman EB, Mincemoyer C, Verdiglione N, Levi BH. Educating early childhood care and education providers to improve knowledge and attitudes about reporting child maltreatment: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS One. 2017 May 19;12(5):e0177777. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177777. eCollection 2017.

Helpful Links

• Website for iLookOut learning module

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 22, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 25, 2014
• First Posted (Estimated): August 26, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 11, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 9, 2024
• Last Verified: January 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Knowledge; Attitude; Child maltreatment; Child Care
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB-1243; IRB-0376 (Other Identifier: Penn State College of medicine)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Aggregate data will be available after the study's primary outcomes have been fully analyzed and published.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No