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MacIntyre, Deirdre
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MacIntyre, Deirdre
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MacIntyre, Deirdre
Research Output
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Publication
Prevention of child sexual abuse: Implications of programme evaluation research
2000-05, MacIntyre, Deirdre, Carr, Alan
Thirty child abuse prevention programme evaluation studies were selected according to a set of
methodological criteria following an extensive manual and computer literature search. Targets for intervention
in 17 studies were children; in 3 were parents; in 4 were teachers; and in 6 studies multisystemic
programmes were evaluated where some combination of children, parents and teachers were targeted for
intervention. From a review of the 30 studies it was concluded that child abuse prevention programmes can
lead to significant gains in children's, parents' and teachers' safety knowledge and skills. Best practice
guidelines arising from the review include the use of multisystemic programmes; child-focused curricula
which cover a wide range of safety skills and concepts; and the use of didactic instruction and discussion;
video modeling; and active behavioural skills training techniques in programme delivery. The curricula for
parents' and teachers' programmes should cover child-protection issues and local child protection
procedures along with an overview of the children's programme lesson plans. Longer programmes
conducted by trained staff are preferable and such staff may include teachers, parents, mental health
professionals and law enforcement officers.
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Publication
The epidemiology of child sexual abuse
1999, MacIntyre, Deirdre, Carr, Alan
The scale of child sexual abuse is the central concern in this chapter. There are
two main types of studies which attempt to describe the scope of child sexual
abuse. Firstly, there are incidence studies which seek to estimate the number of
cases identified in a specific population during a given time period and in a given
locality. Secondly, there are prevalence studies which attempt to estimate the
proportion of a population that has been sexually abused in the course of their
childhood. Incidence figures are usually expressed as a number of cases per 1000
children per annum in a designated geogaphical area. Prevalence figures, on the
other hand, are expressed as a percentage of cases within a defined population
reporting abuse.
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Publication
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Stay safe primary prevention programme for child abuse
1999-12, MacIntyre, Deirdre, Carr, Alan
Objective. This child abuse prevention study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Stay Safe
Programme in training unscreened 7 and 10 year old children in personal safety skills. Subsidiary aims were
to evaluate the programme's impact on children's self-esteem and parents' and teachers' knowledge and
attitudes of relevance to child abuse and protection.
Method. Changes in safety knowledge and skills and self-esteem of 339 children who participated in the
Stay Safe Programme were compared with those of 388 waiting list controls. Children in the training group
were also followed up at 3 months. In addition, the knowledge and attitudes of parents and teachers of
children who completed the programme were evaluated before and after the programme and 5 month followup
data were collected from teachers only.
Results. Compared with waiting-list controls, trained children showed significant improvements in safety
knowledge and skills and these gains were maintained at follow-up. The greatest gains were made by 7 year
olds. Children who participated in the programme also showed significant improvements in self-esteem
which were maintained at 3 months follow-up but only the 7 year olds in the training group made significantly
larger gains in self-esteem than their control group counterparts. Children with a higher socio-economic
status benefited more from the programme than less privileged children. Both parents and teachers showed
significant improvements in knowledge and attitudes concerning protection over the course of the
programme and for teachers, these gains were maintained at follow-up.
Conclusion. The findings suggest that the Stay Safe Programme was effective in training children in safety
skills and so may usefully be used as a primary prevention intervention for child abuse.
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Publication
The effects of child sexual abuse
1999, MacIntyre, Deirdre, Carr, Alan
A substantial body of empirical evidence now shows that child sexual abuse has
profound effects on the psychological adjustment of children (Kendall-Tackett,
Williams & Finkelhor, 1993) and these effects in some instances continue on into
adulthood (Beitchman, Zucker, Hood, Da Costa & Akman, 1991). A wide range
of factors mediate the impact of abuse on adjustment (Spacarelli, 1994). In this
chapter the impact of sexual abuse on children and adults will be addressed with
reference to the empirical literature in the field and the implications of this for
prevention considered.
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Publication
Helping children to the other side of silence: A study of the impact of the stay safe programme on Irish children's disclosures of sexual victimisation.
1999-12, MacIntyre, Deirdre, Carr, Alan
Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a school based safety skills programme - The
Stay Safe Programme - in facilitating the disclosure of sexual abuse among sexually victimized children and
adolescents in Dublin.
Method. A cohort of 145 children who had participated in the Stay Safe Programme prior to their referral to a
sexual abuse assessment unit were compared with a cohort of 443 children who had not participated in the
prevention programme on a range of disclosure related variables abstracted from case notes.
Results. More Stay Safe participants, particularly female adolescents, made disclosures of suspected
sexual abuse than non-participants. A higher rate of initial disclosure to teachers was made by Stay Safe
participants and more teachers in schools participating in the Stay Safe programme initiated referrals for
evaluation of suspected child sexual abuse. Following assessment a higher rate of confirmed abuse
occurred among Stay Safe participants and for these confirmed cases more Stay Safe participants made
purposeful disclosures and in significantly more cases referral was due to the child telling someone about
the abuse. These differences in disclosure between programme participants and non-participants were
unrelated to demographic factors or characteristics of the abuse.
Conclusions. The Stay Safe programme was an effective secondary prevention intervention deserving
widespread implementation.