Evaluating the impact of No Hit Zone trainings in preschool-age childcare facilities for child maltreatment prevention: A quasi-experimental pilot study

IF 3.4 2区心理学 Q1 FAMILY STUDIES

Child Abuse & Neglect Pub Date : 2025-04-01 DOI:10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107432

Christina M. Rodriguez , Kirsten Swedburg Ericksen , Viola Vaughan-Eden , Breshell Jackson-Nevels , Stacie LeBlanc , Paige Munshell

{"title":"Evaluating the impact of No Hit Zone trainings in preschool-age childcare facilities for child maltreatment prevention: A quasi-experimental pilot study","authors":"Christina M. Rodriguez , Kirsten Swedburg Ericksen , Viola Vaughan-Eden , Breshell Jackson-Nevels , Stacie LeBlanc , Paige Munshell","doi":"10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107432","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Corporal punishment represents a risk factor for child physical maltreatment but viewed as acceptable by many in the U.S.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study investigated the effectiveness of No Hit Zone (NHZ) training in changing attitudes related to corporal punishment (CP) among staff and mothers at preschool-age childcare facilities.</div></div><div><h3>Participants and setting</h3><div>Employing a quasi-experimental design, the timing of NHZ training was staggered across three childcare facilities at five intervals, with 24 staff and 20 mothers completing repeated assessments. Staff reported on their CP approval, willingness to intervene when witnessing hitting on site, familiarity with institutional policies, at-risk parenting beliefs, attributions of negative child intent, support for ineffective class management strategies, and knowledge of non-physical discipline alternatives; mothers reported on their CP approval, at-risk parenting beliefs, and knowledge of alternatives to physical discipline.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Findings support change over time, specifically with a decrease in staff CP approval and at-risk parenting and increased willingness to intervene, with some evidence these effects were sustained over time. Mothers' CP approval and at-risk parenting also decreased following the facility's NHZ training.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Findings from this study suggest that NHZ trainings can impact attitudes that could contribute to the prevention of child maltreatment. Future directions are suggested on how to expand on such research designs to inform and enhance implementation of NHZ training in educational settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51343,"journal":{"name":"Child Abuse & Neglect","volume":"164 ","pages":"Article 107432"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Child Abuse & Neglect","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213425001875","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"FAMILY STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Corporal punishment represents a risk factor for child physical maltreatment but viewed as acceptable by many in the U.S.

Objective

This study investigated the effectiveness of No Hit Zone (NHZ) training in changing attitudes related to corporal punishment (CP) among staff and mothers at preschool-age childcare facilities.

Participants and setting

Employing a quasi-experimental design, the timing of NHZ training was staggered across three childcare facilities at five intervals, with 24 staff and 20 mothers completing repeated assessments. Staff reported on their CP approval, willingness to intervene when witnessing hitting on site, familiarity with institutional policies, at-risk parenting beliefs, attributions of negative child intent, support for ineffective class management strategies, and knowledge of non-physical discipline alternatives; mothers reported on their CP approval, at-risk parenting beliefs, and knowledge of alternatives to physical discipline.

Results

Findings support change over time, specifically with a decrease in staff CP approval and at-risk parenting and increased willingness to intervene, with some evidence these effects were sustained over time. Mothers' CP approval and at-risk parenting also decreased following the facility's NHZ training.

Conclusions

Findings from this study suggest that NHZ trainings can impact attitudes that could contribute to the prevention of child maltreatment. Future directions are suggested on how to expand on such research designs to inform and enhance implementation of NHZ training in educational settings.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Child Abuse & Neglect Multiple-

CiteScore

7.40

自引率

10.40%

发文量

397

期刊介绍： Official Publication of the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. Child Abuse & Neglect The International Journal, provides an international, multidisciplinary forum on all aspects of child abuse and neglect, with special emphasis on prevention and treatment; the scope extends further to all those aspects of life which either favor or hinder child development. While contributions will primarily be from the fields of psychology, psychiatry, social work, medicine, nursing, law enforcement, legislature, education, and anthropology, the Journal encourages the concerned lay individual and child-oriented advocate organizations to contribute.