Effectiveness of school-based interventions on child sexual abuse knowledge in children with disabilities: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Children with disabilities (CWDs) constitute a substantial segment of the population who encounter abuse, emphasizing the need to comprehend the influence of school-based interventions on this susceptible group. Aim: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of school-based interventions in enhancing child sexual abuse (CSA) knowledge among CWDs. Participants: This meta-analysis incorporated seven published studies, encompassing 387 CWDs. Methods: Our study synthesizes findings from seven experimental and quasi-experimental studies, adhering to the PRISMA guidelines. The study was registered in PROSPERO. The literature search, conducted between September 25, 2023, and October 2, 2023, employed various databases and keywords relevant to the study's scope. The research question and articles' eligibility were assessed using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study type (PICOs). The meta-analysis was conducted using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software. Results: The school-based intervention greatly impacted CWDs' CSA knowledge scores (Hedges's g = 1.026 [95% CI: 0.845;1.208], z = 11.074, p = 0.000). The findings of this meta-analysis demonstrate that Questionnaire/scale-based knowledge measurement (Hedges's g = 2.586 [95% CI: 0.920;4.252], z = 3.043, P = 0.002) and Vignette-based knowledge measurement (Hedges's g = 1.065 [95% CI: 0.655;1.474], z = 5.100, p = 0.000) are effective in assessing CWDs' knowledge of CSA. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled studies and quasi-experimental studies provide robust evidence supporting the effectiveness of school-based interventions in significantly enhancing CSA knowledge among CWDs. Implications to practice: These findings are potentially significant evidence for education professionals, including educators and school health nurses.