Knowledge of safety of high and low active-impulsive boys: Implications for child injury prevention

Abstract

Preventing childhood injuries is a worthy endeavor for child psychologists, because injury causes more fatalities among the young than all other diseases combined. Highly active, impulsive boys appear to be at special risk for injury occurrence. In this study, kindergarten, third-, and sixth-grade boys (n = 95) who were rated by their teachers as high or low on the Inattention/Overactivity factor of the Iowa Conners (Loney & Milich, 1982) served as participants and their knowledge of safety and prevention was assessed. Results indicated that within each grade level, boys displayed comparable safety and prevention knowledge, regardless of their level of activity-impulsivity. These data suggest that there is no apparent deficit of knowledge of safety or prevention to account for greater risk of injury in boys rated high on activity and impulsivity. The primary prevention approach of safety education is questioned as a comprehensive prevention method for this high-risk target group.