Assessing the Acquisition of First-Aid Treatments by Elementary-Aged Children

Abstract

Six elementary-aged children received first-aid training to treat three types of injuries: abrasions, second degree burns, and severs cuts. In this program, children listened to task-analyzed stories read by the teacher. Afterwards, they practiced taking car of “injured” puppets representing characters in the story. During this hands-on demonstration, the teacher provided positive or corrective feedback to each child on his or her performance of each step of the task analysis for treating the injuries. Additionally, latency and duration timings across children and injuries were obtained. Rapid increases in the children's performances for treating the three injuries were reported. Pre- and posttest generalization assessments were conducted by having each child take care of the following injuries: abrasion on another person and self; second degree burn on another person and self; and severe cut on another person and self. These assessments were completed to determine if the children's skills had generalized from treating the injuries of puppets to treating injuries on themselves and others. Implications of the results are discussed and future research issues suggested.