Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Using Picture Books: The Effect of Book Character and Message Framing

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate whether and how a picture book preventing child sexual abuse can improve children’s self-protection skills. The study was conducted in China with Chinese children. In a 2 × 2 between-subjects design, character in the book (human versus animal) and message framing (gain versus loss) were manipulated. Compared to a baseline group who were not exposed to the prevention book, children in the experimental groups significantly enhanced their ability to recognize a potential abuse situation and refuse an inappropriate touch request. Results suggest that the prevention picture books are more effective when using a human character and a gain-framed message. The explanation for this was that human characters simulated children’s perceived norm and gain-framed messages increased children’s message recall, perceived self-efficacy and positive attitude toward the message, all of which in turn positively affected children’s self-protection skills.

KEYWORDS:

• Edutainment
• character
• framing
• self-efficacy
• child sexual abuse prevention

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to all the directors, teachers, and children who participated in this study and others who contributed to this study.

Disclosure of interest

The study declares no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards and informed consent

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee, and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975 and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sangruo Huang

Sangruo Huang, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Strategic Communication, College of Media and International Culture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.

Chen Cui

Chen Cui, MA, is a management trainee at Shell (China) Limited, Beijing, China.