title: An evaluation of The Great Escape: can an interactive computer game improve young children's fire safety knowledge and behaviors?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fire is a leading cause of unintentional injury and, although young children are at particularly increased risk, there are very few evidence-based resources available to teach them fire safety knowledge and behaviors. Using a pre-post randomized design, the current study evaluated the effectiveness of a computer game (The Great Escape) for teaching fire safety information to young children (3.5-6 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using behavioral enactment procedures, children's knowledge and behaviors related to fire safety were compared to a control group of children before and after receiving the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated significant improvements in knowledge and fire safety behaviors in the intervention group but not the control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using computer games can be an effective way to promote young children's understanding of safety and how to react in different hazardous situations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. bmorrong@uoguelph.ca
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Morrongiello
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Schwebel
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Aaron L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004493:Education; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012449:Safety; D018910:Video Games