title: [Evaluation of the theatre play Have Courage! A powerful play about feelings, boundaries and trust in the frame of the national campaign for the prevention of child sexual abuse].
abstract: This article reports on the evaluation of the effectiveness of a school-based preventive theatre play. The play is part of a national campaign for the prevention of child sexual abuse called Trau dich! (Have courage!). A total of 639 students in third to sixth grade from Schleswig-Holstein and Saxony participated in the study. Scenarios in the play imparted prevention messages and self-protective skills regarding situations of sexual assault or abuse, targeting children aged 8 to 12. Acquisition of knowledge about access to help systems and children's rights were measured pre- and post viewing as well as at a follow-up point two to six months later. Children estimated their competences regarding sensibility, sensing/setting boundaries, social support/to entrust oneself to somebody and knowledge. Based on cognitive empathy, children suggested self-protective skills for situations of conflict. The theatre play contributed to the acquisition of knowledge and an increase of children's self-assessed knowledge and competences. They estimated their competences of distinguishing between good and bad secrets, safe and unsafe touching, and disclosing oneself to somebody; their suggestions for self-protective skills improved compared to baseline data. The effects were still present at follow-up. Girls estimated their competences and self-protective skills to have improved more than boys. Measured negative effects were only temporary. The results indicate that the interactive educative theatre play contributed effectively to the prevention of child sexual abuse through imparting knowledge, self-protective skills, and sensitization.
authors.affiliation: Im Auftrag der Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung, Köln, Deutschland.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Firnges
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Sexualaufklärung, Verhütung, Familienplanung, Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung, Maarweg 149-161, 50825, Köln, Deutschland. stefanie.amann@bzga.de.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amann
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000523:psychology*; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012572:School Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Child sexual abuse; Prevention messages; School-based programme; Self-protective skills; Theatre play