Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of the Safety Detective Program: A Classroom-Based Intervention to Increase Kindergarten Children’s Understanding of Home Safety Hazards and Injury-Risk Behaviors to Avoid

  • Published:
Prevention Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Home injuries are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity for young children. Most programs that aim to improve their knowledge of home safety have been narrowly focused on one injury type and/or required specialized personnel for delivery. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new Safety Detective Program that was designed to teach young children (4–6 years) about several types of home safety hazards and unsafe behaviors, with the program delivered in a classroom setting by non-experts based on manualized training. The current study used a randomized group, pre-post design to evaluate the effectiveness of the program to increase children’s knowledge and understanding of home safety hazards and injury-risk behaviors to avoid. Children participated in six structured sessions, covering burns, falls, drowning, and poisoning. Each session involved play-based activities (storybook, song, and game or craft) to teach main messages about hazards and injury-risk behaviors, a take home activity, and a parent information sheet about the injury type covered that day. An individually administered photo-sort task with follow-up interview was used to measure intervention and control group participants’ knowledge and understanding of injury-risk behaviors before and after program delivery. Children in the intervention, but not the control, group exhibited significant gains in their knowledge and understanding of home safety hazards and injury-risk behaviors to avoid, establishing the effectiveness of the program. This evaluation indicates that the Safety Detective Program can be delivered in classrooms without requiring specialized personnel or extensive training and with positive changes obtained. The program holds much promise as a means of improving kindergarten children’s understanding of a broad range of home hazards and injury-risk behaviors that are relevant to their safety.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson, P., Anderson, V., Northam, E., & Taylor, H. G. (2000). Standardization of the contingency naming test for school-aged children: A new measure of reactive flexibility. Clinical Neuropsychological Assessment, 1, 247–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chi, M., DeLeeuw, N., Chiu, M., & LaVancher, C. (1994). Eliciting self-explanations improves understanding. Cognitive Science: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 18, 439–477.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chi, M. T. H., Hutchinson, J. E., & Robin, A. F. (1989). How inferences about novel domain-related concepts can be constrained by structured knowledge. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 37, 27–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coppens, N. M. (1986). Cognitive characteristics as predictors of children’s understanding of safety and prevention. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 11, 189–202.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crawley, A. M., Anderson, D. R., Santomero, A., Wilder, A., Williams, M., Evans, M. K., & Bryant, J. (2002). Do children learn how to watch television? The impact of extensive experience with Blue’s Clues on preschool children’s television viewing behaviour. Journal of Communication, 52, 264–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Claxton, L. J., & Ponto, K. C. (2013). Understanding the properties of interactive televised characters. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 34, 57–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galotti, K. M., Komatsu, L. K., & Voelz, S. (1997). Children’s differential performance on deductive and inductive syllogisms. Developmental Psychology, 33, 70.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F. X., Houlihan, A. E., Stock, M. L., & Pomery, E. A. (2008). A dual-process approach to health risk decision making: The prototype willingness model. Developmental Review, 28, 29–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gielen, A., & Sleet, D. (2003). Application of behavior-change theories and methods to injury prevention. Epidemiological Review, 25, 65–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gielen, A., Sleet, D. A., & DiClemente, R. J. (2006). Injury and violence prevention: Behavioral science theories, methods, and applications. San Francisco, CA: Jossey–Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gielen, A., McDonald, E. M., Wilson, M. E. H., Hwang, W., Serwint, J. R., Andrews, J. S., & Wang, M. (2002). Effects of improved access to safety counseling, products, and home visits on parents’ safety practices: Results of a randomized trial. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 156, 33–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gopnik, A., Glymour, C., Sobel, D., Schulz, L. E., Kushnir, T., & Danks, D. (2004). A theory of causal learning in children: Causal Maps and Bayes Nets. Psychological Review, 111, 3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamers, J. H. M., de Koning, E., & Sijtsma, K. (1998). Inductive reasoning in the third grade: Intervention promises and constraints. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 23, 132–148.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, A., Towner, E., Peden, M., Soori, H., & Bartolomeos, K. (2009). Injury prevention and the attainment of child and adolescent health. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 87, 390–394.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, D. S., & Birnbaum, D. W. (1980). Preschoolers’ retention of televised events: Is a picture worth a thousand words? Developmental Psychology, 16, 410–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, D. S., & Schulze, S. A. (1977). Visual encoding in preschoolers’ serial retention. Child Development, 48, 1066–1070.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hillier, L., & Morrongiello, B. A. (1998). Age and gender differences in school-aged children’s appraisals of injury risk. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 23, 229–238.

  • Howell, D. C. (2007). Statistical methods for psychology (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klassen, T. P., Morag MacKay, J., Moher, D., Walker, A., & Jones, A. L. (2000). Community-based injury prevention interventions. The Future of Children: Unintentional Injuries in Childhood, 10, 83–110.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamb, R., Joshi, M., Carter, W., Cowburn, G., & Matthews, A. (2006). Children’s acquisition and retention of safety skills: The Lifeskills program. Injury Prevention, 12, 161–165.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Landen, M. G., Bauer, U., & Kohn, M. (2003). Inadequate supervision as a cause of injury deaths among young children in Alaska and Louisiana. Pediatrics, 3, 328–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langley, J. D. (1988). The need to discontinue the term “accident” when referring to unintentional injury events. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 20, 1–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liller, K. D., Craig, J., Crane, N., & McDermott, R. J. (1998). Evaluation of a poison prevention lesson for kindergarten and third grade students. Injury Prevention, 4, 218–221.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McConnell, C., Leeming, F., & Dwyer, W. (1996). Evaluation of a fire-safety training program for preschool children. Journal of Community Psychology, 24, 213–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A. (2004). Do children’s intentions to risk take relate to actual risk taking? Injury Prevention, 10, 62–64.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., Corbett, M., & Brison, R. J. (2009). Identifying predictors of medically-attended injuries to young children: Do child or parent behavioral attributes matter? Injury Prevention, 15, 220–225.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., & Dawber, T. (1998). Toddlers’ and mothers’ behaviors in an injury-risk situation: Implications for sex differences in childhood injuries. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 19, 625–639.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., & Dawber, T. (2000). Mothers’ responses to sons and daughters engaging in injury-risk behaviors on a playground: Implications for sex differences in injury rates. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 76, 89–103.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., Kane, A., & Zdzieborski, D. (2011). “I think he is in his room playing a video game”: Parental supervision of school-age children at home. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 36, 708–717.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., Midgett, C., & Shields, R. (2001). Don’t run with scissors: Young children’s knowledge of home safety rules. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 26, 105–115.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., Miron, J., & Reutz, R. (1998). Prevention of pediatric acquired brain injury: An interactive, elementary-school program. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 89, 391–396.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., & Rennie, H. (1998). Why do boys engage in more risk taking than girls? The role of attributions, beliefs, and risk appraisals. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 23, 33–44.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B.A., Schell, S., and Stewart, J. (2014). Older siblings as potential supervisors of younger siblings: Sibling supervisors’ recognition of injury-risk behaviors and beliefs about supervisee risk taking and potential injury outcomes. Child: Care, Health and Development 41, 581–586.

  • Morrongiello, B. A., Schwebel, D. C., Bell, M., Stewart, J., & Davis, A. L. (2012a). The evaluation of The Great Escape: Can an interactive computer game improve young children’s fire safety knowledge and behaviors? Health Psychology, 31(496), 502.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., & Sedore, L. (2005). The influence of child attributes and social-situational context on school-age children’s risk taking behaviors that can lead to injury. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 26, 347–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrongiello, B. A., Zdzieborski, D., Sandomierski, M., & Munroe, K. (2012b). Results of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the efficacy of the Supervising for Home Safety program: Impact on mothers’ supervision practices. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 50, 587–595.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L., Oliver, K. K., Brazeal, T. J., & Bull, C. A. (1995). A developmental exploration of expectations for and beliefs about preventing bicycle collision injuries. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 20, 13–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L., Brazeal, T., Oliver, K., & Bull, C. (1997). Gender and developmental patterns of affect, belief, and behavior in simulated injury events. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 18, 531–546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pollack-Nelson, C., & Drago, D. A. (2002). Supervision of children aged two through six years. Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 9, 121–126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rimsza, M. E., Schackner, R. A., Bowen, K. A., & Marshall, W. (2002). Can child deaths be prevented? The Arizona child fatality review program experience. Pediatrics, 110, e11–e11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rivara, F. P. (1995). Crime, violence and injuries in children and adolescents: Common risk factors? Criminal Behavior and Mental Health, 5, 357–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samuelsson, I. P., & Carlsson, M. A. (2008). The playing learning child: Towards a pedagogy of early childhood. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 52, 623–641.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schell, S., Morrongiello, B. A., & Pogrebtsova, E. (2015). Can older siblings learn to be better supervisors? An RCT evaluating the effectiveness of Safe Sibs - an online training program to improve children’s supervision knowledge and behavior. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, in press.

  • Shanon, A., Bashaw, B., Lewis, J., & Feldman, W. (1992). Nonfatal childhood injuries: A survey at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 146, 61–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, S., & Wackman, D. B. (1973). Children’s information processing of television advertisings. In P. Clarke (Ed.), New models for mass communication research, vol II. Sage Annual Reviews of Communication Research (pp. 119–146). Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, M., Kendrick, D., Coupland, C., Woods, A., Futers, D., & Robinson, J. (2005). Providing child safety equipment to prevent injuries: Randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal, 330, 178–181.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization [WHO]. (2008). World Report on Child Injury Prevention. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors extend their thanks to the staff at the Child Development Research Unit for their assistance with data collection; to the schools for welcoming us and helping to make this research happen; and to the teachers and children for their enthusiastic participation. The first author was supported by a Canada Research Chair award and this research was funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Reprint requests can be sent to bmorrong@uoguelph.ca or to her attention at the Psychology Department, University of Guelph, Guelph Ontario N1G 2W1 Canada. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Compliance with Ethics

ᅟ

Funding

This research was funded by grants to the first author from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

Prior to initiating this research, the study protocol was reviewed by, and approval was obtained from, the Research Ethics Board committee at the University of Guelph.

Informed consent

Participants and their custodial parent granted written consent prior to participation in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, University of Guelph, MacKinnon Building–Trent Lane, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Barbara A. Morrongiello, Melissa Bell, Katey Park & Katya Pogrebtsova

Authors
  1. Barbara A. Morrongiello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Melissa Bell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Katey Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Katya Pogrebtsova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara A. Morrongiello.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Morrongiello, B.A., Bell, M., Park, K. et al. Evaluation of the Safety Detective Program: A Classroom-Based Intervention to Increase Kindergarten Children’s Understanding of Home Safety Hazards and Injury-Risk Behaviors to Avoid. Prev Sci 17, 102–111 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-015-0581-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-015-0581-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation