iLook Out Online Module for Child Abuse

(iLookOut Trial)

Overseen By Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Disqualifiers: Under 18 years

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 2 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

35000 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests an online learning module called iLook Out for Child Abuse, which helps childcare providers recognize and report suspected child abuse. It aims to improve knowledge, attitudes, and preparedness among professionals working with infants and young children. Paid or volunteer staff at childcare facilities in Pennsylvania can participate. The module is interactive, self-paced, and free for all eligible participants. As an unphased trial, this study allows participants to enhance their skills and contribute to important research in child welfare.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this online module is safe for use by childcare providers?

A previous study showed that the online learning module iLook Out for Child Abuse improved early childhood professionals' knowledge and attitudes about reporting suspected child abuse. This interactive, self-paced web-based training is easy to use.

There are no safety concerns because the module is educational, not a medical treatment. It aims to help childcare providers feel more prepared to report suspected abuse and protect at-risk children. As a training tool, it does not carry the risks or side effects typically associated with drug treatments. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

The iLook Out for Child Abuse online module is unique because it offers an interactive, multimedia, self-paced learning experience for recognizing and responding to child abuse. Unlike traditional in-person training sessions, this online format allows learners to engage with the material at their own pace and convenience, potentially increasing accessibility and retention. Researchers are excited about this approach as it could enhance the effectiveness of child abuse education by utilizing modern technology to reach a wider audience and provide a more engaging learning experience.

What evidence suggests that the iLook Out for Child Abuse module is effective for improving knowledge and attitudes about reporting child abuse?

Research has shown that the iLook Out for Child Abuse online module, used by participants in this trial, effectively improves knowledge and attitudes about reporting child abuse among early childcare professionals. In a study with 741 participants, the module significantly increased their understanding of abuse and positively changed their attitudes towards reporting it. Initial findings suggested that after using the module, participants felt more prepared to protect children at risk. The training is interactive and self-paced, making it easy and engaging for users. Overall, evidence supports that iLookOut helps childcare providers feel more confident and informed about identifying and reporting potential child abuse cases. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD

Principal Investigator

Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center / Penn State College of Medicine

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for paid or volunteer staff at childcare facilities who are 18 years of age or older. It's designed to help early childhood professionals understand and respond to suspected child abuse.

Inclusion Criteria

Paid or volunteer staff at childcare facility

Exclusion Criteria

I am under 18 years old.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Phase 1: Test-Retest Model

Participants engage with the iLookOut online learning module to evaluate its impact on knowledge, attitudes, and preparedness regarding reporting suspected child abuse.

Varies (self-paced)

Phase 2: Open-Enrollment Study

Open-enrollment study recording pre-/post-data on knowledge, attitudes, and preparedness regarding reporting suspected child abuse, available to all childcare providers in Pennsylvania.

48 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in knowledge and attitudes regarding reporting suspected child abuse, with some repeating measures 3-6 months post-intervention.

3-6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• iLook Out for Child Abuse

Trial Overview The iLookOut online learning module is being tested for its effectiveness in increasing knowledge, changing attitudes, and boosting preparedness among childcare providers regarding reporting suspected child abuse.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: iLook Out for Child Abuse Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The online learning module is an interactive, multi-media, self-paced intervention.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

515

Recruited

2,873,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The iLookOut training program significantly improved knowledge about child abuse among early childcare professionals, especially for those with lower baseline knowledge, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing understanding and reporting of abuse cases.

Implementation outcomes, such as the acceptability and appropriateness of the training, were crucial for knowledge gains, particularly for female learners and those with less formal education, suggesting that tailoring the training to different demographics could optimize its impact.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Identifying what works for whom: Implementation outcomes following iLookOut, a child abuse identification and referral training program. Barnett, WC., Panlilio, CC., Mullins, C., et al.[2023]

The iLookOut for Child Abuse program is an interactive online learning tool aimed at helping early childhood professionals recognize and respond to potential child abuse, enhancing their ability to protect children.

This program addresses the complex issue of child abuse by providing targeted training and resources, which can improve the skills of childcare providers in identifying and managing abuse concerns.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

AN INTERACTIVE ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAM ON CHILD ABUSE AND ITS REPORTING. Levi, BH., Mundy, M., Palm, C., et al.[2022]

The E-Learning courses developed for health professionals significantly increased knowledge and practical skills in child protection, as shown by randomized controlled trials conducted with participants from October 2016 to September 2017.

Participants reported high satisfaction with the course content and structure, indicating that these online courses effectively prepare professionals to enhance child protection standards in medical institutions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and randomized controlled trial evaluation of E-learning trainings for professionals. König, E., Maier, A., Fegert, JM., et al.[2020]

The 'iLookOut' training program for mandated reporters of child abuse is designed using advanced educational theories, including mastery learning and self-determination theory, to enhance the effectiveness of online learning.

The program incorporates spaced retrieval and retrieval practice in its follow-up micro-learning, which helps reinforce the knowledge gained in the Core Training, making it a comprehensive approach to training in child abuse reporting.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

COGNITIVE MAPPING FOR ILOOKOUT FOR CHILD ABUSE: AN ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS. Kapp, KM., Dore, S., Fiene, R., et al.[2022]

The shift to e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity to implement child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention education online, which has been shown to increase knowledge and protective behaviors among children.

While e-learning can enhance accessibility and engagement in CSA prevention education, it may also hinder crucial interactions between children and trained instructors that facilitate disclosures, highlighting the need for further research to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Moving school-based CSA prevention education online: Advantages and challenges of the "new normal". Bright, MA., Ortega, D., Finkelhor, D., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10565203/

Implementation outcomes following iLookOut, a child ... iLookOut, a web-based child abuse training for early childcare professionals (ECPs), has been shown to improve knowledge and attitudes.

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02225301

Study Details | NCT02225301 | iLookOut for Child Abuse ... This study: Evaluates the effectiveness of the online learning module, iLook Out for Child Abuse, created to train and inform early childhood providers about ...

3. patlynk.com patlynk.com/trial/NCT03185728

iLookOut | iLook Out for Child Abuse: An Innovative ... This 5-year study will evaluate the efficacy of an innovative educational intervention, iLook Out for Child Abuse (iLookOut) for increasing rates of accurate ...

4. rikinstitute.com rikinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/1hmc-ilookout-infographic.1-7-19.pdf

iLookOut for Child Abuse Outcomes Data: • A randomized controlled trial (n=741) showed that iLookOut significantly improves knowledge about abuse, and attitudes regarding what is ...

5. trial.medpath.com trial.medpath.com/clinical-trial/7a7bff68224f39b4/nct02225301-early-childhood-practitioner-knowledge-attitudes-reporting-child-abuse-neglect

iLookOut for Child Abuse -Online Learning Module for Early ... 1. Evaluates the effectiveness of the online learning module, iLook Out for Child Abuse, created to train and inform early childhood providers about reporting ...

6. ilookoutpa.org ilookoutpa.org/

| Welcome to the iLookOut for Child Abuse Project iLookOut provides online, interactive courses to help people who work with children protect them from abuse and support them and their families, ...

7. reporter.nih.gov reporter.nih.gov/search/Vph6A-5fxECmgB4_sastqg/project-details/10489849

iLookOut for Child Abuse Preliminary data from this trial also suggest that (compared to standard training) iLookOut improves ECPs' actual reporting of suspected abuse: i) reports are ...