Single-exposure messages for child sexual abuse prevention: a randomized controlled online trial testing educational and humanizing approaches

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• P Value: Not significant for primary outcomes

• Effect Size: Medium effect for affective valence, small effect for arousal

• Primary Outcome: No significant differences in stigma dimensions, knowledge, openness, or behavioral intentions between intervention and control groups

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: Not applicable - no significant therapeutic benefit demonstrated

• Confidence Interval: Not reported in abstract

Clinical Application

Online delivery format highly feasible but single-exposure approach appears insufficient for meaningful change Relevant to Australian child protection frameworks but cultural adaptation needed; aligns with National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children priorities Healthcare professionals, educators, and public health practitioners involved in child protection and abuse prevention

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse and exploitation, including online material depicting such acts, constitute a major public health concern. Prevention efforts likely benefit from public understanding and destigmatization, yet communication strategies on this topic face persistent misconceptions and strong emotional reactions. This randomized controlled online study examined whether brief educational and humanizing communication interventions influenced knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions related to prevention, while avoiding adverse emotional or ethical effects. METHODS: A total of 2,019 adults from Spain and Portugal were recruited via an online panel and randomly assigned to one of four conditions: an educational message, a humanizing message with empathy focus, a humanizing message with prevention focus, or a neutral control message. Each intervention consisted of a short video and accompanying text presented as part of a health information campaign. Measures included affective state, stigma-related attitudes, literacy about therapeutic options, openness toward the topic, and behavioral intention to seek information. RESULTS: Exposure to any intervention message led to short-term changes in affective responses, with lower positive valence and slightly higher arousal compared to the control group (medium effect for valence, small for arousal). No significant differences emerged for stigma dimensions, knowledge, openness, or behavioral intentions. All three intervention formats performed similarly. The study did not identify measurable short-term adverse or rebound effects on stigma. Dropout rates did not differ across conditions, but languages. CONCLUSIONS: Brief communication interventions elicited short-term affective responses without evidence of increased stigma or avoidance on the measured outcomes. While the present single exposures appear insufficient to change attitudes or behavior, such formats may serve as a foundation for repeated, multi-channel prevention messaging integrated into broader educational efforts. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), DRKS00038927, retrospectively registered on 09/01/2026.

References

1. 1.Westfal, V., & von Heyden, M. (2026). Single-exposure messages for child sexual abuse prevention: a randomized controlled online trial testing educational and humanizing approaches. BMC Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2021.1892159