Completed
iLookOut

iLook Out for Child Abuse: An Innovative Learning Module for Childcare Providers

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What is being tested

iLook Out for Child Abuse

Other
Who is being recruted

Child Abuse

Over 18 Years
+4 Eligibility Criteria

See all eligibility criteria

How is the trial designed

Prevention Study

Interventional
Study Start: October 2017

See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorMilton S. Hershey Medical Center
Last updated: January 11, 2023
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner
Study start date: October 3, 2017Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

This five-year study aims to improve childcare provider (CCP) reporting of suspected child abuse by means of an online learning module, iLook Out for Child Abuse. Using an interactive, video-based story-line (along with follow-up activities), iLookOut engages CCPs emotionally and intellectually to take the first step in addressing the epidemic of child abuse -which in the U.S. claims >680,000 confirmed victims annually. The consequences of child abuse can be devastating and long-lasting. The purpose of this study is to establish an evidence-based intervention that can help those who care for young children recognize and report suspected child abuse before irreparable harm occurs. This 5-year study will evaluate the efficacy of an innovative educational intervention, iLook Out for Child Abuse (iLookOut) for increasing rates of accurate child abuse reporting. Grounded in an Experiential Learning conceptual model, iLookOut is a multi-media, online intervention that engages learners emotionally and intellectually through an interactive, video-based story-line that provides education, challenges learners with decision-points, and gives critical feedback. iLookOut uses "gamification" strategies to promote experiential learning through simulation, problem-solving, and practice opportunities to apply new information and understanding. It also will include follow-up activities that promote retention and integration of new knowledge, as well as help CCPs to remain aware and engaged. Prior studies have demonstrated that iLookOut significantly improves CCP knowledge and attitudes about reporting suspected child abuse, and is very well received by CCPs. To evaluate its impact on actual reporting behavior, the proposed research will randomize CCP sites in southern Maine (total = \~1,300) to receive iLookOut, Standard training, or Control (no intervention). The primary goal is to increase the number of CCP reports for which either child abuse is confirmed or social services (e.g., therapeutic services, nutritional assistance) are recommended -as these are the kinds of reports that are likely to actually benefit a child. The secondary goal is to decrease the proportion of reports that don't offer such benefit, and in particular to decrease costs to the state associated with intake and investigation of non-beneficial reports.

Official TitleiLook Out for Child Abuse: An Innovative Learning Module for Childcare Providers 
Principal SponsorMilton S. Hershey Medical Center
Last updated: January 11, 2023
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details
2059 patients to be enrolledTotal number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.
Prevention Study
Prevention studies aim to stop a disease from developing. They often involve people at risk and test things like vaccines, lifestyle changes, or preventive medications.

How participants are assigned to different groups/arms
In this clinical study, participants are placed into groups randomly, like flipping a coin. This ensures that the study is fair and unbiased, making the results more reliable. By assigning participants by chance, researchers can better compare treatments without external influences.

Other Ways to Assign Participants
Non-randomized allocation: Participants are assigned based on specific factors, such as their medical condition or a doctor's decision.
None (Single-arm trial): If the study has only one group, all participants receive the same treatment, and no allocation is needed.

How treatments are given to participants
Participants receive treatments one after another in a pre-planned sequence. The next treatment may depend on how the participant responds to the previous one.

Other Ways to Assign Treatments
Single-group assignment: Everyone gets the same treatment.
Parallel assignment: Participants are split into separate groups, each receiving a different treatment.
Cross-over assignment: Participants switch between treatments during the study.
Factorial assignment: Participants receive different combinations of treatments.
Other assignment: Treatment assignment does not follow a standard or predefined design.

How the effectiveness of the treatment is controlled
In a non placebo-controlled study, no participants receive an inert substance (placebo) to compare outcomes. Instead, all participants receive either the experimental treatment or an alternative treatment (often the Standard of Care). This method allows researchers to compare the effects of the experimental treatment with those of a different active intervention, rather than a placebo.

Other Options
Placebo-Controlled: A placebo is used to compare the effects of the experimental treatment with those of an inert substance, isolating the true treatment effect.

How the interventions assigned to participants is kept confidential
Everyone involved in the study knows which treatment is being given. This is typically used when it's not possible or necessary to hide the treatment details from participants or researchers.

Other Ways to Mask Information
Single-blind: Participants do not know which treatment they are receiving, but researchers do.
Double-blind: Neither participants nor researchers know which treatment is given.
Triple-blind: Participants, researchers, and outcome assessors do not know which treatment is given.
Quadruple-blind: Participants, researchers, outcome assessors, and care providers all do not know which treatment is given.

Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria
Any sexBiological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.
Over 18 YearsRange of ages for which participants are eligible to join.
Healthy volunteers allowedIf individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.
Conditions
Pathology
Child Abuse
Criteria
2 inclusion criteria required to participate
Works or volunteers at a childcare facility in Maine (i.e., home-based childcare, childcare center, Head Start facility, nursery school, pre-school)
18 years of age or older
2 exclusion criteria prevent from participating
Does not work or volunteer at a childcare facility in Maine
Under 18 years of age

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Treatment Groups
Study Objectives
3 intervention groups 

are designated in this study

This study does not include a placebo group 

Treatment Groups
Group I
Experimental
Online, interactive learning program developed by study team.
Group II
Active Comparator
Online mandated reporter training developed by the state of Maine during Y1, then recruited to complete iLookOut during Y2 and Y3.
Group III
No Intervention
No active recruitment or incentivizing of participants to complete any training on mandated reporting during Y1 and Y2, then recruited to complete iLookOut during Y3.
Study Objectives
Primary Objectives

Percentage of childcare provider reports (of suspected abuse) to the state of Maine that result in either i) child abuse being confirmed, or ii) social services being recommended for the child/family who was reported. We will use Maine's Office of Child and Family Services' criteria for determining what counts as "confirmed child abuse" as well as what counts as a "recommended social service."
Secondary Objectives

"Low Quality" reports of suspected abuse are reports to the state of Maine that do not result in either findings of child abuse or recommended social services. We will use Maine's Office of Child and Family Services' criteria for determining what counts as "confirmed child abuse" as well as what counts as a "recommended social service."

Financial costs (in U.S. dollars) expended by the State of Maine on "Low Quality" reports (submitted by childcare providers during the study period) will be calculated by summing the following: i) The average cost to the State of Maine associated with an "Intake call," multiplied by the number of reports of suspected abuse submitted by childcare providers that are screened out (i.e., determined by Intake workers to NOT warrant investigation); and ii) The average cost to the State of Maine associated with investigating a report of suspected abuse, multiplied by the number of reports of suspected abuse submitted by childcare providers that are investigated, but NO abuse was confirmed AND no social services were recommended to the child/family that had been reported

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.
This study has 1 location
Suspended
Penn State College of MedicineHershey, United StatesSee the location
CompletedOne Study Center