Child AbuseiLookOutNCT03185728
iLook Out for Child Abuse: An Innovative Learning Module for Childcare Providers
A study testing iLook Out for Child Abuse in people with Child Abuse, run by Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
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… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Child Abuse
- What is being tested?
- iLook Out for Child Abuse
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 2,059 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 3 Oct 2017to 1 Feb 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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
Who cannot join
- Does not work or volunteer at a childcare facility in Maine
- Under 18 years of age
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Penn State College of Medicine
Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033
About this study
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.
Read the detailed description
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.
- Conditions
- Child Abuse
- Being tested
- iLook Out for Child Abuse
- Keywords
- Child Abuse, Mandated Reporting, Online Learning, Child Protection, GAMIFICATION, Early Childhood Education
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
iLook Out for Child AbuseOther
Also called iLookOut
Online, interactive educational intervention that uses a video-based story-line and "gamification" to teach childcare providers about child abuse and mandated reporting.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| iLookOut | Experimental | Online, interactive learning program developed by study team. Receives: Other: iLook Out for Child Abuse |
| Standard | Active comparator | Online mandated reporter training developed by the state of Maine during Y1, then recruited to complete iLookOut during Y2 and Y3. Receives: Other: iLook Out for Child Abuse |
| Control | 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. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Percentage of "High Quality" reports of suspected child abuse submitted to the State of Maine by childcare providers
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."
Measured: 48 months
Secondary outcomes (2)
Percentage of reports of suspected child abuse submitted to the State of Maine by childcare providers that are "Low Quality"
"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."
Measured: 48 months
Financial costs (in U.S. dollars) associated with responding to "Low Quality" reports of suspected abuse that are submitted to the State of Maine by childcare providers
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:
- 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
Measured: 48 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Jun 2017
- Study start3 Oct 2017
- Primary completion31 Dec 2021
- Study completion1 Feb 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Child AbuseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Model description
- Childcare sites will be randomized to one of 3 study arms, and we will use a stepped wedge design to recruit patients to complete one of two interventions. During the first year of implementation, 1/3 of participants will not be contacted (Control arm). In the other 2 arms, participants will be recruited to complete either the iLookOut intervention or the Standard online mandated reporter training. The next year, participants in the Standard arm will then be asked to complete the iLookOut intervention, and participants in the Control arm will, again, not be incentivized to complete any training. In the final year, participants in the Control arm will be recruited to complete the iLookOut intervention.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 2,059 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Oklahoma, Penn State University, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Benjamin H. Levi, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
- Investigators
- Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD, Study director, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center / Penn State College of Medicine
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03185728
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-4740
- Other IDs
- R01HD088448-01
- Acronym
- iLookOut
- Status last verified
- Jan 2023
- First submitted
- 20 Apr 2017
- Last updated
- 11 Jan 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Walsh K, Eggins E, Hine L, Mathews B, Kenny MC, Howard S, Ayling N, Dallaston E, Pink E, Vagenas D. Child protection training for professionals to improve reporting of child abuse and neglect. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Jul 5;7(7):CD011775. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011775.pub2.
PubMed 35788913
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Jan 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- iLook Out for Child Abuse: An Innovative Learning Module for Childcare Providers
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03185728
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- iLookOut / IRB-4740
- Conditions
- Child Abuse
- Keywords
- Child Abuse, Mandated Reporting, Online Learning, Child Protection, GAMIFICATION, Early Childhood Education
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 2,059 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Milton S. Hershey Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Oklahoma, Penn State University, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- Study start
- 3 Oct 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Feb 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 14 Jun 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Detailed description
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.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Sequential
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Childcare sites will be randomized to one of 3 study arms, and we will use a stepped wedge design to recruit patients to complete one of two interventions. During the first year of implementation, 1/3 of participants will not be contacted (Control arm). In the other 2 arms, participants will be recruited to complete either the iLookOut intervention or the Standard online mandated reporter training. The next year, participants in the Standard arm will then be asked to complete the iLookOut intervention, and participants in the Control arm will, again, not be incentivized to complete any training. In the final year, participants in the Control arm will be recruited to complete the iLookOut intervention.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| iLookOut | Experimental | Other: iLook Out for Child AbuseOnline, interactive learning program developed by study team. |
| Standard | Active comparator | Other: iLook Out for Child AbuseOnline mandated reporter training developed by the state of Maine during Y1, then recruited to complete iLookOut during Y2 and Y3. |
| Control | 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. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- 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
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Does not work or volunteer at a childcare facility in Maine
- Under 18 years of age
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| iLook Out for Child AbuseAlso: iLookOutOnline, interactive educational intervention that uses a video-based story-line and "gamification" to teach childcare providers about child abuse and mandated reporting. | Other | Standard, iLookOut |
Primary outcome
Percentage of "High Quality" reports of suspected child abuse submitted to the State of Maine by childcare providers
Time frame: 48 months
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."
2 secondary outcomes
Percentage of reports of suspected child abuse submitted to the State of Maine by childcare providers that are "Low Quality"
Time frame: 48 months
Financial costs (in U.S. dollars) associated with responding to "Low Quality" reports of suspected abuse that are submitted to the State of Maine by childcare providers
Time frame: 48 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Jan 2023.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 35788913Walsh K, Eggins E, Hine L, Mathews B, Kenny MC, Howard S, Ayling N, Dallaston E, Pink E, Vagenas D. Child protection training for professionals to improve reporting of child abuse and neglect. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Jul 5;7(7):CD011775. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011775.pub2.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD study director
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center / Penn State College of Medicine
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing iLook Out for Child Abuse in people with Child Abuse, run by Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Jan 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Percentage of "High Quality" reports of suspected child abuse submitted to the State of Maine by childcare providers (time frame: 48 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03185728, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Jan 2023; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 27 Oct 2026.