Safe Boundaries – Protect Yourself: Developing Interactive Education to Prevent Early Childhood Sexual Violence

Abstract

This study aimed to design and evaluate a digital interactive Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled Safe Boundaries – Protect Yourself to improve parental attitudes toward early childhood sexual education. Using a one-group pretest–posttest experimental design, the study included 70 parents who participated in the intervention to assess changes in their attitudes toward body safety education. The Attitudes Toward Sex Education Scale (ATSES) was administered before and after the intervention to measure attitudinal shifts. The digital course integrated interactive videos, visual storytelling, and guided reflections to encourage parents to engage in discussions about body boundaries and protection strategies actively. Results revealed a statistically significant improvement in parental attitudes, with t(69) = −39.39, p < .001, and a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.86), indicating that participants developed more positive perceptions and greater confidence in discussing personal boundaries with their children. The analysis also showed increased parental awareness of age-appropriate communication techniques and an enhanced sense of responsibility for preventing sexual abuse. Moreover, participants reported that the course’s culturally sensitive content helped reduce discomfort when addressing sensitive issues within family contexts. The findings demonstrate that interactive digital learning effectively enhances parents’ knowledge, responsiveness, and self-efficacy in addressing sensitive topics. In conclusion, this study highlights the transformative potential of culturally responsive digital interventions to strengthen preventive education and promote awareness of early childhood protection across diverse communities.