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Professional self-efficacy for responding to child abuse presentations

Jennifer Anne Fraser (Sydney Nursing School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia)
Tara Flemington (Sydney Nursing School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia)
Diep Thi Ngoc Doan (Department of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Van Minh Tu Hoang (Children’s Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Binh Thi Le Doan (Department of Medicine, Children’s Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Tuan Manh Ha (Department of Medicine, Children’s Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Journal of Children's Services

ISSN: 1746-6660

Article publication date: 12 October 2018

Issue publication date: 21 November 2018

891

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to validate measures of professional self-efficacy for detecting and responding to child abuse and neglect presentations, and then evaluate a clinical training programme for health professionals in a tertiary-level hospital in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

A prospective, cohort design was used and professional self-efficacy was measured immediately prior to, and shortly after, training 116 nurses and doctors in emergency settings. Longer-term follow-up was measured six months later.

Findings

Linear mixed modelling showed that there was a statistically significant improvement in efficacy expectations for both suspected and known cases of child abuse and neglect between the pre- and post-test measures at zero and six weeks. These improvements did not persist to the six-month follow-up.

Research limitations/implications

The training succeeded in improving detection and clinical response to child abuse and neglect presentations but not faith in the provision of ongoing support for children and families.

Practical implications

Practice change in emergency settings in Vietnam can be achieved using a sustainable theoretically driven training programme.

Social implications

Building the capacity of health professionals to respond to cases of child abuse and neglect relies on the strength of the community and support services within which the hospital is located.

Originality/value

Measures of self-efficacy expectations and outcome expectations for responding to child abuse and neglect presentations in emergency settings in Vietnam are now validated.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Dr Ho Lu Viet, Head of Department of Training, Research, Public Health and International Cooperation Children’s Hospital 2 who played a lead role in the governance of this study.

Citation

Fraser, J.A., Flemington, T., Thi Ngoc Doan, D., Hoang, V.M.T., Doan, B.T.L. and Ha, T.M. (2018), "Professional self-efficacy for responding to child abuse presentations", Journal of Children's Services, Vol. 13 No. 3/4, pp. 81-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-09-2017-0044

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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