This project will produce a series of four fully interactive CD-ROM programs designed to prevent the sexual abuse of adolescents with mild to moderate mental retardation (MR). Sexual abuse of youth with MR is endemic, yet the relationships wherein sexual victimization is most likely to occur are frequently overlooked in the development of sexual abuse prevention programs. These programs will meet that need. Direct instruction (DI) teaching methods will be used to teach MR students (a) to identify sexual behavior, (b) differentiate between four types of relationships, and (c) apply relationship-specific decision rules to sexual advances across a wide range of people and life contexts. Through an interactive process with the CD-ROM program, users will observe relationship-specific interactions, assess appropriateness of behavior, practice applying decision rules, and be able to view the positive consequences associated with appropriate responses to sexually abusive situations; and the negative consequences that happen to sexual offenders. The program will analyze user responses and will provide immediate feedback and error-specific remediation. Phase I of this project will produce and evaluate a prototype program, targeting high school females. In Phase II three additional programs targeting middle school males and females, and high school males will be completed.
The market for these CD-ROM products includes all agencies that provide educational or informational materials to children and adolescents regarding safety and preventive behavior (e.g., elementary and middle schools, special education services and classes, public and private health organizations and clinics, non-profit and private crisis programs, recreation centers, public libraries, and state, county, and city health departments).
