Teaching abduction prevention skills to children using a one-on-one training setting

Child abduction is an uncommon but extremely dangerous event. The current study examined teaching abduction prevention skills to typically developing triplet boys using behavior skills training (BST) with the combination of in situ training (IST). We used a concurrent multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of BST and IST on teaching abduction prevention skills. When encountering a (confederate) stranger, participants were assessed on occurrence of three behaviors: saying "no," leaving the scene, and telling an adult what happened. After implementing BST, participants were again tested using a novel stranger probe; if the participant scored below a perfect score, then IST was implemented. Two participants did not need IST. One participant received IST and performed the safety skills to mastery following IST. Results demonstrated that BST in a one-on-one setting was effective at teaching abduction prevention skills for two participants and effective when combined with IST for one participant.