Oral Presentation: “ViContact” – an Interactive Seminar and Virtual Reality Training for Talking to Children about suspected Sexual Abuse

Title: “ViContact” – an Interactive Seminar and Virtual Reality Training for Talking to Children about suspected Sexual Abuse

Abstract:

We introduce “ViContact” – a newly developed multi-method programme to train teachers how to talk to children about suspicions of sexual abuse. ViContact consists of a two-day seminar as well as exercises in a three-dimensional virtual reality scenario, where teachers conduct verbal conversations with virtual children. Depending on the teachers’ conversational competences, the virtual children will either disclose what they have experienced or withhold this information. After each conversation, the teachers receive automated feedback with personalized advice on how to improve their conversational skills. In this presentation, we give an overview of the program and present a study protocol for a randomized control trial investigating the effects of both training components on the conversational skills of teacher trainees. We expect an increase in open questions and rapport-building strategies. We also investigate effects of the training on self-efficacy, as well as cognitive patterns and emotions regarding suspicions of sexual abuse. In case of a positive evaluation, the training programme will be available open source and hopefully contribute to improving teachers’ abilities in dealing with suspicions of sexual abuse.