Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP
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J Dev Behav Pediatr · Apr 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialTeaching firearm safety to children: failure of a program.
The present study investigated the effectiveness of a skills-based firearm safety program on reducing children's play with firearms. In a randomized control study, 34 children aged 4 to 7 years participated in a week-long firearm safety program; the Control Group was composed of 36 children. ⋯ Interview data revealed significant discrepancies in parent and child reports of parental gun ownership and inaccurate parental predictions of their children's interest in guns. The results of the current study cast doubt on the potential effectiveness of skills-based gun safety programs for children.