[Paper Review] A Systematic Review of Mobile Apps for Child Sexual Abuse Education: Limitations and Design Guidelines

Sadia Tasnuva Pritha, Rahnuma Tasnim+3 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jul 4, 2021

Child Development and Digital Technology54 references5 citations

TL;DR

This study systematically evaluates 14 child sexual abuse (CSA) education mobile apps from major app stores using a custom app rating scale, identifying critical limitations in design and software quality. It proposes game-based learning, parent-child integration, and improved software features as essential guidelines for developing effective, evidence-based CSA prevention apps.

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this study are understanding the requirements of a CSA education app, identifying the limitations of existing apps, and providing a guideline for better app design. An electronic search across three major app stores(Google Play, Apple, and Microsoft) is conducted and the selected apps are rated by three independent raters. Total 191 apps are found and finally, 14 apps are selected for review based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. An app rating scale for CSA education apps is devised by modifying existing scales and used to evaluate the selected 14 apps. Our rating scale evaluates essential features, criteria, and software quality characteristics that are necessary for CSA education apps, and determined their effectiveness for potential use as CSA education programs for children. The internal consistency of the rating scale and the inter and intra-rater reliability among the raters are also calculated. User comments from the app stores are collected and analyzed to understand their expectations and views. After analyzing the feasibility of reviewed apps, CSA app design considerations are proposed that highlight game-based teaching approaches. Evaluation results showed that most of the reviewed apps are not suitable for being used as CSA education programs. While a few may be able to teach children and parents individually, only the apps "Child Abuse Prevention" (rate 3.89 out of 5) and "Orbit Rescue" (rate 3.92 out of 5) could be deemed suitable for a school-based CSA education program. However, all those apps need to be improved both their software qualities and CSA-specific features for being considered as potential CSA education programs. This study provides the necessary knowledge to developers and individuals regarding essential features and software quality characteristics for designing and developing CSA education apps.

Motivation & Objective

• To evaluate the quality and effectiveness of existing mobile apps for child sexual abuse (CSA) education.
• To identify critical limitations in current CSA education apps, especially in software quality and pedagogical design.
• To develop a validated app rating scale tailored for assessing CSA education apps.
• To provide actionable design guidelines for developers to improve future CSA education apps.
• To assess user expectations and feedback from app store reviews to inform better app development.

Proposed method

• Conducted an electronic search across Google Play, Apple App Store, and Microsoft Store using predefined keywords and inclusion/exclusion criteria.
• Screened 191 apps and selected 14 for in-depth review based on relevance, language (English and Bangla), and availability.
• Developed a custom app rating scale by modifying existing scales, focusing on essential features, software quality, and CSA-specific criteria.
• Used three independent raters to assess apps, calculating inter- and intra-rater reliability and internal consistency of the rating scale.
• Collected and analyzed user comments from app stores to understand user expectations and perceived shortcomings.
• Synthesized findings into design considerations, emphasizing game-based learning, parent involvement, and user customization.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What are the key limitations in existing mobile apps designed for child sexual abuse education?
• RQ2 How effective are current CSA education apps in delivering evidence-based prevention content to children and caregivers?
• RQ3 What software quality and pedagogical features are most critical for the success of CSA education apps?
• RQ4 How do user reviews from app stores reflect expectations and perceived shortcomings of these apps?
• RQ5 What design guidelines can be derived to improve the development of future CSA education mobile applications?

Key findings

• Only two apps, 'Child Abuse Prevention' (3.89/5) and 'Orbit Rescue' (3.92/5), were deemed suitable for school-based CSA education programs.
• Most reviewed apps lacked essential features such as game-based learning, parent-child integration, and effective feedback mechanisms.
• The app rating scale demonstrated strong internal consistency and high inter-rater reliability, validating its use for future app evaluations.
• User comments revealed that children prefer engaging, interactive learning over traditional quiz-based models, which often fail to sustain attention.
• Apps with game-based or serious game approaches showed higher engagement potential and were rated more favorably than standard informational apps.
• There is a critical need for improved software quality, including usability, accessibility, and customization, to enhance app effectiveness and adoption.