Abusive head trauma (AHT) is a leading cause of infant mortality and long-term neurodevelopmental disability, yet existing prevention programmes have shown limited effectiveness in reducing its incidence. This may reflect insufficient understanding of upstream determinants of behaviour, including population-level knowledge of AHT.
This cross-sectional online study aims to assess AHT-related knowledge, behavioural intentions, and their determinants in a sample representative of the French adult population aged 18-80 years. Participants will be recruited through a quota-based online panel and social media.
Participants will complete a standardised procedure including exposure to short videos depicting either a shaking gesture (dangerous) or non-dangerous infant-handling behaviors (playing, rocking), followed by questionnaires assessing interpretation of the gesture, knowledge of its consequences, and AHT-related knowledge. After standardised information on AHT is provided, behavioral intentions and theoretical knowledge will be reassessed.
This study will provide the first nationally representative data on AHT-related knowledge in France and inform the development of targeted, evidence-based prevention strategies.