ABSTRACT Child abuse and neglect (CAN) continues to be a significant public health problem with lifelong implications. Nursing students are expected to play a crucial role in the early recognition and reporting of CAN; however, educational inadequacies persist, particularly in recognising emotional abuse and neglect. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured case‐based education program in improving nursing students' knowledge and awareness of CAN in Türkiye. A quasi‐experimental, single‐group pretest–posttest design was used with 74 second‐year nursing students. Data were collected pre‐ and post‐intervention using the Child Abuse and Neglect Knowledge and Awareness Scale and a word association activity via Mentimeter. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were used to analyse the data. Quantitative analysis revealed a significant improvement only in the ‘Characteristics of Parents Prone to Neglect and Abuse’ subscale ( p < 0.05), whereas no significant change was found in the total score or other subscales. However, qualitative findings from the word association activity indicated a significant shift in students' perceptions. Before the intervention, students primarily associated CAN with physical abuse (e.g., ‘violence,’ ‘rape’), whereas postintervention responses included a broader understanding encompassing neglect and emotional abuse. The structured case‐based education program yielded modest yet targeted quantitative effects, while fostering a deeper conceptual understanding of CAN. These results underscore the value of incorporating interactive and reflective strategies into nursing curricula to improve recognition of less visible forms of abuse. Further research employing control groups and extended follow‐up periods is warranted to confirm and expand upon these findings.
Mutlu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.