Effectiveness of a school-based educational video intervention for the prevention of technology-facilitated sexual violence among female adolescents: a sequential explanatory mixed-methods study

Abstract Background Technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) has emerged as an important threat to adolescent health and safety in digital environments. However, TFSV-related content remains insufficiently addressed in routine school-based education. This study examined the effectiveness of a digital TFSV prevention education programme in improving adolescents’ knowledge, awareness, and attitudes toward TFSV prevention. Methods A mixed-methods quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test study was conducted among female senior high school students. The intervention was implemented over a five-week period and comprised six educational videos addressing sexting and online grooming, cyber sexual safety, personal and interpersonal factors related to TFSV, sexual health, digital literacy, and legal literacy. The videos were delivered through scheduled classroom sessions, reinforced via Zoom, and made continuously accessible through Instagram. Knowledge, awareness, and attitudes were analysed using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann–Whitney U tests. A post-intervention focus group discussion explored participants’ experiences and perceptions. Results At post-test, knowledge scores were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group after Holm adjustment ( $$\:U=375.000$$ , adjusted $$\:p=0.009$$ , $$\:r=0.36$$ ). Awareness scores were also higher in the intervention group ( $$\:U=418.000$$ , adjusted $$\:p=0.044$$ , $$\:r=0.28$$ ), whereas no significant between-group difference was found for attitude ( $$\:U=516.000$$ , adjusted $$\:p=0.331$$ , $$\:r=0.12$$ ). Attitude scores increased significantly within both groups; therefore, an additional intervention-specific effect on attitude was not demonstrated. Conclusion The digital TFSV prevention programme was associated with higher post-test knowledge and awareness than the standard school-based programme, but no additional effect on attitude was demonstrated. Engaging audiovisual delivery may support adolescents’ understanding and recognition of TFSV risks, although further evaluation using multicentre designs, baseline-adjusted analyses, and longer follow-up is required. Clinical trial number Not applicable.