I-Cast Data Tools

I-Cast data tools are a common instrument worldwide to enable systematic collection and comparison of data across cultures and time or between research groups for collecting data on the extent and depth of child abuse.

ISPCAN Resources

About ICAST

ISPCAN’s goal with ICAST is to provide a method to make reported incidence of all forms of violence against children more accurate and more representative of the true scope of the problem. Research instruments that measure child maltreatment are significant tools in preventing child abuse and neglect globally.

It is our hope that the use of these tools will result in policies and programs that promote child protection and in curricula adaptation for general and continuing professional education. Most child abuse research to date has been conducted in affluent, western countries.

A significant barrier to research worldwide has been a lack of suitable tools to use in local surveys with children and young people. It is hoped that these tools will remove this barrier. It is also envisioned that the availability of a common tool will enable systematic comparison of data across cultures, time or between research groups even when such groups operate within the same country or use the same language.

With the support of the Oak Foundation, ISPCAN collaborated with UNICEF, the UN Secretary General’s Study on Violence against Children, the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, and the World Health Organization (WHO) to create the ICAST. The tools were designed by international experts, reviewed by more than 100 professionals from different countries using a Delphi process, field tested in 8 countries, and refined. Since then, ICAST has been translated and tested in at least 20 languages.

The first parent and young adult questionnaires were field tested in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, India, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, and Russia. The children’s questionnaire was field tested in Colombia, India, Russia, and Iceland. The questionnaires were translated into multiple languages and incorporate refinements based on feedback from translators and back-translators.

Supporting I-Cast Data Tools Resources:

Select Resources Are For ISPCAN Members Only.

Data shows that 5 children die every day because of child abuse.

One in 4 girls or 1 in 13 boys is sexually abused.

Over 1 billion children worldwide experience violence annually.

Visual of Children Learning

The need for accurate data and measures is essential.

If we want to generate effective systems of care, public health prevention and understand outcomes for children and families we must have accurate data. Our members advance the linkages between data and practice, while improving the quality of data collection and publication globally. All with the aim to improve policy, funding, child centered care, and do better.

Free I-Cast Data tools to gather information in 3 areas:

Other Languages Available

  • Updated versions of ICAST-C, -P, and -R are available above in English, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic
  • Members can receive guidance from ISPCAN on the tools.
  • Older versions of ICAST available in 18 other languages (Albanian, Arabic (Egyptian & Saudi), Latin/Cyrillic, Bulgarian, Croatian, French, Greek, Hindi, Icelandic, Macedonian, Korean, Marati, Serbian/Hungarian, Romanian/Hungarian, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish
  • Please use the form at the bottom of this page to request additional language translations

I-Cast Data Tools for Mobile Devices

ICAST is now available for us on mobile devices using the free Epi Info app from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Instructions are below.

Instructions for accessing Epi Info to use ICAST on mobile devices:

  1. Download the desired manual and template file(s) to your device from Dropbox.
  2. Download Epi Info software from the CDC website.
  3. Open Epi Info software and select the “Create Forms” module.
    From the “Files” tab, select “Get Template” and point the browsing window to the location on your device where you saved the downloaded XML files. This should be done to import each template form (P, R, and C) to Epi Info.
  4. The templates can then be dragged and dropped from the “Project Explorer” side bar of the Epi Info Create Forms module into a new project.
  5. Begin customizing the ICAST forms for the member’s research site and collecting data.

I-Cast Data Tools User Agreement

Please note that the ICAST tools are designed for research; they are not designed to be screening tools for diagnostic purposes in clinical settings. Different trauma screeners are available for diagnostic purposes.

For research purposes, ISPCAN allows professionals to use the I-Cast Data Tools with the understanding that they agree to:

  • Use the tools in a culturally appropriate way that is also sensitive to the needs of children.
  • Submit the questionnaire for ethical review by a professionally approved entity in the country/countries where the survey is conducted.
  • Share a summary report of findings with ISPCAN and any new translations done.

*A special note on use of the children’s questionnaire: The development of the child self-assessment questionnaire regarding maltreatment is controversial. Children may not have the perspective needed to categorize events as abusive. Child participation in research usually involves parental consent— younger children may not have the experience or education needed to give truly informed consent. Assessing the consequence of consent is significant, as the disclosure of information about child abuse could result in the child’s removal from his or her home and criminal prosecution of the parents. It is difficult for a child to assess the potential benefits and quality of research that is being conducted by researchers. While the collection of data from children has limitations and ethical boundaries, children are an incomparable source of data about abuse in the home, institutional or school settings.

Do you have questions or need an older version of Icast in another language? Please contact us.


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