Building Respectful Online Space (BROS): Evaluating a Co-designed Anti-cyberbullying Intervention Among Adolescents

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Cyberbullying

Treatments: Behavioral: Healthy diet education program; Behavioral: Building Respectful Online Space (BROS)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06796621

CUHK-2025-YL

Details and patient eligibility

About

Background: The growing prevalence of cyberbullying throughout the world indicates the importance of anti-cyberbullying interventions, especially for adolescents. While few interventions target cyberbullying, content from different regions may not necessarily apply to local contexts, adolescents' viewpoints were not considered in the past designs, few local RCTs, and unclear sustainability.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminarily effects of the co-designed anti-cyberbullying intervention: Building Respectful Online Space (BROS).

Methods: A sample of around 90 aged 12 to 15 will be recruited from secondary schools in Hong Kong. This study will adopt a 2-arm experimental trial. Each class will be randomly assigned equally into the intervention arm (BROS) and control arm (Heathy Diet), and eligible students will be allocated to either arm accordingly. The intervention will be provided in one or 3 days based on the school schedule. Participants will be assessed at baseline, 3 weeks later, and 12-week follow-up assessments. The primary outcome is cyberbullying behaviour of perpetration and victimisation; the secondary outcome includes cyberbullying attitudes, sleep quality, and psychosocial well-being. Feasibility and acceptability will be assessed. And generalised estimating equations analysis will be used to investigate the research objectives.

Potential contributions: The results of this study will provide evidence-based support for using a blended approach to prevent cyberbullying, promote psychosocial well-being, and promote sleep health. This intervention is dedicated to using evidence-to-user-driven ideas to develop culturally sensitive interventions to effectively prevent cyberbullying in the future.

Full description

There is a growing body of literature that recognises whole-school strategy can be effective in preventing cyberbullying. Interventions, such as NoTrap! in Italy, Prev@cib in Spain, Media Heroes in Germany, 'Friendly Attac' in Belgium , and ViSC in Austria, have been shown to effectively prevent cyberbullying. Some school-based programmes integrate digital format into their intervention; for instance, the 'Cyber Friendly Schools' intervention in Australia utilises the online modules to facilitate learning; the 'Friendly Attac' program incorporates series games, and a study adopted a purely online approach to prevent cyberbullying in the Netherlands. A recent systematic review suggests that school-based intervention could comprehensively promote healthy online behaviours and reduce cyberbullying incidence among adolescents .

Enrollment: 120 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 15 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Students in 1st to 3rd grades in secondary schools
• Students are able to read and understand Chinese
• Students obtained informed consent signed by their parents or legal guardians

Exclusion criteria

• Students in grades 4th through 6th who are heavily involved in homework and examination
• Students with severe diseases or co-occurring disorders
• Students' parents/ legal guardians who refuse to sign informed consent.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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120 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Building Respectful Online Space (BROS)

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention group participants will receive the BROS intervention across three sessions, depending on the school schedule, presented in a hybrid mode. The sessions focus on integrating psychoeducation, behavioural-specific cognitions, serious games, music, and reflection, as a means against cyberbullying. The content includes knowledge related to cyberbullying and online safety, cyberbullying coping skills, relationship skills, emotion management, and empathy towards victims through classroom sessions, short videos, serious games, and online musical therapy.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Building Respectful Online Space (BROS)

Healthy diet education program

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

For the control group participants, an alternative intervention (a healthy diet education program) with content unrelated to cyberbullying prevention will be given. The control group participants will receive the alternative intervention across three sessions. The content is based on recommendations from the Centre for Health Protection, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (CHP, 2024) on healthy eating pyramids, emotional eating, healthy weight management, and nutritional requirements for adolescents.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Healthy diet education program