Effectiveness of a School Wellbeing Programme for Internalising Problems in Irish Primary School Children

University College Dublin

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Low Mood; Anxiety

Treatments: Behavioral: A Lust for Life Schools Programme

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05061381

aclancy

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a school-based multi-component universal programme for the reduction of internalising problems (i.e. anxiety and low mood) in primary school pupils.

Full description

Childhood and adolescence are important developmental phases for wellbeing and mental health. School has been noted in psychological literature to be a favourable environment for mental health initiatives, such as school-based programmes. Universal programmes are programmes delivered to all pupils irrespective of perceived need and have several advantages, including having a wide reach, avoiding the need for screening and are less stigmatising.

A Lust for Life is a universal school-based multi-component intervention whose target is to build well-being and emotional resilience in children. The programme was informed by evidence-based psychological approaches including cognitive behaviour therapy, positive psychology and mindfulness and consists of six lessons, each delivered by the pupils' school teacher on a weekly basis. The lessons involve classroom discussions, videos, classroom activities and homework assignments.

Study participants will complete the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale Short Format, Coping strategy indicator and Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children pre-intervention. Following this, schools randomly assigned to the experimental group will receive A Lust for Life, while those randomly assigned to the control group will be placed on a sixteen-week waiting list. The questionnaire measures and a Brief Satisfaction Scale will be completed by participants at post-intervention. In addition, a six-week follow-up assessment will determine whether the effects of the programme are sustained over a period of time. The programme will be delivered in the waiting list control group schools after the six-week follow-up assessment.

Enrollment: 400 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 10 to 18 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Child
• Enrolled in primary school in Ireland
• Obtain written informed consent from parents/guardians
• Provide written assent

Exclusion criteria

• Failure to meet inclusion criteria

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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400 participants in 2 patient groups

A Lust for Life Schools Programme Group

Experimental group

Description:

A Lust for Life programme will be delivered to primary school pupils by their school teachers in six weekly lessons. Well-being and resilience will be promoted in each lesson through classroom discussions, videos, classroom activities and homework assignments.

Treatment:

Behavioral: A Lust for Life Schools Programme

Waiting list control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will be placed on a sixteen-week waiting list for the programme.