Effectiveness of an Anti-bullying Intervention for Adolescent Perpetrators

Seoul National University Childrens Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Conduct Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Anti-bullying intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02670876

0720152106

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators recruited school bullying perpetrators from the age of 12 to 17 by referral from the local police department. An anti-bullying intervention based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) principles was conducted, and addressed issues related to impulse control, empathy and communication enhancement. All participants completed brain magnetic resonance imaging, neurocognitive tests, and questionnaires before and after the intervention.

Full description

The present study included previous perpetrators of school bullying who were convicted for a minor offense, including physical or verbal assaults or theft, and who were referred by the police to participate in an anti-bullying intervention. The program consisted of 8 sessions over 4 weeks and was conducted by a board-certified psychiatrist and a therapist with previous training in psychosocial treatments. The intervention was based on CBT principles and addressed various factors that have been associated with perpetrators of school bullying, including impulse control, perspective taking (empathy), and the enhancement of communication skills.

All participants completed the Korean Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) administered by board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists. The validity and reliability of the original and Korean versions of the K-SADS-PL have been established. Intelligence quotient (IQ) was measured using the Korean Educational Developmental Institute's Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.

Prior to and after participation in the program, all participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (structural and functional) and completed neurocognitive tests that included the continuous performance test (CPT), the Stroop Word and Color Test, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). The parents of the participants completed questionnaires including the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Written informed consent was obtained from the parents and the participants after sufficient explanation of the study. The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board of the Seoul National University Hospital.

Enrollment: 27 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 12 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• No psychiatric diagnosis or psychiatric diagnoses including conduct disorder, depressive disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and adjustment disorder.
• IQ > 70
• Agreement to participate
• Ability to cooperate in group therapy

Exclusion criteria

• Any psychotic disorder
• Severe impairment in impulse control
• Not cooperating with program participation
• IQ < 70
• Current or past history of brain trauma or organic brain disorder, seizure disorder, or any neurological disorder.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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27 participants in 1 patient group

Anti-bullying intervention

Experimental group

Description:

An anti-bullying intervention target to perpetrators of school bullying was conducted. The program consisted of 8 sessions over 4 weeks and was conducted by a board-certified psychiatrist and a therapist with previous training in psychosocial treatments. The intervention was based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and addressed various factors that have been associated with perpetrators of school bullying, including impulse control, perspective taking (empathy), and the enhancement of communication skills.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Anti-bullying intervention