Effects of Prevention in School (PS): a Swedish School-wide Positive Behavior Support Program at the Primary Prevention Level

Karolinska Institute

Status: Completed

Conditions: Problem Behaviors Among Students; Classroom Learning Environment

Treatments: Behavioral: PS - Prevention in School

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01670591

21-12050/2008

Details and patient eligibility

About

Prevention in School (PS) is a modified School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Program at the universal prevention level, developed by Swedish researchers for the school years 4 -9. By defining and teaching school rules to all teachers and students, and by consistently acknowledging students when meeting behavioural expectations, the program aims to reduce problem behaviours in school areas and to improve the classroom learning climate. Against this background, the purpose of this study is to examine whether PS is more effective than schools' ordinary practices in meeting these goals.

Enrollment: 3,207 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 10 to 15 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Schools situated in Stockholm county and in bordering counties within travelling distance from Stockholm.
• Comprising the grades 4-9 (10-15 years).
• A minimum of 2 classes/50 students in each of the grades 5-7.
• A majority (min.80%)of the staff is positive towards program participation.
• School management willing to take active part in change/developmental work.
• A willingness to submit to study conditions (randomization etc)

Exclusion criteria

• Participation in other ongoing research projects.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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3,207 participants in 2 patient groups

PS - Prevention in School

Experimental group

Description:

Teachers learn to use the core program components (defining and teaching school rules and the handling of rule breakings, principles of positive behavior support)with help from external consultants during approximately 1.5 years.

Treatment:

Behavioral: PS - Prevention in School

Business as usual

No Intervention group