Support Groups - a Model for Social Inclusion and Reduction of Bullying in School

Oslo Metropolitan University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Bullying

Treatments: Behavioral: Peer support groups with a solution-focused approach

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06578260

717417

Details and patient eligibility

About

Study Title: Support Groups - a model for social inclusion and reduction of bullying in school Study Design: Cluster Randomized Controlled trial (CRCT) Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of a support group intervention using a solution-focused approach among school children in 5th-7th grade in southeastern Norway Intervention: Peer support groups with a solution-focused approach Study Population: School Children

Full description

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a support group intervention using a solution-focused approach in reducing bullying, enhancing mental health, improving quality of life, and increasing general self-efficacy among school children in 5th-7th grade. Investigators hypothesize that the awareness of bullying created by the intervention, and the empowerment of children as contributors to the solution, will generate positive ripple effects benefiting all children in the intervention schools. Furthermore, investigators hypothesize that children with a peer support group will exhibit lower levels of bullying, improved mental health, better quality of life, and increased general self-efficacy after the intervention compared to their baseline levels. Investigators expect these effects to persist even after 3 and 6 months. Aligned with the cluster RCT, the investigators will undertake a parallel process evaluation to assess the extent of the intervention coverage, whether the intervention was implemented according to the protocol, and identify factors that hinder or aid the implementation of a support group intervention. For the process evaluation, investigators will use the framework presented by the Medical Research Council guidelines focusing on the implementation (what is implemented and how), the mechanisms of impact (how the delivered intervention produces change), and the context (how the context affects implementation and outcomes).

Enrollment: 1,586 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 10 to 12 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Primary Schools with more than 200 students
• Public Health Nurse employed in a 50% position or more

Exclusion criteria

• Primary Schools with less than 200 students

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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1,586 participants in 2 patient groups

The effect and outcomes in the intervention schools

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention schools will use the Support Group intervention regarding bullying and exclusion.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Peer support groups with a solution-focused approach

The outcomes in the control schools

No Intervention group

Description:

The control schools will implement the same measures as they normally do regarding bullying and exclusion.