None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
A cluster randomised controlled trial study is proposed in 32 schools to test the efficacy of a comprehensive three year resilience intervention in decreasing the self reported health risk behaviours of secondary school students. Twenty schools will be randomly allocated to the intervention group and a further 12 schools randomly allocated to the control group. For evaluation purposes, web-based surveys will be conducted with a cohort of students in grade 7 attending both intervention and control schools at baseline (prior to intervention delivery), and three years after baseline data collection when the cohort are in grade 10. The surveys will include measures of self-reported health risk behaviours (including tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and other illicit drug use; nutritional intake, physical activity and sexual practices for those students in grade 10) risk of mental health problems, as well as student resilience scores. Comparisons will be made at follow up between grade 10 students in intervention and control schools to examine any differential changes in student health risk behaviours, risk of mental health problems, and resilience scores.
Interventions
A three year resilience intervention will be implemented in each school in the intervention group inclusive of the following six intervention strategies:
- Implementation of age appropriate resilience curriculum and programs targeting student resilience factors eg resilience linked to curriculum across subjects, use of existing programs such as the Resourceful Adolescent Program.
- Implementation of school policies and practices that impact on student resilience factors eg modification of welfar
A three year resilience intervention will be implemented in each school in the intervention group inclusive of the following six intervention strategies: - Implementation of age appropriate resilience curriculum and programs targeting student resilience factors eg resilience linked to curriculum across subjects, use of existing programs such as the Resourceful Adolescent Program. - Implementation of school policies and practices that impact on student resilience factors eg modification of welfare policies to include resilience, student reward and recognition program - Modification of the physical and social environment of the school to create a safe and supportive environment where resilience is fostered eg modification of space use, student murals - Development of partnerships with local organisations and community groups to deliver resilience strategies within the school eg Salvation Army, Aboriginal Community - Improve access to, and promotion of, health and community services eg youth services, community health - Implementation of strategies to engage and increase participation of parents and families in school-based activities eg social events, increased opportunity to attend school events
Sponsors
The University of Newcastle
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
12 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Schools: - located in a disadvantaged area (defined by the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-Economic Advantage/Disadvantage) - located within the HNE Area Health Service region - > 400 enrolments - enrolments in Years 7-10 - co-educational Children: - all children in Years 7-10 in participating schools
Exclusion criteria
Schools: The following types of schools will be excluded from the trial given their characteristics and the likelihood of a differential effects in these schools: - fully special needs schools - central schools (schools with enrolments from Kindergarten to Year 10/12) - fully selective schools - boarding schools - schools already implementing a comprehensive resilience intervention
Outcome results
None listed