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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01678846

Good Schools Study

The purpose of this study is to determine whether use of the Good Schools Toolkit is effective in reducing violence against children in primary schools.

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Key information

Conditions

Physical Violence Anxiety Disorders Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Conduct Disorder Depression Educational Achievement Mental Disorders Mental Health Neurodevelopmental Disorders Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being Sexual Violence Violence Against Children

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

District-wide

Multiple, Luwero District, Uganda

About this study

Violence against children has profound effects on both children's health and their ability to do well at school. Fear, anxiety and injuries caused by violence may play a large role in both children's absenteeism and low educational achievement, and there is increasing interest from large bilateral donors in investigating this link in low income countries. The Good School Toolkit has been developed and refined for 6 years in Uganda by Raising Voices. The toolkit takes a systemic approach, involving an entire school in a process of change to reduce violence and improve teaching techniques. The Toolkit draws on the Transtheoretical Model and incorporates standard behaviour change techniques such as setting a goal and making an action plan, which are effective in modifying behaviour. This study aims to determine whether use of the Good School Toolkit reduces children's experience of violence by school staff. The investigators will also examine the effects of the Toolkit on children's educational outcomes, mental health and well-being.

The investigators will conduct a cluster randomised controlled trial in 40 primary schools in Luwero District, Uganda. More than 3500 children in Primary 5, 6 and 7 will be surveyed (aged about 11-16 years). Half of the schools will receive the Toolkit, and other half will be put on a waiting list to receive the Toolkit at the end of the study. The results from this evaluation will be used to brief policy-makers within the Ministry of Education and Sports involved in developing country-wide policy and practice around violence against children in schools.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

  • Inclusion Criteria:
  • Schools
  • in Luwero District, Uganda
  • more than 40 students registered in Primary 5
  • Participants
  • registered as a Primary 5, 6 or 7 pupil
  • any school staff member
  • Exclusion Criteria:
  • Schools

-- existing program related to prevention of violence against children or school governance

  • Participants -- not able to understand consent and study procedures

Treatment and study plan

Good School Toolkit

Behavioral

The Toolkit uses a six step process to create a school wide intervention that engages teachers, students, administration, and parents to reflect on how they can promote quality of education in their school. The Toolkit articulates complex ideas (what is a good learning environment, a good teacher, how to create positive discipline without using violence) through booklets, posters and school initiated learning processes. Specific modules on alternative discipline techniques and how staff can use positive discipline are included in the Toolkit. The intervention includes sessions on knowledge, attitudes and opportunities to practice new behavioural skills. Work is led by teachers and students, and supported by visits from Raising Voices staff. The Toolkit can be reviewed at (http://www.raisingvoices.org/children/good_school_toolkit.php).

Primary outcomes

  1. Physical Violence From School Staff

    Time frame: 2-year follow-up

    past week experience of any physical violence from school staff

Secondary outcomes

  1. Child Mental Health

    Time frame: 2-year follow-up

    score on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): 20 questions. Total difficulties score, divided by the number of completed items. Modelled as a continuous variable. Range 0 (no difficulties) to 2 (high difficulties).

  2. Educational Achievement: Word Recognition in English

    Time frame: 2-year follow-up

    Word recognition in English(words per minute). Early Grade Reading Assessment, Uganda version. Calculated as number of words read correctly (out of a maximum of 50), divided by the time (out of a maximum of 60 seconds).

  3. Safety and Well-being at School

    Time frame: At 2 year follow-up

    Five questions. Each question asked with response options: all the time, most of the time, sometimes, never:

    I feel that my teachers care about me. I feel safe in school. I feel like I belong at school. I like to spend time at school. I am scared of my teachers (reverse coded). Scores summed, modelled as a continuous variable. Range 0 (low) to 15 (high). Higher score is better safety and well-being at school.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Other

Collaborators

  • Institute of Education, UK
  • Makerere University
  • Raising Voices

Registry information

Official study title

The Good Schools Study: Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial of a Program to Prevent Violence Against Children in Schools

Acronym: GSS

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2014
Study completion
2014
First posted
Sep 5, 2012
Registry last updated
Jan 26, 2016

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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