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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03051854

Prevention of Violence Against Children

Beside the home, the school is often the second important setting for the development and education of children and adolescents. Students spend a large part of their life at school. However, there is recurrent occurrence of violence against children and of harsh discipline measures used in home and school settings. These may result into negative consequences. Hence, prevention strategies against the use of harsh discipline use in schools become a priority.

In the baseline of this study the investigators will therefore examine the prevalence and consequences of violence against children in Southwestern Uganda. The study will be conducted in schools and common disciplinary measures used by teachers, and the perceptions of teachers' and students' in relation to commonly used and experienced disciplinary measures we will be investigated.

In the second phase, the investigators then will implement and assess the effectiveness of an intervention aimed at reducing the use of harsh and violent disciplinary measures in schools. ICC-T training in the long-term aims at fostering better relations amongst students and teachers. Based on feasibility studies, ICC-T intervention is expected to result into better teacher-student relationships, change in teachers' attitudes and behaviors concerning the use of violent disciplinary measures in the school setting.

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Key information

Conditions

Violence Against Children

Age range

12 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Government-aided secondary schools

Mbarara, Southwestern Uganda, Uganda

About this study

Study participants (i.e., teachers and students) will be recruited from six districts in southwestern Uganda. The sample will include 12 government-aided secondary schools from which 60 students and 15-25 teachers will be recruited. The final sample will have 720 students and 180-300 teachers. Investigators will assess data in the baseline (i.e., prior to intervention) and three months after the intervention.

Study measures will cover the following topics: socio-demographic data, common disciplinary measure used at home and at school, students' mental health problems, students' and teachers' attitudes towards violent discipline measures, and students' exposure to peer and sexual violence. Questionnaire for teachers will have additional items that measure attitudes towards teaching and teacher stress. Additionally, the investigators will also assess the demand, acceptance and feasibility of the training.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Written informed consent (if underaged by parents & minors)

Exclusion criteria

  • Acute drug or alcohol intoxication
  • Acute psychotic disorder

Treatment and study plan

Interaction Competencies with children - for teachers

Behavioral

Core training components include teacher-student interaction, maltreatment prevention, effective discipline strategies, identifying and supporting burdened students and implementation of the training materials into the school setting.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in teachers' application of harsh discipline

    Time frame: The CTSPC will be used at T 1 (baseline, prior to intervention) and T2 (follow-up, 3 months after intervention)

    In teachers the Conflict Tactics Scale Parent-Child version (CTSPC) will assess teachers' use of violent discipline measure against students in the school locale.

  2. Change in student's exposure to harsh discipline by teachers

    Time frame: CTSPC will be used at T 1 (baseline, prior to intervention) and T2 (follow-up, 3 months after intervention)

    The Conflict Tactics Scale Parent-Child version (CTSPC) will assess the students' self-reported experiences of violent discipline in schools.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in student's mental health

    Time frame: SDQ will be used at (baseline, prior to intervention) and T2 (follow-up, 3 months after intervention)

    Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) will assess students' internalizing and externalizing problems. SDQ will be used at T1 and T2.

  2. Change in teachers's attitudes towards harsh discipline

    Time frame: The adapted version of CTSPC will be used at T 1 (baseline, prior to intervention) and T2 (follow-up, 3 months after intervention)

    Items of the CTSPC have been adapted to measure teachers' and students' attitudes towards violent discipline methods at school.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Konstanz

Other

Collaborators

  • Alexander von Humboldt Association
  • Bielefeld University

Registry information

Official study title

Prevalence, Consequences and Prevention of Violence Against Children in Southwestern Uganda

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Feb 14, 2017
Registry last updated
Oct 1, 2019

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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