Effectiveness of the FearNot!v.2.0 Software in Reducing Bullying Victimisation Among Primary School Children

December 17, 2008 updated by: University of Warwick

Using a Virtual Learning Environment to Reduce Bullying: Evaluation of the FearNot!v.2.0 Intervention in Primary Schools in England and Germany

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a virtual learning treatment in reducing bullying among primary school children in the UK and Germany.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

In this study, a virtual learning environment application called FearNot!v.2.0 will be evaluated as a way to improve the quality of life in schools by altering children's attitudes and behavior towards bullying.

Participants will be assigned to either the intervention or the control group. The intention was to assign randomly, however, only a minority of primary schools have the computer facilities to run the software with all pupils participating. Thus, assignment is based on the school computer compatibility with the FearNot!v.2.0 software for intervention versus control group controlling for social variables. Participants in the intervention group will interact with the software during 30-minute sessions once a week for a total of 3 weeks while participants in the control group will follow the normal curriculum.

The FearNot! narrative comprises a number of emergent episodes, which play out like an improvisational drama. During each of these emergent episodes, the characters will act out their roles resulting in a dramatic movie-like display on the computer's monitor. In between each of these episodes, the child can interact with the victim character. He/she can learn how the character feels, and offer them coping strategy advice as to how to behave in the following episode.

Outcomes will be assessed through student questionnaires at baseline, one week, and four weeks after treatment. In addition, classroom teachers will be asked to complete the Teacher Incidence of Bullying Scale at baseline and 4 weeks after the treatment.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

1129

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United Kingdom
      • Coventry, United Kingdom, CV4 7AL
        • University of Warwick

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

8 years to 11 years (CHILD)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria for schools:

  • Mixed
  • Not currently involved in intervention studies specific to countering bullying
  • Access to computers that are compatible to run FearNot!v.2.0 (for intervention schools)

Inclusion Criteria for participants:

  • Age between 8-11
  • Passive parental consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Enrolled in special education schools

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
  • Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: PARALLEL
  • Masking: NONE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: 1
Receiving FearNot
Behavioral: FearNot
Behavioral: Three sessions of FearNot!v.2.0 software interaction over a three-week period (each session lasting approximately 30 minutes)
NO_INTERVENTION: 2
Control: Treatment as usual (normal curriculum)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Bullying victimisation - Participant Roles Questionnaire
Time Frame: Measured 1 week post-treatment and at 4 week follow-up
Measured 1 week post-treatment and at 4 week follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Knowledge about Bullying and Coping Strategies Knowledge Questionnaire
Time Frame: Measured 1-week post-treatment and at 4-week follow-up
Measured 1-week post-treatment and at 4-week follow-up
Peer nominations of defenders
Time Frame: Measured 1 week post-treatment and at 4 week follow-up
Measured 1 week post-treatment and at 4 week follow-up
Hymel, Rocke & Bonanno Moral Disengagement Questionnaire
Time Frame: Measured 1 week post-treatment and at 4 week follow-up
Measured 1 week post-treatment and at 4 week follow-up
Janke and Janke Adjective Word List (adapted)
Time Frame: Measured after each treatment session
Measured after each treatment session

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Warwick

Collaborators

University of Hertfordshire
European Commission
University of Wuerzburg
University of Bamberg

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Dieter Wolke, PhD, University of Warwick

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

November 1, 2007

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

May 1, 2008

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

May 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 9, 2008

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 17, 2008

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

January 18, 2008

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

December 18, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 17, 2008

Last Verified

October 1, 2008

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • WAR-IST-4-027656-STP
  • IST-4-027656-STP

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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