Discover Learning - Social, Emotional and Identity Learning for Very Young Adolescents

The primary aim of the Discover Learning Project (Discover) is to test an intervention for Very Young Adolescents (VYAs) to promote positive, gender norm transformative, social emotional and identity learning (SEIL). A secondary aim is to better identify effective components of Discover that are scalable requiring the lowest resources to implement

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Behavior, Child; Behavior, Adaptive; Behavior, Social
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Discover Learning (SEIL)

Detailed Description

This project builds on research from transdisciplinary developmental science that indicates that this period, which the investigators will call early adolescence (ages 10-14), is a period of dynamic maturational changes. These include the onset of pubertal development, which begins a period of rapid physical growth (including extensive brain development) and sexual maturation, as well as changes in cognitive, social, emotional, psychological, and behavioral processes. An emerging body of evidence supports the idea that this dynamic period of maturation is a sensitive period for social, emotional and motivational learning-in ways that can have enduring effects on a broad range of developmental trajectories including sexual and reproductive health, mental health, gender-based violence, education retention and attainment, and social development.

A foundational element of this research focuses on the social-emotional re-orientation of the developing brain at the onset of puberty, which appears to create natural affinities for discovery learning particularly in the social domain. In contrast to didactic learning models, discovery learning is a process through which learners engage in self-motivated inquiry, supported by teachers/facilitators, information and materials, in order to "discover" the intended content (Hammer, 1997). Key elements to creating sustainable discovery learning include: a) engaging motivation and natural curiosity and b) providing social scaffolding that includes a balance of monitoring/support while also promoting youth-driven discoveries (individually and in small groups). From a developmental science perspective, the beginning of puberty is associated with two important maturational changes that impact learning opportunities: 1) a general increase in the tendency to explore, discover, and to seek novelty/excitement; and 2) a particularly strong increase in natural curiosity to explore and understand one's larger social world, including social roles, social hierarchies, and an increased sensitivity to issues of social acceptance, admiration, and learning to establish key aspects of individual identity (Crone & Dahl, 2012). A core element to this early identity development is understanding oneself as a sexual and gendered individual in relation to those around her or him; accordingly, early learning experiences during this developmental window are fundamentally shaping the development of these identities in ways that have profound implications for all areas of health-especially sexual and reproductive health and vulnerability to gender-based exploitation and disadvantage.

The primary aim of this project is to develop and test the Discover Learning intervention with a goal of promoting positive, gender norm transformative, social-emotional learning during this crucial early window of opportunity. This work builds on developmentally informed principles that emphasize the importance of orchestrating a sensitive balance between promoting autonomy and providing adult engagement in ways that scaffold the discovery learning experience (Alifieri et al., 2011). The primary content (learning about interpersonal relationships and concepts of Social-Emotional Identity Learning) and method (introducing positive socially scaffolded exploration of the use of digital technology for youth-driven learning) have been chosen to strategically leverage this window of opportunity occurring during this sensitive period of learning. The approach is designed to help youth develop agency, become empowered, and to explore healthy pathways to finding meaning and purpose in their lives. To our knowledge, this is the first use of an integrative developmental science approach to leverage unique learning opportunities in early adolescence to impact broad improvements in health and education.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 333
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Tanzania
  • Temeke
    • Dar Es Salaam, Temeke, Tanzania, 46343
      • Miburani Primary School
    • Dar Es Salaam, Temeke, Tanzania, 46343
      • Sokoine Primary School
    • Dar Es Salaam, Temeke, Tanzania, 46343
      • Twiga Primary School
    • Dar Es Salaam, Temeke, Tanzania, 46343
      • Umoja Primary School

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 9 years to 14 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Boys and girls currently enrolled in school/intervention site
• Ages 9-14

Exclusion Criteria:

• n/a

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Mobile-phone-based SEIL Intervention; This group will receive the Discover Learning 10-session intervention through a mobile-phone based platform over the course of 10 weeks (1 session per week).	Behavioral: Discover Learning (SEIL); This mobile-phone-based intervention will assess the effectiveness of 10 SEIL sessions conducted at the household level with VYAs. Activities were designed to be done individually, with siblings/peers, and with parents/caregivers. This intervention will look at how household composition and types of practice that can enhance SEIL learning.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Purpose from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from The Dimensions of Identity Development Scale (DIDS) (Mastrotheodoros & Motti-Stefanidi, 2017), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (strongly disagree) to 3 (strongly agree) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Emotional Self-Efficacy from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Adolescent Self Efficacy Questionnaire (Muris et.al, 2001), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very well) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Goal Orientation from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Goal Orientation Scale (Dowson and McInerney, 2004), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Persistence from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Persistence in Children (Lufi & Cohen, 1987), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (strongly disagree) to 3 (strongly agree) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Empathy from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Empathy (Overgaaw, et al, 2017), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (not true) to 2 (often true) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Internalizing Symptoms from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from African Youth Psychological Assessment (Betancourt, 2014), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (never) to 3 (all the time) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Externalizing Symptoms from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from African Youth Psychological Assessment (Betancourt, 2014), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (never) to 3 (all the time) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Academic Self-Efficacy from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Adolescent Self Efficacy Questionnaire (Muris et.al, 2001), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very well) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Curiosity from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Gender-free curiosity inventory (Reijo Byman, 2016), validated self-reported instrument in curiosity. Possible scores range from 0 (strongly disagree) to 3 (strongly agree) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Teamwork from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Team Skills Index (Zhuang et al, 2008), validated self-reported instrument in curiosity. Possible scores range from 0 (never) to 3 (always) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Growth Mindset from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Dweck's Theories of Intelligence (Growth Mindset Scale) (Ingebrigsten, 2018), validated self-reported instrument in curiosity. Possible scores range from 0 (never) to 3 (always) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Outlook in Learning from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Dweck's Theories of Intelligence (Growth Mindset Scale) (Ingebrigsten, 2018), validated self-reported instrument in curiosity. Possible scores range from 0 (never) to 3 (always) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Technology Perceptions from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale (Rosen et al, 2013), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (never) to 3 (always) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Social Self-Efficacy from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Adolescent Self Efficacy Questionnaire (Muris et.al, 2001), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (strongly disagree) to 3 (strongly agree) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Prosocial Behavior from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from The Dimensions of Identity Development Scale (DIDS) (Mastrotheodoros & Motti-Stefanidi, 2017), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Gender Norms and Attitudes from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Discover Gender Norms and Attitudes Scale (under development), self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Generosity from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Interpersonal Generosity Scale (IGS) (Smith & Hill, 2009), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (strongly disagree) to 3 (strongly agree) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Utu from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from Utu (under development), self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)
Change in Bullying from baseline to end of intervention	Standardized survey from The Global School-Based Students Health Survey (GSHS), validated self-reported instrument. Possible scores range from 0 (No) to 1 (Yes) Change = Endline - Baseline score	Baseline and endline, measured before the intervention and after the intervention (6 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of California, Berkeley
• Collaborators: Save the Children; Health for a Prosperous Nation; Camara Education, Tanzania; Ubongo Learning Limited; Dalberg Global Development Advisors, Tanzania
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ron Dahl, MD, Institute of Human Development

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Cherewick M, Lebu S, Su C, Richards L, Njau PF, Dahl RE. Study Protocol of a Distance Learning Intervention to Support Social Emotional Learning and Identity Development for Adolescents Using Interactive Mobile Technology. Front Public Health. 2021 Jan 28;9:623283. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.623283. eCollection 2021.
• Cherewick M, Lebu S, Su C, Dahl RE. An Intervention to Enhance Social, Emotional, and Identity Learning for Very Young Adolescents and Support Gender Equity: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2020 Dec 31;9(12):e23071. doi: 10.2196/23071.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 30, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 12, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): April 30, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 30, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 2, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): July 7, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 4, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 3, 2021
• Last Verified: November 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 2017-01-9464; OPP1158584 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No