Power of Growth - Digitally Assisted Intervention for the Early Childhood Educators' Self-efficacy Teamwork and Children's Behavioral Challenges. (FinnPoG)

Power of Growth RCT Study

This is an RCT study investigating the efficacy of digital intervention focusing on enhancing positive directing skills for teams of early childhood education (ECE) professionals. The aims are to study 1) changes in the ECEs' self-assessed self-efficacy experience in the intervention group compared to the control group; 2) changes in the behavioral challenges of the children in the ECEs' groups assessed by the parents in the intervention group compared to the control group; and 3) changes in the ECEs' guidance methods in the intervention group compared to the control group. We will also study changes in the wellbeing of ECEs and teamwork in both treatment groups. The sample size will consist of approximately 64 teams of ECEs. Hence, altogether there will be approximately 200 study subjects.

The intervention is aimed at ECE teams and its goal is to strengthen and unify the team positive guidance practices in children's groups. The intervention includes self-learning material and teams online coaching in which the entire team participates simultaneously. The self-material includes 360 videos of everyday situations in the daycare and videos can be watched with VR glasses. The participants practice the skills systematically with their group of children. The duration of the intervention is approximately 12 weeks and team coaching are carried out approximately every two weeks.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Behavior Problems; ECE Teachers Self Efficacy; Team Work; Positive Pedagogy
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: FinnPog

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 64
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Katja Toivonen, Master of Education; Phone Number: +358408203195; Email: katja.toivonen@utu.fi

Study Locations

• Finland
  • Select
    • Municipalities, Select, Finland, 20660
      • Recruiting
      • Early Childhood Education
      • Contact: Katja Toivonen, Master of Education; Phone Number: +358 50 469 8681; Email: katja.toivonen@utu.fi
    • Turku, Select, Finland, 20660
      • Recruiting
      • Research Centre of Child Psychiatry
      • Contact: Katja Johanna Toivonen, Master of Education; Phone Number: +35850 469 8681; Email: katja.toivonen@utu.fi
      • Contact: Laura Kortesoja, Master of Education; Phone Number: +358 50 477 1437; Email: laura.kortesoja@utu.fi
      • Contact: Andre Sourander, MD Professor

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Participant is working in a daycare centre team that is participating to the study. Sufficient knowledge in Finnish language.

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Digitally assisted intervention including online coaching; The intervention is a structured remote coaching concept for professionals working in early childhood education. The intervention will use virtual reality glasses and 360° video material. The intervention consists of six self-study themes about positive pedagogy and team work. The themes will be combined with remote coaching for the team (3-5 people) and the skills will be practiced with their own group of children. The intervention length is 2-3 months. There will approximately 34 teams in intervention and control groups.	Behavioral: FinnPog; The aim of the study is to find out how intervention affects the early childhood educators' self-efficacy teamwork and the changes in children's behavioral challenges. This RCT study has two parallel groups where teams of the daycare centres are randomized to intervention or control group. The research data is collected using electronic surveys and interviews.
No Intervention: Control; No digital assisted intervention or online coaching.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
ECE Teacher Self Efficacy	TEIP (Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices)	From baseline to 3, 6 months after randomisation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Perceptions of Team work	TeamSTEPPS	From baseline to 3, 6 months after randomisation
Behaviour problems of the child	Parent evaluates (SDQ, ARI, ICU)	From baseline to 3, 6 months after randomisation
Burn out	BBI -15 (Bergen burnout inventory)	From baseline to 3, 6 months after randomisation
Confidence in ability to deal with child´s challenging behavior	Questions about professional´s perceived confidence in ability to deal with child´s challenging behavior	From baseline to 3, 6 months after randomisation
Work satisfaction	Questions about perceived work satisfaction	From baseline to 3, 6 months after randomisation
Perceived skills	Questions about the content and themes of the intervention	From baseline to 3, 6 months after randomisation
Questionnaire on interaction skills: attuned interaction and guidance	Questions about interaction skills	From baseline to 3, 6 months after randomisation
The workload of guiding the child group	Questions about professional´s perceived workload of guiding the child group.	From baseline to 3, 6 months after randomisation

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Turku

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 17, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 13, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 27, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 27, 2025
• Last Verified: February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: behavior problems; team work; ECE self efficacy; positive pedagogy
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Problem Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: PoG-001

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No