Assessing the Feasibility and Acceptability of Watching Queen of Katwe as a Role Model Intervention Among Adolescents in High Schools in Kenya

This study will test whether using the film Queen of Katwe as a role model story can help motivate and engage high school students in Kenya. The film is based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan girl who becomes a chess champion despite growing up in poverty. The study will take place in a mixed secondary school in Ngong town, Kajiado County, with about 250 students aged 13 to 19. Students will watch the film at school. To see if the approach works well, researchers will collect data before and after the film showing.

They will check:

1. Feasibility (how easy it is to carry out, including costs and logistics)
2. Acceptability (how students and teachers feel about it)
3. Engagement (how involved students are) Surveys and focus groups will be used to gather feedback. The goal is to see if this low-cost method could be used more widely to support learning and motivation in schools.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Observational Study
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Shamiri Queen of Katwe Intervention

Detailed Description

This study examines the feasibility and acceptability of using the film Queen of Katwe-which tells the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan girl from an underprivileged background who becomes a chess champion-as a role model intervention to inspire motivation and academic engagement among adolescents in high school students in Kenya. Media-based interventions have gained recognition as effective tools for promoting student learning and well-being, yet their implementation in school settings remains underexplored. This study will employ a feasibility study design and be conducted in a mixed secondary school in Ngong town, Kajiado County, Kenya, with a sample of ~250 students aged 13-19 years. Students will watch Queen of Katwe in their school setting, and data will be collected before and after the intervention to assess feasibility, acceptability, and engagement. Feasibility will be evaluated based on logistical observations, cost analysis, and the Feasibility of Intervention Measure. Acceptability will be assessed through a screening survey using the Acceptability of Intervention Measure, while focus group discussions with students and teachers will provide qualitative insights. The findings will offer valuable evidence on the potential of media-based interventions to enhance motivation and academic engagement in Kenyan schools. If found feasible and acceptable, this low-cost, scalable approach could inform future educational policies and programs aimed at supporting student aspirations and learning outcomes.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 77
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Kenya
  • Nairobi, Kenya
    • Shamiri Institute
  • Nairobi, Kenya, 00300
    • Shamiri Institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants must be high school students in the selected school.
• Participants must be between the ages of 13 to 19.

Exclusion Criteria:

• There will be no other exclusion criteria.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• 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: Shamiri Queen of Katwe; The session itself will take approximately two hours-this includes student assembly, an introduction to the study, and the screening of Queen of Katwe	Other: Shamiri Queen of Katwe Intervention; The intervention involves screening the film Queen of Katwe to high school students in a school setting.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mean change in aspiration score from baseline on the Aspirations Index through study completion	Changes in self-reported aspirations as measured by the Aspiration Index is used to assess long term aspirations and goals that individuals hope to accomplish in their lives. In this study, we will use a shortened 15-item version of this scale including items on aspirations of wealth, fame, image, personal growth, relationship, community and health. The scores for each item ranges between 1-7, with higher scores indicating higher aspirations.	From baseline through endline, an average of two days
Mean change in school engagement score from baseline on the School Engagement Measure through study completion.	Changes in self-reported school engagement as measured by the School Engagement Measure refer to a student's emotional, behavioural, and cognitive involvement in school activities and learning. This is a 19-item measure with responses measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all true) to 5 (very true). Higher scores indicate greater school engagement.	From baseline through endline, an average of two days
Change in academic performance as measured using the average grades	Changes in academic performance as measured using the average grades obtained from the most recent exam prior to the intervention, and the first available exam following the implementation of the intervention.	Periprocedural - From academic exam results pre-intervention to academic exam results post-intervention, up to three months
Mean score of the Feasibility of Intervention Measure at study completion	Feasibility of Intervention Measure tracks metrics such as ease of setting up the screenings, logistical challenges, and time constraints. It assesses the extent to which an intervention can be successfully implemented within a given setting. This is a 4-item measure with responses measured on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree). Higher scores indicate a better outcome, good scores on the feasibility of the intervention.	At study completion, up to three months
Mean score of the Acceptability of Intervention Measure at study completion	Acceptability of Intervention Measure assess the acceptability of the intervention by participants. This 4-item measure evaluates stakeholders' perception of an intervention's acceptability, determining whether they find it agreeable, satisfactory, or palatable. Responses are measured on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree). Higher scores indicate a better outcome, the acceptability of the intervention.	At study completion, up to three months
Mean score of the Intervention Appropriateness Measure at study completion	Intervention Appropriateness Measure assesses perceptions of participants' intervention appropriateness. It measures the perceived fit, relevance, or compatibility of an intervention within a particular context. This 4-item measure determines whether an intervention aligns with the needs of a specific population, organisational goals, or existing workflows. Responses are measured on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree). Higher scores indicate a better outcome, the appropriateness of the intervention.	At study completion, up to three months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Shamiri Institute
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Tom L Osborn, Shamiri Institute

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 3, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 23, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): August 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 30, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 17, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): July 18, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 9, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 8, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Low-cost intervention; Queen of Katwe; Media-based intervention; Role model intervention; Film-based learning; Adolescent motivation
• Other Study ID Numbers: Shamiri Queen of Katwe Project

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: The investigators intend to share fully de-identified data through publications and upon request.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Beginning 3 months and ending 3 years following article publication.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Access to study reports and protocols will be open. Access to de-identified individual participant data will be available upon request from the study team.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; ICF; ANALYTIC_CODE

Drug and device information, study documents

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