Yhteispeli - Effectiveness Study on Promoting Childrens' Socio-emotional Skills in School

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this cluster randomised trial is to investigate whether the Yhteispeli whole school programme is effective in improving children's socio-emotional skills and mental health and socio-emotional skills. All Finnish elementary schools and their classes in 1-3 grades were invited to participate in the study. The schools were randomly allocated to receive either Yhteispeli programme or two lectures

Official Title
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Yhteispeli: Intervention Effectiveness on Elementary School Childrens' Socio-emotional Skills and Psychiatric Symptoms

Conditions
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Children's Socio-emotional Skills and Psychiatric Symptoms

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Yhteispeli, whole school programme
* Other: Two theoretical lectures


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: All children from volunteering elementary schools and classes (grades 1 to 3) whose parents gave consent to participate Exclusion Criteria: None

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 7 Years
Maximum Age: 10 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

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


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Yhteispeli, whole school programme<br>Yhteispeli-programme aims to support children's socio-emotional skills and well being at schools. Schools receive the Yhteispeli manual and teachers receive 3 and head masters 2 lecture days about use of Yhteispeli methods including group discussions and exercises. In addition every school is visited 4 times to support the use of Yhteispeli methods. (Lectures for the head masters March 2013 - November 2013, teachers August 2013 - January 2014) | Other: Yhteispeli, whole school programme<br> <br> |
| Active Comparator: Two theoretical lectures<br>Teachers receive two theoretical lectures on development of children's socio-emotional skills (3 hours in November 2013 and 3 hours in March 2014 ). | Other: Two theoretical lectures<br> <br> |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in children's psychiatric symptoms | SDQ - The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires | 6 months after baseline and 18 months after baseline | 
| Change in children's socio-emotional skills | A set of socio-emotional skills tests A set of questions regarding bullying | 6 months after baseline and 18 months after baseline | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in children's emotion recognition (and processing) | A set of emotion recognition (and processing) tests | 6 months after baseline and 18 months after baseline | 
| Change in children's executive functions | A set of cognitive functions tests | 6 months after baseline and 18 months after baseline | 
| Change in teacher and work community (occupational) wellbeing | A set of teacher's occupational and work community wellbeing tests | 6 months after baseline and 18 months after baseline | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Children, socio-emotional, socio-emotional skills, psychiatric symptoms, SDQ, Finland, School, School community, Teacher, Whole school approach, Intervention, Effectiveness study, Cluster randomised trial