The Effectiveness of a Classroom-based Intervention Promoting a Prosocial Classroom Climate in Children

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Child Behavior
• Interventions: Behavioral: SterkWerk; Behavioral: Treatment-as-usual

• Registration Number: NCT05891067
• Lead Sponsor: Utrecht University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a classroom-based program promoting a prosocial classroom climate is more effective than treatment-as-usual (control condition).

Detailed Description

A positive, prosocial classroom climate is associated with improved social competence and academic achievement, as well as decreased internalizing and externalizing problems and antisocial behavior in children. It is expected that motivation to behave prosocially is needed to achieve a prosocial climate in the classroom, and that such motivation can be enhanced through three components of self-determination theory (SDT): competence, relatedness, and autonomy. The goal of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a classroom-based program based on SDT that aims to promote prosocial classroom climate, through a cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). SterkWerk is hypothesized to be more effective than treatment-as-usual (TAU) in creating more prosocial classrooms, through improving prosocial (intrinsic) motivation and behavior, social autonomy, social competence, and social relatedness.

The design of the current study is a cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) with two conditions: the intervention condition and a waitlist control condition (TAU: treatment-as-usual). Schools in the intervention condition receive the materials and training to implement the intervention in the school year 2023/2024. Schools in the control group do not receive the intervention (do not receive material or training), and function as normal (TAU). Control schools are requested to not start any social-emotional program during the school year 2023/2024.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2023-04-28
• Study Start: 2023-05-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-06-02
• Study First Posted: 2023-06-06
• Status Verified: 2024-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-05-07
• Last Update Posted: 2024-05-08
• Primary Completion: 2024-07-31
• Study Completion: 2024-07-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 3360

Inclusion Criteria

• Primary school children of grades 5-8 (mostly aged between 8-12 years)
• Teachers and school leaders of participating schools (no age limit)

Exclusion Criteria

• No exclusion criteria

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
SterkWerk	SterkWerk	SterkWerk is a classroom-based approach (throughout the school year) for primary school groups 5-8 (children aged 8-12 years old) in which children are given specific roles to actively work on responsibility, ownership and prosocial behavior. SterkWerk consists of three main components: meaningful roles, classroom meeting and compliments.
Treatment-as-usual	Treatment-as-usual	Schools in the control group do not receive the intervention (do not receive material or training), and function as normal (treatment-as-usual). Control schools are requested to not start any social-emotional program during the school year 2023/2024.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in individual prosocial behavior assessed with four items based on the subscale prosocial behavior of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	The adapted SDQ subscale prosocial behavior is a self-reported instrument rated on a 4-point scale from 1 (never) to 4 (always). Higher scores reflect more prosocial behavior.
Change in social competence assessed with five items based on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	The adapted RSES is a self-reported istrument, rated on a 3-point scale ranging from 1 (not true) to 3 (definitely true). Higher scores reflect more social competence.
Change in social autonomy assessed with five items based on the School as a Caring Community Profile-II (SCCP-II) and the Child Development Project	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	It is a self-reported instrument, rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (never) to 4 (always). Higher scores reflect more autonomy.
Change in cooperation and conflict in the classroom assessed with the Classroom Peer Context Questionnaire (CPCQ), subscales cooperation and conflict.	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	The CPCQ is a self-reported instrument. The cooperation subscale consists of four items assessing the extent to which children experience positive behavior. The conflict subscale consists of two items assessing the extent to which children experience negative behavior. The items are rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (not true) to 4 (completely true). Higher scores on the cooperation subscale reflects more positive behavior, while for the conflict subscale it reflects more negative behavior.
Change in prosocial behavior as an injunctive form assessed with three items specifically developed for this study	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	It is a self-reported instrument rated on a 3-point scale from 1 (not true) to 3 (definitely true), measuring children's attitudes towards prosocial behavior that are on average held in the classroom. Higher scores reflect a higher injunctive norm of the group towards prosocial behavior.
Change in prosocial relations in the classroom assessed with sociometric nominations	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	Children see a list with the names of all classmates and select the classmates that fit the question best according to them. Two items are used, assessing the child's prosocial behavior according to classmates. The number of received nominations is devided by the number of possible nominations, resulting in a proportion score for prosocial relations.
Change in intrinsic (prosocial) motivation assessed with four items specifically developed for this study	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	This instrument is a self-reported instrument, rated on a 3-point scale ranging from 1 (not true) to 3 (definitely true). Higher scores reflect more intrinsic (prosocial) motivation.
Change in social relatedness assessed with the Classroom Peer Context Questionnaire (CPCQ), subscales comfort and cohesion.	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	The CPCQ is a self-reported instrument. The comfort subscale consists of four items assessing the extent to which children feel at ease in the classroom. The cohesion subscale consists of two items assessing the extent to which the children in the classroom spend time together. The items are rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (not true) to 4 (completely true). Higher scores on both subscales reflect more positive behavior.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in bullying and bullying victimization assessed with the Olweus Bully-Victim Questionnaire (OB-VQ)	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	The OB-VQ is a self-reported instrument, consisting of items related to bullying, bullying victimization and the perceived behavior and attitudes of the teacher. Three items relate to the perceived behavior and attitude of the teacher. Higher scores reflect more negative attitudes/behavior of the teacher.
Change in bullying and bullying victimization (where child is victimized) assessed with the Olweus Bully-Victim Questionnaire (OB-VQ)	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	The OB-VQ is a self-reported instrument, consisting of items related to bullying, bullying victimization and the perceived behavior and attitudes of the teacher. One item asks where the child is bullied. with answer options such as: in the halway, on the way to school, in the classroom (with the teacher present).
Change in school wellbeing assessed with seven items specifically developed for this study	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	This is a self-reported instrument. School belonging is measured with 7 items, rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (never) to 4 (always). Higher scores reflect positive school wellbeing.
Change in school wellbeing assessed with one item specifically developed for this study	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	This is a self-reported instrument. School safety is measured with 1 item, rated on a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (very unsafe) to 7 (very safe). Higher scores reflect positive school wellbeing.
Change in social position (kindness, leadership, unkindness, popularity, best friends) assessed with sociometric nominations	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	Children see a list with the names of all classmates and select the classmates that fit the question best according to them. Five items are used, assessing the child's social position according to classmates. The number of received nominations is devided by the number of possible nominations, resulting in a proportion score for each social position (kindness, leadership, unkindness, popularity, best friends).
Change in bullying and bullying victimization assessed with sociometric nominations	T1 (baseline); T2 (mid-intervention) approximately 5 months after the start of the intervention; T3 (postintervention) approximately 10 months after the start of the intervention	Regarding sociometric nominations,10 questions related to bullying victimization and one question related to bullying will be asked to children. Children see a list with the names of all classmates and select the classmates that fit the question best according to them. The number of received nominations is devided by the number of possible nominations, resulting in a proportion score for bullying.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Utrecht University; 🇳🇱 Utrecht, Netherlands