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Effectiveness of the FearNot!v.2.0 Software in Reducing Bullying Victimisation Among Primary School Children

This study has been completed.
Sponsor:
Collaborators:
University of Wuerzburg
University of Hertfordshire
University of Bamberg
European Commission
Information provided by:
University of Warwick
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00597337
First received: January 9, 2008
Last updated: December 17, 2008
Last verified: October 2008
History of Changes

January 9, 2008
December 17, 2008
November 2007
May 2008   (final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Bullying victimisation - Participant Roles Questionnaire [ Time Frame: Measured 1 week post-treatment and at 4 week follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Bullying victimisation - Participant Roles Questionnaire [ Time Frame: Measured 1-week post-treatment and at 4-week follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Bullying victimisation - Teacher Incidence of Bullying Scale [ Time Frame: Measured 4-week post-treatment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Complete list of historical versions of study NCT00597337 on ClinicalTrials.gov Archive Site
  • Knowledge about Bullying and Coping Strategies Knowledge Questionnaire [ Time Frame: Measured 1-week post-treatment and at 4-week follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Peer nominations of defenders [ Time Frame: Measured 1 week post-treatment and at 4 week follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Hymel, Rocke & Bonanno Moral Disengagement Questionnaire [ Time Frame: Measured 1 week post-treatment and at 4 week follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  • Janke and Janke Adjective Word List (adapted) [ Time Frame: Measured after each treatment session ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
1.Knowledge about Bullying and Coping Strategies Knowledge Questionnaire 2.Peer nominations of Defenders 3.Hymel, Rocke & Bonanno Moral Disengagement Questionnaire 4.Janke & Janke Adjective Word List (adapted) [ Time Frame: measured 1-week post-treatment and at 4-week follow-up (AWL Measured immediately after each treatment session) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Not Provided
Not Provided
 
Effectiveness of the FearNot!v.2.0 Software in Reducing Bullying Victimisation Among Primary School Children
Using a Virtual Learning Environment to Reduce Bullying: Evaluation of the FearNot!v.2.0 Intervention in Primary Schools in England and Germany

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a virtual learning treatment in reducing bullying among primary school children in the UK and Germany.

In this study, a virtual learning environment application called FearNot!v.2.0 will be evaluated as a way to improve the quality of life in schools by altering children's attitudes and behavior towards bullying.

Participants will be assigned to either the intervention or the control group. The intention was to assign randomly, however, only a minority of primary schools have the computer facilities to run the software with all pupils participating. Thus, assignment is based on the school computer compatibility with the FearNot!v.2.0 software for intervention versus control group controlling for social variables. Participants in the intervention group will interact with the software during 30-minute sessions once a week for a total of 3 weeks while participants in the control group will follow the normal curriculum.

The FearNot! narrative comprises a number of emergent episodes, which play out like an improvisational drama. During each of these emergent episodes, the characters will act out their roles resulting in a dramatic movie-like display on the computer's monitor. In between each of these episodes, the child can interact with the victim character. He/she can learn how the character feels, and offer them coping strategy advice as to how to behave in the following episode.

Outcomes will be assessed through student questionnaires at baseline, one week, and four weeks after treatment. In addition, classroom teachers will be asked to complete the Teacher Incidence of Bullying Scale at baseline and 4 weeks after the treatment.
Interventional
Not Provided
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Bullying Victimisation
Behavioral: FearNot
Behavioral: Three sessions of FearNot!v.2.0 software interaction over a three-week period (each session lasting approximately 30 minutes)
  • Experimental: 1
    Receiving FearNot
    Intervention: Behavioral: FearNot
  • No Intervention: 2
    Control: Treatment as usual (normal curriculum)
Sapouna M, Wolke D, Vannini N, Watson S, Woods S, Schneider W, Enz S, Hall L, Paiva A, Andre E, Dautenhahn K, Aylett R. Virtual learning intervention to reduce bullying victimization in primary school: a controlled trial. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2010 Jan;51(1):104-12. Epub 2009 Aug 24.

*   Includes publications given by the data provider as well as publications identified by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number) in Medline.
 
Completed
1129
May 2008
May 2008   (final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Inclusion Criteria for schools:

  • Mixed
  • Not currently involved in intervention studies specific to countering bullying
  • Access to computers that are compatible to run FearNot!v.2.0 (for intervention schools)

Inclusion Criteria for participants:

  • Age between 8-11
  • Passive parental consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Enrolled in special education schools
Both
8 Years to 11 Years
Yes
Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects
United Kingdom
 
NCT00597337
WAR-IST-4-027656-STP, IST-4-027656-STP
No
Professor Dieter Wolke, University of Warwick
University of Warwick
  • University of Wuerzburg
  • University of Hertfordshire
  • University of Bamberg
  • European Commission
Principal Investigator: Dieter Wolke, PhD University of Warwick
University of Warwick
October 2008

ICMJE     Data element required by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the World Health Organization ICTRP