Examining the Efficacy of the PRAISE With Coaching Program

Purpose

The PReventing Aggression In Schools Everyday (PRAISE) Program has evidence of impact when run by research staff. PRAISE was adapted using community-based participatory research to a coaching model whereby school-staff are trained to facilitate the program and receive ongoing coaching from research staff. The overall objective is to demonstrate the efficacy of the adapted PRAISE program when facilitated by in-school staff.

Conditions

  • Aggression Childhood
  • Bullying Victimization
  • Social Behavior

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 8 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Enrolled in one of the participating school sites - In a 3rd-5th grade classroom participating in the study Staff Inclusion Criteria: - Employed by one of the participating school sites - Teach and/or provide services to students in 3rd-5th grade Students

Exclusion Criteria

  • Do not speak English - Special education students not integrated in a regular education classroom - Student not in Grades 3-5 at the participating school sites Teacher Exclusion Criteria: - Do not speak English - Do not teach/provide services with 3rd-5th grade students at the participating school sites

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Prevention
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
No Intervention
Comparison Schools 		These schools do not receive the PRAISE intervention. These schools can have their standard aggression and bullying practices such as community meeting, restorative circles, Second Step program, and the Olweus program. We will measure what classrooms in the comparison condition are doing, but we will not intervene.
Experimental
Intervention Schools 		These schools will receive the PRAISE program which includes training and coaching from the research team.
  • Behavioral: Universal, classroom-based, Bullying and Aggression Prevention Program
    PRAISE is a universal, classroom-based aggression and bullying prevention program that addresses all forms (physical, verbal, relational, cyber), with a strong focus on the relational and reactive behaviors. All emotional and social skills taught focus on applying and practicing the skills within peer relationships. This program has gone through iterative development and adaptations using a community-based participatory approach whereby the elementary students and staff were active partners with researchers in refining the program. Specific attention was paid to ensuring that the program is feasible for schools to implement and sustain while also being relevant and relatable for students from a variety of backgrounds and school communities (e.g., under-resourced, higher levels of community violence). This updated PRAISE includes ~14 sessions (amounts can vary by grade) and training and coaching for school-based facilitators of the program.

Recruiting Locations

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19146-2305
Contact:
267-426-9286

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Study Contact

Tracy E Waasdorp, PhD MSed
2676370861
waasdorpt@chop.edu

Detailed Description

PRAISE is an aggression and bullying prevention program that includes curriculum to help 3rd through 5th graders learn skills to identify feelings, use calming-down strategies, interpret others' intentions accurately, and consider choices when responding to conflict. PRAISE also has lessons on increasing empathy and perspective-taking, and empowering students to be positive bystanders. Using a randomized control trial of at least 8 elementary schools (3rd-5th grade) we will examine 2 aims: Aim 1: Examine the efficacy of PRAISE at reducing students' peer aggression and bullying and improving social problem-solving skills, positive bystander behaviors, and self-efficacy for non-violence. Aim 2. Examine the moderating role of implementation and student- and facilitator-related factors on the main outcomes of interest.