Intervention Schools Research Articles

WASH recommendations for improving disaster preparedness and recovery in schools in Indonesia

Access to functional and clean toilets which maintain privacy and dignity and support girls’ Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) plays a crucial role to getting girls back to school post-disaster. This could also help in managing feelings of shame and disgust experienced when using toilets in schools in post disaster settings. In this paper, we report on our assessment of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools three-years post the 2018 multi-hazard event in Indonesia. We used a mixed-methods approach using visual observations, interviews with school principals, surveys with schoolgirls and focus group discussions with schoolgirls and teachers to understand the lived experiences of students using toilets at school. Our results highlight that across schools descriptive and injunctive social norms were supportive of littering, inadequate toilet facilities for girls to manage their menstruation and bullying and antisocial behaviour by opening toilet doors while the facilities were occupied. Based on these results, we developed two types of interventions, physical and behavioural, piloted in three schools to increase WASH and MHM awareness and the safety of sanitation facilities. Our interventions showed that approaches for WASH interventions in schools can only be designed if we understand the local barriers to carrying out interventions that integrate maintenance plans. We provide recommendations to support practitioners in mitigating risk and improving circumstances for girls in schools in Indonesia, which have the potential to address SDG 4 on inclusive and equitable education and SDG 5 on gender equality and girls’ empowerment.

School Poverty Level Moderates the Effectiveness of a Physical Activity Intervention.

To explore whether school poverty level and funding modified the effectiveness of an evidence-based Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program called Health Empowers You! implemented in elementary schools in Georgia. Secondary data analysis of a multi-level, cluster-randomized controlled trial. 40 elementary schools in Georgia in 2018-2019. 4th grade students in Georgia. Intervention schools implemented the Health Empowers You! program to increase school-day physical activity. The outcome was average daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, school free-reduced price lunch (FRPL) percentage and per pupil expenditures were effect modifiers. Separate linear mixed regression models estimated the effect of the intervention on average daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, with interaction terms between intervention status and (1) school FRPL percentage or (2) per pupil expenditures. The effect of the intervention was significantly higher in schools with higher FRPL percentage (intervention*school % FRPL β (95% CI): .06 (.01, .12)), and was modestly, but not statistically significantly, higher in schools with lower per pupil expenditures. Findings support the use of the Health Empowers You! intervention, which was effective in lower income schools, and may potentially reduce disparities in students' physical activity levels.

Comprehensive sexuality education: indicators to evaluate interventions in Italian schools

Abstract Background Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is globally acknowledged as the most effective approach to promoting sexual health and preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). However, in Italy, CSE is not consistently part of the school curriculum. The EduForIST project, funded by the Ministry of Health, introduced and tested a unique CSE model in a sample of secondary schools across six Italian regions, aiming to develop an evaluation model for potential nationwide implementation. Methods The EduForIST partnership, comprising experts from various institutions, devised a framework for monitoring and evaluating CSE interventions. Through monthly focus group discussions from April 2023 to February 2024, they established indicators for short-, medium-, and long-term evaluation of clinical and behavioral outcomes, as well as process indicators to assess intervention implementation. Results A total of 35 indicators were developed, including clinical and behavioral ones for medium and long-term outcomes, short-term behavioral outcomes, and process indicators. Data for clinical and behavioral indicators can be obtained from administrative sources like the Ministry of Health and Regional Health Authorities. The National Institute of Health provides data from relevant surveillance programs. However, many process indicators require specific data collection and calculations. Challenges such as under-reporting and underestimation persist, especially in regions with limited CSE implementation. Conclusions Creating an effective monitoring system for CSE interventions necessitates integrating diverse data sources, including health records, administrative data, and behavioral assessments. The proposed model’s effectiveness will be fully assessed by comparing pre- and post-intervention after widespread implementation in secondary schools. Meanwhile, the selected indicators serve as a foundation for evaluating baseline status of STIs and behaviors in Italy. Key messages • The EduForIST project establishes a robust framework for evaluating Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) interventions in secondary schools, addressing gaps in nationwide implementation. • By devising indicators encompassing several measures, the project lays the groundwork for a comprehensive monitoring system, vital for assessing the effectiveness of CSE interventions in Italy.

Navigating Co-design in Children’s Health Literacy Interventions in Schools

Abstract Today’s society exposes children to vast amounts of health-related information, presenting significant challenges in navigating this content. European health literacy (HL) research underscores the primary school’s role in educating children’s HL. Several HL interventions have been developed for a school setting and few have used co-design with adolescents. However less is known about co-designing HL activities with children. Therefore, this study aims to identify barriers and facilitators for co-designing HL activities with 9 to 12-year-old children in school settings. We use 4 phases of design-based research for the process of co-designing learning activities with multiple teams of 6-8 children in school settings. First, children Reflect on HL and empathize and define skills they want to design activities for. They Design activities through ideation and prototyping. We use a variety of creative methods for the sessions and analyses, such as body mapping and affinity mapping. The evaluation of the effectiveness regarding HL and learning outcomes will be performed in Test and Evaluate phases. Our preliminary results show that children need short and clear assignments for the sessions to reach the goals. Children are enthusiastic to participate and like the methods used in the session, although the concept of HL is sometimes difficult to comprehend. It is challenging for children to come up with creative and appropriate elements for activities without correct health information. We are awaiting results from Test and Evaluate phase on the effect on HL levels and learning outcomes. Children are able to co-design HL activities together with HL and health promotion researchers. By giving children a voice and hands-on experience in the design process, we are able to create activities that are suitable for the target population. This co-design process will be evaluated and adapted to an intervention for the “healthy school” program in the Netherlands. Key messages • By co-designing HL activities children actively learn about health literacy. • Children are important and capable co-designers for HL activities when working together with HL researchers.

Estimated lifetime impact of a school-based intervention for mental health: A microsimulation study

Abstract Background The prevalence of childhood mental health problems is increasing. School-based interventions have the potential to reduce poor mental health and mental health inequalities. Our aim was to estimate the long-term costs and benefits of the Incredible Years Teacher® Classroom Management (IY-TCM) intervention in primary schools compared to no intervention. Methods LifeSim, an existing microsimulation model, was used to estimate the lifetime costs and benefits of IY-TCM by linking short-term changes in SDQ based on a previous trial in primary schools (Cluster RCT: 2075 children aged 4-9 years with a 30-month follow-up) to long-term health, social, economic and wellbeing outcomes. Benefits were measured in quality adjusted life years and wellbeing adjusted life years. We examined subgroup based on deprivation, conduct scores and parental depression. Results Microsimulation modelling estimated small gains in lifetime outcomes including reduced conduct disorder in adolescence and depression in adulthood. Estimates indicate IY-TCM could be cost-effective with a large amount of uncertainty (Net monetary benefit (NMB)=£21, Estimated CI = -£195, £240). IY-TCM was estimated to be more cost-effective for those with high deprivation (NMB = £231, Estimation CI - -£99, £231) and high conduct problem scores (NMB=£315, Estimated CI = £45, £483). Total net social benefit for a typical year size group was estimated to be £111m. Conclusions IY-TCM could be cost-effective compared to no intervention with a large estimated social benefit supporting wider implementation of IY-TCM, but results indicate a large amount of uncertainty. Greater benefits and higher certainty of cost-effectiveness for children with conduct problems and those living in a deprived area suggest IY-TCM has the potential to reduce mental health inequalities and may be more cost-effective for schools with higher deprivation and/or a high prevalence of conduct problems. Key messages • The Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management intervention for mental health in primary schools could be considered cost-effective but there is a large amount of uncertainty. • Greater benefits for children with conduct problems and those living in a deprived area indicates the intervention has the potential to reduce mental health inequalities.

Effectiveness of a school- and primary care-based HPV vaccination intervention (the PrevHPV study)

Abstract Background HPV vaccine coverage (VC) remains lower than expected in many countries, particularly France. We developed and evaluated the PrevHPV multicomponent intervention to improve HPV VC among French adolescents. The components were ‘education and motivation’ of adolescents in schools, ‘at-school vaccination’, and ‘general practitioners’ (GPs) training’. We evaluated the effectiveness of the intervention two months after it ended. Methods We carried out a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial with incomplete factorial design in 14/25 French school districts (July 2021-April 2022). The cluster was the municipality (n = 91). The outcome was HPV VC (≥ 1 dose) two months after the intervention ended among 11-14-year-olds living in participating municipalities (data from the French national reimbursement database and from the trial). We performed two types of analyses: (1) without considering the dose of intervention received, using a linear model with one fixed effect per component, adjusted for baseline HPV VC; (2) a post hoc on-treatment analysis, rerunning the linear model by replacing the fixed effects with a quantitative ‘dose of intervention’ variable calculated for each component using data collected during the trial. Results For the three intervention components, estimates of the effect on VC at two months were greater for the on-treatment analyses than for the analysis that did not consider the intervention dose. For the ‘at-school vaccination’ component, the estimate increased from 5.50 percentage points (pp; p < 0.001) to 11.25 pp (p < 0.001). The ‘GPs’ training’ component reached significance (from -1.46 pp, p = 0.150 to 3.56 pp, p = 0.049). In both types of analyses, no significant effect was observed for ‘education and motivation’ (from -0.08 pp, p = 0.950 to 2.58 pp, p = 0.241). Conclusions Increasing HPV VC among adolescents requires the involvement of various stakeholders and could be achieved by combining interventions in both schools and primary care settings. Key messages • The PrevHPV study is supported by the French health authorities and conducted by a multidisciplinary consortium to tackle a long-lasting public health concern in France. • Offering free HPV vaccination at school significantly increased HPV VC; providing GPs with training and a dcision-aid tool helped increase HPV VC if the GPs completed the training.

Stability and change in moral disengagement and bullying participation across three years of Japanese middle school

ABSTRACT The present study investigates the longitudinal relationships between bullying roles (bullying, passive bystanding, victimization) and moral disengagement to examine influences on the shifting role of bullying in Japanese middle school students. Participants were 271 Japanese students (Time 1: M age = 12.72, SD = .45, 136 boys and 135 girls) recruited from two public middle schools (9 classes). Five data collection occasions in Grades 7 to 9 alternated between surveys of self-reported bullying behavior (three timepoints) and moral disengagement (two timepoints). Structural equation modeling showed that moral disengagement was reciprocally related to bullying and passive bystanding. Victimization was only related to moral disengagement in Grade 9, such that moral disengagement in June predicted increased victimization experiences in December. These findings suggest that intervention and prevention programs in schools need to actively address moral disengagement, with a focus on bystanders as well as perpetrators and victims of bullying.

Identifying facilitators and barriers to implementing the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System in Miami-Dade County, USA: a qualitative study

BackgroundMultiple anonymous reporting systems (ARS) have been implemented to prevent school violence and improve school climate. This study examines the facilitators and barriers to implementation and the role and usability...

Community Health Workers Linking Clinics and Schools and Asthma Control

Childhood asthma is characterized by pervasive disparities, including 3-fold higher hospitalization rates and 7-fold higher death rates for Black children compared with White children. To address asthma disparities, one must intervene in all lived environments. To determine if a community health worker (CHW) intervention to connect the primary care, home, and school for low-income minoritized school-aged children with asthma and their caregivers improves asthma control. This study was a hybrid effectiveness/implementation trial using a 2 × 2 factorial, cluster randomized clinical trial design of 36 schools crossed with participant-level randomization into a clinic-based CHW intervention. The study was conducted from May 2018 to June 2022. The intervention took place in primary care offices, homes, and 36 West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, public and charter schools. Children aged 5 to 13 years with uncontrolled asthma were recruited from local primary care practices. Asthma management, trigger remediation, and care coordination occurred in school, home, and primary care settings. Children were followed up for 12 months. The Yes We Can Children's Asthma Program, Open Airways For Schools Plus, and school-based asthma therapy were implemented. Improvement in asthma control, as measured by the Asthma Control Questionnaire, comparing the mean difference between groups 1 year after randomization with their baseline (difference in differences). Both primary care and school interventions were dramatically disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, stratified analyses were performed to assess per-protocol intervention efficacy before the pandemic disruptions. A total of 1875 participants were approached, 1248 were excluded, and 1 was withdrawn. The 626 analyzed study participants (mean [SD] age, 8.7 [2.4] years; 363 male [58%]) self-identified as Black race (96%) and non-Hispanic ethnicity (98%). Although all groups had statistically significant improvements in asthma control from baseline to 12 months (P- group: -0.46; 95% CI, -0.58 to -0.33; P+ group: -0.57; 95% CI, -0.74 to -0.44; S- group: -0.47; 95% CI, -0.58 to -0.35; S+ group: -0.59; 95% CI, -0.74 to -0.44), none of the difference-in-differences estimates from the primary prespecified models showed a clinically meaningful improvement in asthma control. Analysis from the prepandemic interval, however, demonstrated that children in the combined clinic-school intervention had a statistically significant improvement in asthma control scores compared with control (-0.79; 95% CI, -1.40 to -0.18). This randomized clinical trial provides preliminary evidence that connecting all lived environments for care of children can be accomplished through linkages with CHWs.

Interventions for Preventing Tobacco Uptake among Adolescents within School Setting in South-East Asia region: A Systematic Review

Abstract Background Tobacco users disproportionately reside in lower-and-middle income countries, with many people beginning consumption of tobacco in adolescence. Countries employ interventions in schools as a means of providing health education thereby creating mass awareness among them. However, research has mostly restricted to developed nations. Objective To examine the impact of interventions implemented in preventing tobacco uptake among adolescents in school setting in South-East Asia region. Method The protocol was registered prospectively on PROSPERO (CRD42022337341). Systematic search was conducted on 6 databases: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, ProQuest and Web of Science. Randomized Control Trials (RCT) and Cluster RCT conducted in school set-up in South-East Asia among adolescents below 18 years’ age were included. Articles between timeline 2002–2022 were considered. Results From a total of 963 articles, total of 13 studies were included. Four were RCT, while nine were Cluster RCT. Most of the studies were targeted at change in prevalence, followed change in knowledge and attitude towards tobacco and impact on susceptibility to use tobacco. Nine studies had interventions based on Health Promoting School Framework, three were Peer-led Interventions and one was Counsellor-centred Intervention. Risk of Bias assessment revealed eight studies had low risk of bias, two had some concerns while three were high risk studies. Conclusion Interventions that focus on building a holistic environment and go beyond the usual classroom environment have primarily been implemented and found to be effective in this region. There is a need for strong, high-quality RCT studies with standardised evaluation techniques to combat tobacco use among adolescents.

Waist circumference as a parameter in school-based interventions to prevent overweight and obesity - a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundPreventing childhood obesity remains an important public health issue worldwide. Since visceral fat in particular is understood as an important risk factor for many chronic diseases, waist circumference is recommended as a measurement parameter for global obesity surveillance. This systematic review and meta-analysis focused on waist circumference as an outcome parameter for studies of school-based interventions to prevent overweight and obesity.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted at the end of 2019 in nine data bases, including Medline and Embase, in order to identify relevant studies evaluating interventions in schools aimed at preventing obesity. Eligibility criteria admitted randomised and non-randomised controlled trials. After screening titles, abstracts and full texts, the data of the identified studies were systematically extracted. Risk of bias was assessed according to study type with the appropriate Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The review gives a qualitative overview over all included studies structured by extracted data. Separate meta-analyses were done for the outcome mean difference in change in waist circumference, measured in cm or reported as z-score value, using an inverse variance random-effects model due to study design.ResultsA total of 2421 publications were screened based on titles, abstracts and full texts. Complemented by results of a former systematic literature search 44 studies were identified for inclusion, comprising a total of 39.837 participants (age range: 6 to 18 years). Nearly half of the studies were conducted in Europe, two-thirds combined diet and exercise-based interventions. Likewise two thirds of the studies were conducted as cluster-randomised trials. Most of the reported effects favoured the experimental groups, indicating the basic effectiveness of school-based measures. Based on reported data, only one third of the studies could be included in the meta-analyses. For the difference in mean change of the outcome parameter waist circumference measured in cm (95% CI), we found a pooled effect estimate of -0.95 (-1.87; -0.46). For the difference in mean change of the outcome parameter waist circumference reported as z-score value (95% CI), the pooled effect estimate was -0.10 (-0.15; -0.05). Both effect estimates were in favour of the experimental group. The overall effect sizes were small with a p-value < 0.05.ConclusionsPooled effect estimates were small but in favour of the experimental groups. The same applies to the majority of the effects reported in the included studies. The included cluster of randomised controlled trials demonstrated an especially sound methodological standard. The possibility of achieving larger effects in studies of preventive interventions and health promotion is limited. Schools can only realise their full potential in preventing overweight and obesity in children and adolescents if they are accompanied by measures in other areas of the obesogenic environment.

Understanding the situation of bystanders to inform anti-bullying interventions.

Bystanders who witness a bully-victim exchange at their school differ from bystanders who witness many incidents of violence in their community, due to the web of mutual relationships that exist within a school setting. Research conducted in many countries has revealed a variety of ways in which peers too often support and encourage bullies, thereby reinforcing the bully's behavior and further marginalizing their victims. This elucidates the potential benefits of channeling bystanders' neutrality into opposition to bullying that is beneficial and supportive of victims. This goal has been incorporated into preventive anti-bullying interventions that have been implemented and evaluated. In this paper, we focus on the contention that systematic anti-bullying intervention in schools and communities can affect the stance of bystanders. We pay particular attention to the KiVa program, which was originally developed in Finland but has since been implemented in schools throughout many countries due to promising data regarding its effectiveness as well as its emphasis on the role of bystanders. We discuss the data documenting the effectiveness of preventive school-based anti-bullying programs, considering the proposition that these programs reduce bullying at least partially by improving bystander behavior. Despite ample evidence that KiVa reduces bullying, there is little specific data showing that the effects of KiVa are mediated by improvements in bystander behavior. The paper concludes with speculation about the possibility of a more direct and active mobilization of student mediators and student leaders to influence the behavior of bystanders in their classrooms and schools.

Thematic review on counseling crisis and intervention in school

Crisis counseling and intervention in schools play a crucial role in addressing students' psychological needs during crisis, yet there is limited comprehensive literature reviewing their application and effectiveness.This thematic review synthesizes research on crisis counseling and intervention in schools, descriptions, and evaluations. A systematic search was conducted using the Scopus and Web of Science databases to identify relevant studies published between 2019 and 2023. A total of 25 studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria and were analyzed to extract key themes related to crisis counseling and intervention in schools. Three primary themes emerged from the analysis: (1) the roles of school counselors, (2) crisis preparedness, and (3) crisis intervention strategies. These themes were explored in relation to various methodologies used in the studies, highlighting multiple approaches counselors use to integrate crisis counseling knowledge for prevention and intervention within school settings. The review underscores the importance of school counselors' roles in crisis preparedness and intervention. However, further empirical research is needed to support and expand upon current recommendations, ensuring more effective crisis counseling practices in schools.

The Open Data Newsroom: A Game Approach for Developing Open Data Competencies in Elementary School

Open Data refers to digital data that is made available to anyone with the legal and technical conditions to be freely used, reused, and redistributed. Although it has emerged as a new common with the potential to increase citizen participation and transparency, current literature suggests the lack of skills for managing data and participating in Open Data processes, as one of the main barriers to achieve these benefits. Integrating Open Data in school education has been recognized as key to fostering a larger community able to participate in Open Data ecosystems. This study showcases the design of a role-playing game grounded in authentic learning principles for the development of Open Data competencies in elementary school. The Open Data Newsroom is a game approach that immerses students in solving a mystery with data. In the game, students play Open Data Journalists engaging in a three-phase authentic process to get, understand and deliver data. The learning goal in the game is that students build open data competencies: data literacy and real-world problem solving. A design-based research methodological approach is applied to develop theory based and practically grounded educational designs. Two interventions in Danish schools have been conducted, each one with the participation of seventeen students in 7th to 9th grade and three teachers. Interventions are aimed at iteratively designing and testing the game. The discussion section elaborates on opportunities for redesigning and systematically developing the game as a learning design for Open Data competencies.

Maladaptive eating behaviors and health-related quality of life in Spanish children

In children, assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and identifying the factors that can influence it are essential to understanding their overall health and well-being. Although eating disorders in children have been associated with reduced HRQoL, the impact of maladaptive eating behaviors, such as external eating, emotional eating and restrained eating, on children's HRQoL has not yet been prospectively explored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether external, emotional and restrained eating at baseline was associated with HRQoL in children after 14.65 months (95% CI: 14.57–14.73) of follow-up. The study involved 690 boys and 681 girls aged between 8 and 10 years, recruited from primary schools in Catalonia (Spain). To assess the relationship between external, emotional and restrained eating behaviors at baseline and HRQoL at follow-up, the Dutch Eating Behavior and KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaires were used, respectively. After adjusting for sex, age, intervention allocation group, school, maternal education, zBMI and physical activity, external and emotional eating behaviors at baseline were negatively associated with HRQoL at follow-up (p < 0.01). These associations were attenuated after final adjustment for HRQoL at baseline. Furthermore, a composite score of maladaptive eating behaviors at baseline was created by summing the individual scores for emotional, restrained and external eating behaviors. This composite score showed a significant inverse association with HRQoL at follow-up, even after adjusting for baseline HRQoL (p = 0.024). In conclusion, external and emotional eating behaviors seems to negatively affect HRQoL prospectively in Spanish children. The composite score of maladaptive eating behaviors showed a stronger inverse association with HRQoL than each eating behavior individually. Trial registration numberISRCTN registry: ISRCTN68403446; Date of registration, August 01, 2014 ′Retrospectively registered'.

Policy and practice innovations in school-based mental health services

The child mental health crisis resulted in US legislative expansions of funding eligibility and access to clinical interventions in schools. In tandem with the movement to decentralize mental healthcare, we argue that schools are well-positioned to adopt place-based health care models. We describe this framework while summarizing the evidence of four priorities outlined in policy documents that promote equitable mental health access. We identify examples of federal and foundation grants aligned with implementation science, robust services, care eligibility, and workforce development. Our theory-informed discussion provides an overview of research and opportunities for school-based interventions promoting child mental health.

Reducción del miedo al entorno sanitario en niños usando espacios simulados: un ensayo controlado aleatorizado

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention that involved interactions within a simulated health care space to reduce medical fear among children in infant classes. MethodsAn experimental study involving 86 children divided into an intervention group and a control group with pre- and postintervention measurements was undertaken. The intervention, known as the Health-Friendly Program, consisted of showing children various scenarios that simulated different medical contexts so that they could interact in them, experiment with the materials and ask questions. Medical fear was evaluated using the Spanish version of the revised «Child Medical Fear Scale», which provides a score of the medical fear level ranging between 0 and 34 points. The pretest and posttest levels of medical fear in the intervention and control groups were compared with Student's t test. ResultsThe children in the intervention group experienced a significant reduction in fear by 3.21 points (SD: 6.50) compared to the children in the control group. This reduction in fear was shown in all four dimensions of the scale: intrapersonal fears, procedural fears, environmental fears and interpersonal fears. ConclusionThe Health-Friendly Program provides an innovative intervention to reduce medical fear among children based on information, confrontation strategies and simulation scenarios. This study suggests the potential benefit of incorporating educational interventions in schools in collaboration with university and health care simulation centers.

Positive behavior support in school – a quasi-experimental mixed methods study and a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWhile positive school climate is important for students’ well-being and mental health, school personnel may experience challenges in creating a nurturing school climate. School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) has shown positive effects on school climate and children’s prosocial behaviors, but fewer studies have been conducted in a European context.AimThis project aims to investigate the effectiveness of SW-PBIS program for students’ social-emotional skills and academic achievement as well as teachers’ and students’ perceptions of classroom learning environment. Furthermore, the study intends to evaluate how school-level factors mediate or moderate the effects of the intervention. In addition, the study includes a qualitative evaluation of the dynamic interaction processes that occur during program implementation in local school contexts.MethodsData on school- and individual-level measures are collected in intervention and control schools. With regard to challenges in retaining control groups over extended time periods, two waves of recruitment are used. In the first wave, an active control group is used and data are collected during three time points. In the second wave, a wait-list control group will be used and data will be collected during two time points during one school year. Hierarchical regression analyses will be conducted to explore the effects of SW-PBIS on the outcomes of the study. An ethno-methodological approach will be applied to provide a detailed examination of the social interactional and meaning-making practices of different school implementation teams, and the negotiation of normative expectations and rules of conduct in peer-teacher-student interactions in different classrooms.DiscussionThe study is expected to contribute to knowledge on the effects of the SW-PBIS program and how these effects may be mediated or moderated by school-level factors. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the significance of school contexts in the implementation of the SW-PBIS program constitutes the strength of the study. The challenge in the study is the extended period of implementation of SW-PBIS, which entails difficulties in retaining a control group over the required time period. Therefore, two waves of recruitment are used, encompassing different procedures of allocation to intervention or control group.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06270914 on the 22nd of February, 2024 (retrospectively registered).

Emotional Intelligence and Teacher Productivity and Performance in Public Elementary Schools: An Input for a School-Based Intervention Program

Emotional intelligence (EI) is crucial to every individual's well-being. It is a significant factor in establishing positive relationships, especially in the post-pandemic era. Teachers play vital roles in education as they are the front liners who directly interact with learners, parents, and stakeholders. Therefore, they should have a strong EI to employ constructive approaches in managing their school environment. Therefore, educational leaders and school administrators must recognize how personal challenges impact teachers' emotional intelligence, particularly during the pandemic, by establishing reliable support mechanisms that foster a positive learning atmosphere. These resources can help teachers manage personal issues and empower them to support their students effectively. The study analyzed the impact of Emotional Intelligence on teachers’ productivity and performance as input for a school-based intervention program. This descriptive research utilized a quantitative correlation approach. A simple random sampling technique was employed to determine the population sample size. The questionnaire was sent to 655 target respondents from two sub-offices of the Division of Laguna, Department of Education, Philippines, through two methods: via a Google link or using paper and pen, with the permission of their school heads. The questionnaire was sent to the target participants in two ways: through a Google link or through paper-and-pen with the permission of the participants’ school heads. The results revealed that the respondents demonstrated high emotional intelligence but average stress management. On the other hand, they were both at high levels in terms of productivity and performance. The relationship between emotional intelligence and teachers’ productivity exhibited moderate correlations, while there was a strong correlation between Emotional Intelligence and Teaching Performance. Finally, some demographic factors influenced the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and Teaching Performance. Most school interventions focus on skill development, curriculum development, teaching methodologies, or student support systems, and Emotional Intelligence is often neglected. Providing emotional support to teachers is important for recognizing how their emotional states impact their effectiveness and the learning environment. This support can help to continually enhance productivity and performance, leading to better learning outcomes.

Reading Groups as a Health-Promoting Intervention in Upper Secondary Schools: A Qualitative Study.

To explore public health nurses' (PHN) perceptions and experiences of supporting siblings of children with complex care needs (CCNs) by using reading groups as a health promotion intervention in upper secondary schools. An action research approach using a qualitative design. Interviews with 10 PHNs. Thematic analysis. The analysis resulted in the overarching theme "A much needed health promotion intervention in upper secondary schools," presented in terms of the following three themes: (1) supporting siblings is important, but resources and established procedures are lacking. (2) Reading groups using fiction have potential as a health-promoting intervention in upper secondary schools. (3) A realistic collaborative approach is necessary for reading groups to be implemented. PHNs have no established procedures to support siblings of children with CCNs in upper secondary schools. Reading groups can enable PHNs to reach out and support these siblings. Providing the intervention can be a way of reaching all pupils and thus creating an understanding of the plight of siblings who have a brother or sister with CCNs.