Adolescent risk behaviours, such as violence and substance use, are prevalent public health concerns in Canada. Further, these behaviours often co-occur, and are associated with poor mental health. However, the majority of prevention programs focus on preventing single issues and do not consider mental health, and also neglect the importance of relationships when promoting positive youth development. To address this gap, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Centre for Prevention Science designed the Fourth R Healthy Relationships Plus Program, a small group program focused on the promotion of positive mental health and the reduction of violence and substance use, via the development of improved communication, interpersonal and help-seeking skills. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the Fourth R Healthy Relationships Plus program using both outcome (randomized controlled trial design with follow-up at pre-test, post-test, and 4, 8 and 12 months) and process evaluation tools. The primary study hypothesis is that participation in the Fourth R Healthy Relationships Plus program will be associated with positive growth in treatment participants' psychological well-being from pre-test to 12-month follow-up, as compared to control participants. In secondary analyses, the study will explore if treatment participants report less substance use, peer violence, bullying and dating violence at 12-month follow-up than control participants. Since certain person-level (e.g., sex, personality, executive functioning) and program-level (e.g., implementation quality) variables may moderate treatment-outcome relationships, these associations will also be explored. The final hypothesis is that treatment participants will report better attitudes, knowledge and assertive communication at post-test compared to control participants, and that these improvements will mediate the association between program participation and 12-month outcomes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
238
The Healthy Relationships Plus Program (HRPP) is an out-of-school time program that is facilitated by a teacher or other youth leader. HRPP sessions use interactive teaching strategies to discuss healthy relationships, dating violence, personal values/boundaries, communication skills, emotional health and well-being, and helping friends.
CAMH Centre for Prevention Science
London, Ontario, Canada
Growth from baseline to 12-month follow-up on a multi-variable latent psychological well-being construct
Scales included to indicate the latent psychological well-being construct are: 1. hope 2. purpose 3. depression/anxiety 4. emotion regulation 5. coping behaviours 6. flourishing mental health
Time frame: Baseline, Month 4, Month 8, Month 12
Decrease in reported perpetration on the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory (CADRI) Physical Abuse and Threatening Behaviour sub-scales in treatment versus control participants at 12 month follow-up, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Decrease in reported perpetration on the Cyber Dating Abuse scale in treatment versus control participants at 12 month follow-up, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Decrease in reported physical fighting in treatment versus control participants at 12 month follow-up, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Decrease in past 30 day drinking frequency in treatment versus control participants at 12 month follow-up, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Decrease in past 30 day heavy episodic drinking (binge drinking) in treatment versus control participants at 12 month follow-up, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Decrease in past 30 day marijuana use in treatment versus control participants at 12 month follow-up, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Decrease in reported likelihood to try illicit drugs (e.g., marijuana; other illegal drugs; non-prescribed prescription drugs) during the next 12 months in treatment versus control participants at 12 month follow-up, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Decrease in reported perpetration on the Bullying Evaluation and Strategies Tool (grade 7-12 items) in treatment versus control participants at 12 month follow-up, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Decrease in hostility on a 4-point hostility scale in treatment versus control participants at 10 days, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Day 10
Improvement in drug attitudes on the 4-point Drug Attitude Scale in treatment versus control participants at 10 days, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Day 10
Improvement in attitudes towards violence on the 4-point Acceptability of Violence scale in treatment versus control participants at 10 days, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Day 10
Greater use of program concepts in written responses to 3 open-ended knowledge questions in treatment versus control participants at 10 days.
Time frame: Day 10
Improvement in interpersonal negotiation strategy scores with parents in treatment versus control participants at 10 days, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Day 10
Improvement in interpersonal negotiation strategy scores with peers in treatment versus control participants at 10 days, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Day 10
Improvement in interpersonal negotiation strategy scores with romantic partners in treatment versus control participants at 10 days, compared to baseline
Time frame: Baseline, Day 10
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.