Drop out from upper secondary school represents a risk for the future health and wellbeing of young people. Strengthening of psychosocial aspects of the learning environment may be an effective strategy to promote completion of upper secondary school. The COMPLETE study is a school based cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating two school-based interventions, namely the Dream School Program (DSP) and the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) among 1st grade upper secondary school students in four counties in Norway. The interventions aim to improve psychosocial learning environments and subsequently school achievements and decrease drop-out and absence. Specifically, the COMPLETE study will 1. Evaluate whether the DSP alone 1. increases completion 2. increases presence 3. improves school achievements 4. improves mental health and wellbeing 2. Evaluate whether the DSP and the MHST combined 1. increase completion 2. increase presence 3. improve school achievements 4. improve mental health and wellbeing The COMPLETE study will also evaluate the effect of the DSP and MHST combined and the DSP alone against secondary outcomes of school satisfaction and loneliness. 3. Evaluate through a process evaluation whether the interventions were implemented in line with guidelines for each of the interventions, and whether the degree of program fidelity has influenced the effect of the interventions on the primary and secondary outcomes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
3,500
The Dream School program is a whole school program, involving staff and students, with the aim of creating learning environments where students are confident and experience a sense of belonging, and where mental health is promoted.
MHST is also a whole school project but aimed at specific students at risk of dropping out. It is a systematisation of the student services through 1. Co-location of services and staff working in services 2. "One open door" to increase accessibility to the services and staff for students 3. Focus on the transition from lower to upper secondary school 4. Close follow-up of students at risk to ensure tailored help to each student 5. Early intervention and follow up when students starts being absent from school This work demands cross- and multidisciplinary collaborations within the MHST, between MHST and school leadership, and between lower and upper secondary schools.
Drop-out
If the student has not complete upper secondary school within five years or if the student quit school and is without any regular activity during the course of the study period, i.e. grade 1-3 of upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 10 months
Drop-out
If the student has not complete upper secondary school within five years or if the student quit school and is without any regular activity during the course of the study period, i.e. grade 1-3 of upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 22 months
Drop-out
If the student has not complete upper secondary school within five years or if the student quit school and is without any regular activity during the course of the study period, i.e. grade 1-3 of upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 34 months
Drop-out
If the student has not complete upper secondary school within five years or if the student quit school and is without any regular activity during the course of the study period, i.e. grade 1-3 of upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 58 months
Absence
Total days and hours absent at closure of first school year in upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 10 months
Absence
Total days and hours absent at closure of second school year in upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 22 months
Absence
Total days and hours absent at closure of third school year in upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 34 months
Academic achievement
Average grade at closure of first school year in upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 10 months
Academic achievement
Average grade at closure of second school year in upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 22 months
Academic achievement
Average grade at closure of third school year in upper secondary school
Time frame: Each participant is assessed after 34 months
Change from baseline Mental Health at 6 months
Short form of Symptom Check List (SCL-5), on a 4 point Likert scale ranging from Not bothered to Very bothered, with higher values indicating a worse outcome.
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 6 months
Change from baseline Mental Health at 18 months
Short form of Symptom Check List (SCL-5), on a 4 point Likert scale ranging from Not bothered to Very bothered, with higher values indicating a worse outcome.
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 18 months
Change from baseline Mental Health at 30 months
Short form of Symptom Check List (SCL-5), on a 4 point Likert scale ranging from Not bothered to Very bothered, with higher values indicating a worse outcome.
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 30 months
Change in Mental Wellbeing from baseline at 6 months
Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), on a 5 point Likert scale from None of the time to All of the time, with higher values indicating a better outcome
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 6 months
Change from baseline Mental Wellbeing at 18 months
Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), on a 5 point Likert scale from None of the time to All of the time, with higher values indicating a better outcome
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 18 months
Change from baseline School satisfaction at 6 months
Three items from the School Satisfaction Scale, a subscale of the Multidimensional Student's Life Satisfaction Scale. 5 point Likert scale from Completely disagree to Completely agree, with higher values indicating a better outcome.
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 6, 18 and 30 months
Change from baseline School satisfaction at 18 months
Three items from the School Satisfaction Scale, a subscale of the Multidimensional Student's Life Satisfaction Scale. 5 point Likert scale from Completely disagree to Completely agree, with higher values indicating a better outcome.
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 18 months
Change from baseline School satisfaction at 30 months
Three items from the School Satisfaction Scale, a subscale of the Multidimensional Student's Life Satisfaction Scale. 5 point Likert scale from Completely disagree to Completely agree, with higher values indicating a better outcome.
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 30 months
Change from baseline Loneliness at 6 months
Loneliness Scale, 5 point Likert scale from Not at all to To a very high degree with higher values indicating a worse outcome.
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 6 months
Change from baseline Loneliness at 18 months
Loneliness Scale, 5 point Likert scale from Not at all to To a very high degree with higher values indicating a worse outcome.
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 18 months
Change from baseline Loneliness at 30 months
Loneliness Scale, 5 point Likert scale from Not at all to To a very high degree with higher values indicating a worse outcome.
Time frame: Based on self-report in survey assessment at baseline and 30 months
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