Given the limited impact of existing school-based interventions and the time associated with implementing them during school time, more efficient and effective intervention methods are needed. Programs that can be delivered to middle school youth irrespective of whether they are attending school physically or virtually may be especially relevant as school boundaries become more fluid. BullyDown addresses this critical need by providing a scalable program that could be quickly and cost-effectively disseminated nationally.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
138
BullyDown is an 8 week, text messaging-based prevention program aimed to prevent bullying behaviors among middle school-aged youth. Message content is based upon the social-emotional learning model.
The attention-matched control will receive the messages for the same number of days as the intervention. Content will talk about 'healthy lifestyle' topics, such as fitness and healthy social media use.
Center for Innovative Public Health Research
San Clemente, California, United States
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Feasibility: Recruitment Rate
If at least 75% of eligible participants assent to participate, this will be supportive of a hypothesis of feasibility. Note that a youth could assent and not be randomized if they did not complete the baseline survey.
Time frame: Recruitment period
Acceptability of the Intervention
Youth were asked: "How likely are you to recommend BullyDown to other people your age?" Answers were collected on a 5-point Likert scale. The response option ranged from 1-5, with higher values reflecting greater acceptability. An average score of 4 or higher was deemed supportive of program acceptability.
Time frame: Intervention end, 9 weeks after program enrollment
Feasibility: Retention at 3-month Follow-up
A retention rate of 80% or higher was deemed to be supportive of a hypothesis of feasibility
Time frame: 21 weeks post-randomization, 3 months after the 9-week program ended
Feasibility: Retention Rate at Program End
A retention rate of 80% or higher was deemed supportive of a hypothesis of feasibility.
Time frame: 9 weeks post-randomization
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