Evaluation of the Effect of the BOAT® Structured Prevention Program on Violence in Middle Schools

University Hospital, Montpellier5,400 enrolled

Overview

Violence has major consequences for the health and development of children and teenagers, even though it is commonplace, particularly in secondary schools. The team at the Centre Ressources pour les Intervenants auprès d'Auteurs de Violences Sexuelles Languedoc-Roussillon (CRIAVS-LR, CHU Montpellier) has created a BOite A ouTils to prevent sexual and gender-based violence: the BOAT, for professionals working with children and teenagers aged between 5 and 18. Structured around 5 themes and 4 age groups, the BOAT is very easy to use. The 134 intervention sheets have been validated and designed to target a risk factor (to be reduced) or a protective factor (to be developed) so that children do not become perpetrators or victims of violence.

The study will involve 60 middle school (10 middle school REP/REP+ in six academies) over four consecutive school years between 2023 and 2027, the first year being devoted to preparing the study with the establishment. The research project is coordinated by the Montpellier University Hospital, and regulatory approvals have been sought from the relevant authorities.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

5,400

Conditions

Students Middle Schools Prevention Violence

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 13 YearsMax age: 17 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Middle school students: students enrolled in a middle school included in the study, enrolled in the fourth or ninth grade and randomly selected to participate in the research. The age of a fourth or ninth grader is between 13 and 17. * Educational team: professionals and teachers working in a middle school participating in the research (included in the study). Exclusion Criteria: * Schoolchildren: opposition to participation in the search by the child's parents (or one of the 2 parents with parental authority) and/or opposition by the child. * Educational team: opposition to participation in the search. * Person unable to speak French * Person unable to understand the nature, purpose and methodology of the study

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

changes in the incidence of violent behavior

The incidence of violent behavior for each study period will be calculated by dividing the number of violent incidents observed in the school, by the number of schoolchildren monitored over the period (in person/year) in the same school.

Time frame: between the three years preceding the middle school's inclusion (period without intervention) and the three years following the start of the study (period with or without intervention, depending on the intervention arm)

Secondary Outcomes

Students' well-being, substance use, risky sexual behavior and suicidal behavior

This computerized questionnaire will be sent via a link and completed directly and anonymously via the National Education Digital Workspace.