In order to test the effect of the intervention, a multi-center randomized control trial (RCT) will be conducted to test the efficacy of the REThink interventions on improving bullying (both victimization and aggression) and mental health compared with a care as usual group. A minimum of 1000 students from the participating institutions (schools will be able to join based on a recruitment call), will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
1,000
At its core, the REThink game consists of seven levels, each focusing on a specific emotion-regulation skill crucial for emotional health. The game's story is based on the RETMAN character which helps the player fight the power of the "Irrationalizer" who personalizes irrational beliefs. The game is based on cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy - the unified protocol (Barlow et al., 2004) and well-supported Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (Ellis, 1995). Each level is composed of three sublevels, increasing in difficulty, and also has an embedded validated assessment system (composed of a sublevel for each level; David, Tomoiaga \& Fodor, 2024), and can function as a standalone intervention.
Babes-Bolyai University
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Bullying
Bullying and Cyberbullying Scale for Adolescents will be used to measure bullying. The scale is composed of 26 items, the minimum score is 26 and the maximum 130. Higher scores represent higher levels of bullying
Time frame: baseline assessment, one week before starting the intervention
Mental Health
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale is used for mental healh. For this scale, lower scores represent lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress, the minimum score is 0 and maximum score is 63.
Time frame: baseline assessment, one week before starting the intervention
Mental Health Stigma
The Stigma Scale measures mental health stigma. Lower scores represent an improvement. The minimum score is 9, and the maximum is 45.
Time frame: baseline assessment, one week before starting the intervention
Stress
MoodWheel instrumentis used to measure stress. The scale is composed of 32 items representing emotions which are divided into four subscales: positive functional emotions, positive dysfunctional emotions, negative functional and negative dysfunctional emotions. Scores at each subscale represent higher levels of that category of emotion.The minimum score is 0 and the maximum is 160
Time frame: baseline assessment, one week before starting the intervention
Self-compassion
The Self-Compassion Scale Short Form is used to measure self-compassion. The scale has two dimensions, namely Self-Care, where higher scores represent higher levels of self-care, and Self-Disparagement, where lower scores represent an improvement.The minim score is 12 and the maximum is 60.
Time frame: baseline assessment, one week before starting the intervention
Compassion
Compassion Scale for children is a valid and reliable measurement tool that will be able to determine the level of compassion of children between the ages of 10 to 18-year-olds.The minimum score is 9, and maximum is 54.
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Time frame: baseline assessment, one week before starting the intervention
Emotion regulation
The in-game assessment for each REThink intervention. This assessment system is the trial version of the game with sections for each level and very good psychometric properties. For this system, higher scores represent higher levels of various emotion-regulation abilities.
Time frame: baseline assessment, one week before starting the intervention
Trauma Screening
Childhood Trauma Screener is used to measure past traumatic experiences .The scale is composed of 5 items each representing a type of trauma or abuse. Higher scores represent higher frequency of abuse and/or trauma. The minimum score is and the maximum score is 5 and the maximum 25.
Time frame: baseline assessment, one week before starting the intervention
Changes in bullying
Bullying and Cyberbullying Scale for Adolescents will be used to measure bullying. The scale is composed of 26 items, the minimum score is 26 and the maximum 130. Higher scores represent higher levels of bullying
Time frame: post-test assessment, one week after finishing the intervention
Changes in mental health
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale is used for mental healh. For this scale, lower scores represent lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress, the minimum score is 0 and maximum score is 63.
Time frame: post-test assessment, one week after finishing the intervention
Changes in mental health stigma
The Stigma Scale measures mental health stigma. Lower scores represent an improvement. The minimum score is 9, and the maximum is 45.
Time frame: post-test assessment, one week after finishing the intervention
Changes in stress
MoodWheel instrumentis used to measure stress. The scale is composed of 32 items representing emotions which are divided into four subscales: positive functional emotions, positive dysfunctional emotions, negative functional and negative dysfunctional emotions. Scores at each subscale represent higher levels of that category of emotion.The minimum score is 0 and the maximum is 160
Time frame: post-test assessment, one week after finishing the intervention
Changes in self-compassion
The Self-Compassion Scale Short Form is used to measure self-compassion. The scale has two dimensions, namely Self-Care, where higher scores represent higher levels of self-care, and Self-Disparagement, where lower scores represent an improvement.The minim score is 12 and the maximum is 60.
Time frame: post-test assessment, one week after finishing the intervention
Changes in compassion
Compassion Scale for children is a valid and reliable measurement tool that will be able to determine the level of compassion of children between the ages of 10 to 18-year-olds.The minimum score is 9, and maximum is 54.
Time frame: post-test assessment, one week after finishing the intervention
Changes in emotion regulation
The in-game assessment for each REThink intervention. This assessment system is the trial version of the game with sections for each level and very good psychometric properties. For this system, higher scores represent higher levels of various emotion-regulation abilities.
Time frame: post-test assessment, one week after finishing the intervention