The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the prevention program 'Buit in de Klas' is effective.
Due to the growing concerns about youth involvement in crime, the Dutch Government has recently provided substantial financial support to municipalities to prevent and address youth crime (Veiligheid, 2024). These funds are intended, in part, for prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing or preventing criminal involvement among young people. Aim of this study is to examine the effectives of the prevention program "Buit in de klas". Buit in de klas is a school-based prevention program for students aged 12-20) to prevent criminal exploitation. The program is offered at secondary schools, consisting of a film and an accompanying lesson, usually as part of lessons in citizenship. The prevention program aims to empower students to protect themselves and peers from criminal exploitation (Noord Holland Samen Veilig \& Garage2020., 2022). To achieve these goals, the program has three intermediary objectives. First, it aims to improve students' knowledge to recognize early signs of risk for becoming a victim of criminal exploitation. Second, the program seeks to increase awareness of the consequences of criminal exploitation and thereby to influence cognitions and foster more negative attitudes toward criminal exploitation. Finally, the primary objective of the program is to teach students help-seeking skills when they or their peers are at risk of criminal exploitation. The study hypothesis is that the prevention program Buit in de klas is effective in preventing criminal exploitation by increasing knowledge about the signs and consequences of criminal exploitation, enhancing empathy for children who are victims of criminal exploitation, and strengthening students' help-seeking skills.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
200
The program is taught by a trusted teacher of the students (for example, their mentor). The program consists of a lesson of about one hour. It includes a short film and an interactive chat box that allows students to chat with the main character of the film. In addition, there is a guideline for discussing the topic in the classroom and information on where to find help.
Utrecht University
Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
RECRUITINGKnowledge about criminal exploitation
Knowledge of criminal exploitation will be assessed using six questions. First, participants are asked: 'Do you know what criminal exploitation is?' Those who respond with 'yes' or 'a little' are then invited to describe, in their own words, what it entails. In addition, a multiple-choice question asks participants to select the definition that best fits criminal exploitation. A subsequent item asks: 'How well do you think you can recognize signs of criminal exploitation?' Another question assesses whether participants know someone who has been asked to engage in criminal activity, and, if so, how they recognized this.
Time frame: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).
Attitudes toward criminal exploitation
Attitudes will be measured using a questionnaire adapted from the Attitude Towards Delinquent Behaviour Questionnaire (ATDS; Menard \& Huizinga, 1994). Nine items will be rated on a 4-point Likert scale, with response options ranging from 'not wrong at all' to 'very wrong.' An example item is: 'What do you think about someone your age stealing something worth more than 50 euros?. Empathy towards peers will be measured using three statements (e.g., 'I feel sorry for classmates who are treated unfairly').
Time frame: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).
Help-seeking behaviour
Will be measured using the 12-item Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) (Zimet et al., 1990). Participants rate statements such as "I have a special person who is a real source of comfort to me" and "I can talk about my problems with my family" on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very strongly disagree to 5 = very strongly agree). Higher scores indicate greater levels of experienced support. And a question that assesses whether they know where to find help, either for themselves or for a peer who may be at risk of criminal exploitation.
Time frame: baseline (T0), three months after the program ended for the intervention group (or after the waiting period for the control group) (T1), and at 6 months post-program (T2).
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Externalizing behaviour
will be measured using the externalizing behavior and delinquency subscales of the Youth Self-Report (YSR) (Verhulst \& Van der Ende, 1992). The instrument focuses on various externalizing behaviors, including aggression and delinquent behavior. The YSR includes items such as "I fight a lot", which are rated on a 3-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 2 (often). Higher scores on the YSR externalizing subscale indicate greater levels of externalizing behavior.
Time frame: Baseline (T0) and 6 months after the program (T2)