Examining the Efficacy of the PRAISE With Coaching Program

NCT07191782 | Recruiting

• 3 other identifiers: 24-0223851R49CE003566-01-001R49CE003566-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,008
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The PReventing Aggression In Schools Everyday (PRAISE) Program has evidence of impact when run by research staff. PRAISE was adapted using community-based participatory research to a coaching model whereby school-staff are trained to facilitate the program and receive ongoing coaching from research staff. The overall objective is to demonstrate the efficacy of the adapted PRAISE program when facilitated by in-school staff.

Conditions

Aggression Childhood; Bullying Victimization; Social Behavior

Keywords

late elementary school; universal classroom-based; aggression prevention; bullying prevention; relational aggression; coaching

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (9)

• Peer Ratings of Peer Aggression

  Measured via peer-reports. Students rate the frequency that each classmate engages in relational (1 item), verbal (1 item) and physical (1 item) aggression on a scale from 1- Not at All to 5- A Whole Lot. Each individual child gets an average score based the classroom peer reports with higher scores reflecting more of that outcome.

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Knowledge of Social Information Processing

  Student self-report of social information processing knowledge will be gathered using the Knowledge of Anger Problem Solving measure (9 items) where items are scored a 1 if correct and 0 if incorrect and summed (Range: 0-9), higher scores reflect better social information processing

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Hostile Attributions

  Student self-report of hostile attributions will be assessed using the Cartoon-Based Hostile Attributional Bias measure, with 2 relational vignettes and 2 physical vignettes, with one question asking whether a behavior was intentional or unintentional. Each vignette has a range of 0 (no bias) to 4 (strong bias). Scores on the 2 items per vignette type (relational, physical) are summed where higher scores reflect a worse outcome.

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Self-efficacy for Non-Violence

  Student self-report of their use of non-aggressive or violent responses when in a conflict with a peer will be assessed using 9 items drawn from the measure developed for the Multisite Violence Prevention Project with a range of 1-Not at to 4-Very confident. Items are averaged with higher scores reflecting more conference in their ability to not use violent or aggressive responses.

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Reactive/proactive Aggression

  Measured via student self-report using items drawn from the Peer Conflict Scale -Youth Version measure, the proactive relational (6 items) and reactive relational (6 items) and overt (5 items). Items, with a range of 1-Not at all true to 4-Definitely true, will be averaged per scale. Higher scores indicate more proactive relational, reactive relational and reactive overt aggression.

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Bullying Perpetration

  Bullying will be assessed using the Behavior Based Bullying measure (9 items; Range: 1- Never to 4- or more times per month), items are averaged where higher scores means more bullying perpetration.

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Cyberbullying

  Student Self-report on items drawn from the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire will assess two scales: cyberbullying perpetration (7 items) and victimization (7 items) with answers ranging from 1-Never to 5-A few times a week. Items will be averaged such that higher score is more perpetration or victimization experiences.

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Bystander Behaviors

  Self-report of positive bystander behaviors will be assessed using 5 items drawn from the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools (MDS3) Climate Survey with answers ranging from 1-Never to 5-All the time. Items are averaged with higher scores indicating more use of positive bystander behaviors.

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Relational and Overt Aggression

  Using teacher report on each child in their classroom, the Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire will assess a child's relational (7 items) and overt (4 items) aggression with a range of 1-Never true to 5-Almost always true. Items are averaged per scale with higher scores indicating more relational or overt aggression.

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Empathy

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Peer Bullying-Victimization

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Academic Engagement

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Student-teacher Relationship

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

• Class Climate

  At baseline and post intervention, approximately 8 months.

Study Arms (2)

Comparison Schools

NO INTERVENTION

These schools do not receive the PRAISE intervention. These schools can have their standard aggression and bullying practices such as community meeting, restorative circles, Second Step program, and the Olweus program. We will measure what classrooms in the comparison condition are doing, but we will not intervene.

Intervention Schools

EXPERIMENTAL

These schools will receive the PRAISE program which includes training and coaching from the research team.

Behavioral: Universal, classroom-based, Bullying and Aggression Prevention Program

Interventions

Universal, classroom-based, Bullying and Aggression Prevention Program BEHAVIORAL

PRAISE is a universal, classroom-based aggression and bullying prevention program that addresses all forms (physical, verbal, relational, cyber), with a strong focus on the relational and reactive behaviors. All emotional and social skills taught focus on applying and practicing the skills within peer relationships. This program has gone through iterative development and adaptations using a community-based participatory approach whereby the elementary students and staff were active partners with researchers in refining the program. Specific attention was paid to ensuring that the program is feasible for schools to implement and sustain while also being relevant and relatable for students from a variety of backgrounds and school communities (e.g., under-resourced, higher levels of community violence). This updated PRAISE includes \~14 sessions (amounts can vary by grade) and training and coaching for school-based facilitators of the program.

Intervention Schools

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 8 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Enrolled in one of the participating school sites
• In a 3rd-5th grade classroom participating in the study
• Employed by one of the participating school sites
• Teach and/or provide services to students in 3rd-5th grade

You may not qualify if:

• Do not speak English
• Special education students not integrated in a regular education classroom
• Student not in Grades 3-5 at the participating school sites
• Do not speak English
• Do not teach/provide services with 3rd-5th grade students at the participating school sites

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: lead
• The School District of Philadelphia: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19146-2305, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Social Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Tracy E Waasdorp, PhD MSEd

  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Brooke S Paskewich, Psy.D

  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Tracy E Waasdorp, PhD MSed

CONTACT

2676370861; waasdorpt@chop.edu

Brooke Paskewich, PsyD

CONTACT

2155903193; paskewich@chop.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 17, 2025
• First Posted: September 25, 2025
• Study Start: September 26, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 30, 2028
• Last Updated: November 19, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)