The online tailored advice is providing adolescents relevant insight in the negative G-scheme (based on RET). This negative G-scheme leads to inadequate coping strategies. The intervention teaches victims to replace negative irrational beliefs into…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Other condition
- Mood disorders and disturbances NEC
Synonym
Health condition
mentale en gedragsmatige coping
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
Primary effect outcomes at baseline, 1 month, two moths, six months and a year
after the start of the intervention are changes in frequency cyberbullying
(assed by 17 deviant cyber behaviors), changes in frequency traditional
bullying (self-developed questions), in psychosocial well-being (assed by the
Youth Self-Report) and problem behavior (assed by the Youth Self-Report), the
number of passive and/or aggressive victims of cyberbullying (assessed by a
self-developed questionnaire), and school performance and truancy of (former)
cyberbullying victims (assessed by self-developed questions and
schoolregistration).
Secondary outcome
An increase in effective cyber coping skills and rational helpful thoughts
(assessed by self-developed questionnaires). Besides these parameters,
determinants of coping behavior such as self-efficacy, self-esteem, action
planning, coping planning and constructive emotions should change. We use
standard reliable scales and existing questionnaires.
Background summary
Cyberbullying is a repeated, deliberate and aggressive act carried out by a
group or an individual towards an individual who cannot easily defend him or
herself, using electronic forms of contact. Worldwide, between 20 % and 40 % of
the adolescents report experiences of being cyberbullied. In the Netherlands 20
% of the adolescents report experiencing cyberbullying. Research indicates that
cyberbullying victims experience negative effects after being cyberbullied.
These victims experience feelings of depression, anxiety, insecurity, they have
more irrational thoughts, play truancy more often or stop going to school more
often compared to non-victims.
Because of these negative effects, and because most adolescents seek help for
their problems online, an online tailored advice for cyberbullying victims is
developed. In this online tailored advice, participants learn how to deal with
the negative effects more effectively. For more effective coping, participants
gain insight into the 5G scheme, based on the 'Plezier op School' training
(based on Rational Emotive Therapy), and they learn more effective coping
strategies.
All lessons, text, surroundings, guides and extra lessons will be tailored on
measured characteristics of the participants.
The intervention will be planned, developed and evaluated with the Intervention
Mapping method. Via behavioural goals for victims of cyberbullying and
determinants of cyberbullying, change objectives will be created. These change
objectives are then changed into practical strategies, based on existing
scientific theories and methods.
Study objective
The online tailored advice is providing adolescents relevant insight in the
negative G-scheme (based on RET). This negative G-scheme leads to inadequate
coping strategies. The intervention teaches victims to replace negative
irrational beliefs into rational beliefs, which evoke more positive feelings.
It also teaches them more effective coping behaviors, which enhance (social)
adequacy. The new effective (mental and behavioral) coping strategies will
decrease the mental health problems as a result of cyberbullying and lessen the
experiences with cyber bullying.
The project primarily aims to study short term (1, 2 and 6 months) and long
term (12 months) effects of the online tailored advice on frequency of
(cyber)bullying, problem behaviors displayed and amount of aggressive/passive
victims of cyberbullying and consequently health effects on psychosocial
wellbeing, school performance and truancy.
Secondary aims are to study effects of the online tailored advice on coping
skills and strategies used, the amount and type of irrational thoughts, and
changes in coping behavior determinants such as self-efficacy, self-esteem,
action and coping planning and constructive emotions. We expect that the online
tailored advice will lead to better and effective coping skills, more rational
and helpful thoughts, improved self-efficacy and self-esteem, and more
constructive emotions.
Study design
The effect of the online tailored advice is tested by an experimental design
with three conditions (experimental group, general information group and
waiting list control group). Measures will be done at baseline, after advice
one (1 month), after advice two (2 months), a half year after the start of the
research and one year post start of the research (the last measurement does not
count for the waiting list control group). Comparisons between the three groups
will make it possible to measure the effects of the online intervention and the
general information on Pestweb/pestkoppenstoppen.nl independently.
An ANOVA examined baseline differences in effect measures (see main study
parameters) among the three conditions (i.e., experimental group, general
information group and waiting list control group).
Multilevel analyses to test the intervention effects
The effects of the intervention will be tested by means of hierarchical
regression analyses. Participants are nested within schools (n =3570). The
hierarchical approach takes into account the expected interdependence between
participants of the same class within a school. Several multi-level linear
regression analyses will be conducted to test the efficacy of the intervention
and possible mediation effects using MLWin (version 2.02). The data have a
3-level multi-level structure: repeated measures at the first level, pupils at
the second level (n=3570) and class type at the third level (n =3570).
Outcome variables
At 1 month (T1), 2 months (T2), six months (T3) the following outcome variables
will be measured (see paragraph 6.3 for a description of the questionnaires to
measure the outcome variables (Table 1):
Table 1. Primary and secondary Outcome variables
Primary outcome variables
References
Changes in frequency of cyberbullying Dehue,
et al, 2008; Vandenbosch, 2006)
Changes in frequency of bullying Self
developed
Changes in psychological well being Youth
Self Report (Achenbach, 1991)
Changes in school performance and truancy Self
developed and school registration
Secondary outcome variables
Changes in irrational
thoughts Self developed
Changes in self
efficacy According to
Bandura*s guidelines (Bandura, 1986, 1993)
Changes in coping with (cyber-)bullying Self
developed
Changes in self esteem
Rosenberg Self-esteem (Rosenberg, 1979)
For the primary and secondary outcome variables, a separate regression analysis
will be conducted for every outcome variable. The intervention condition
variable will be coded into two dummies (Dummycontrol-general information
group, Dummycontrol-waitinglist control group group), using the experimental
condition as a reference. In a second regression analysis the intervention X
time interaction will be added to the regression analyses to test whether the
intervention effect increases over time, followed by separate analyses for each
time point if interactions are significant.
Intervention
The intervention consists of three moments of advice.
In the first advice, participants learn that a negative event (gebeurtenis)
causes irrational and negative thoughts (gedachten), which cause negative
emotions (gevoel). These feelings cause passive or aggressive behaviour
(gedrag) towards the cyber bully. This negative behaviour causes escalation in
cyberbullying (gevolg). To change this causal chain, thoughts are disputed and
replaced. Participants are helped with recognizing and disputing irrational
thoughts, and with forming helpful and rational thoughts.
In the second advice, participants learn how to change passive/aggressive
coping strategies into active and problem solving coping strategies. They also
learn recognizing bullying situation dynamics. Additionally, participants
receive additional lessons aimed at improving social skills. These lessons are
offered based on the scores on the Youth Self-Report.
The third advice consist of a booster intervention; participants* progress is
measured, and based on this progress participants receive additional lessons in
coping strategies and irrational thoughts. Participants are also encouraged to
internalize the constructive beliefs.
Finally, participants receive advice concerning the safe use of the Internet
and mobile phones, as well as how to delete unpleasant/harmful messages or
photos. For each advice a several coping and action plans will be made.
All lessons and advices are tailored to the specific needs and characteristics
of each participant. The general information group receives general information
about how to stop cyber bullying via the website Pestweb/pestkoppenstoppen.nl.
The waitlist control group receives no further information; they will receive
the online intervention six months after they started participating.
(see table 1 in Research protocol).
Study burden and risks
Participation in the study will bring minimal or no risks. Participants are
asked to complete several questionnaires, and are offered advises and lessons.
They can choose themselves to attend to these lessons and to use these lessons
in real-life. Moreover, all participants can withdraw from participation in the
study at any time without stating why.
A limited burden might be experienced in filling in the questionnaires.
Personal awareness of depressive feelings, of anxiety and of physical pain
might be increased due to filling in the questionnaire. This potential burden
is decreased by a *take a break* option (youngsters can stop and take a break
from the questionnaire at any time). Further, in case of high norm-scores on
clinical depression (based on DSM-IV criteria), youngsters are automatically
and directly adviced to seek help from a professional, are offered the option
to be contacted about seeking and finding help, they receive an e-mail with
usefull information about seeking help, and are excluded from participation. In
case of high norm-socres on subclinical depression (based on DSM-IV criteria),
youngsters are automatically and directly adviced to seek help, they receive an
e-mail with usefull information about seeking help, and are allowed to continue
with the intervention. E-mails contain useful website*s offering chat and
telephone services for adolescents seeking help in a variety of issues, and
encouragements in talking with a professional.
Valkenburgerweg 177
Heerlen 6419 AT
NL
Valkenburgerweg 177
Heerlen 6419 AT
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
Dutch adolescents who were victims of at least three of the 17 deviant cyber behaviors at least once a month during the last six months, or adolescents who were victims of at least one deviant cyber behavior at least twice or three times a month during the last six months. These adolescents also have to indicate if they are in need of help.
The adolescents have to be between the ages of 12-15 years old and they also have to attend the first year of Vmbo in order to start with our research.
Exclusion criteria
Dutch adolescents who did not experience cyberbullying, and cyberbullies. Further, in case of high norm-scores on clinical depression (based on DSM-IV criteria), youngsters are automatically and directly adviced to seek help from a professional, are offered the option to be contacted about seeking and finding help, they receive an e-mail with usefull information about seeking help, and are excluded from participation. Parents and/or teachers will also be contacted. In case of high norm-socres on subclinical depression (based on DSM-IV criteria), youngsters are automatically and directly adviced to seek help, they receive an e-mail with usefull information about seeking help, and are allowed to continue with the intervention. E-mails contain useful website*s offering chat and telephone services for adolescents seeking help in a variety of issues, and encouragements in talking with a professional.
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL39072.096.12 |