Citation

Chapman RL, Buckley LD, Sheehan M, Shochet IM. Health Educ. Res. 2013; 28(4): 612-625.

Affiliation

Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia and School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/her/cyt048

PMID

23503569

Abstract

School connectedness is an important protective factor for adolescent risk-taking behaviour. This study examined a pilot version of the Skills for Preventing Injury in Youth (SPIY) programme, combining teacher professional development (PD) for increasing school connectedness (connectedness component) with a risk and injury prevention curriculum for early adolescents (curriculum component). A process evaluation was conducted on the connectedness component, involving assessments of programme reach, participant receptiveness and initial use, and a preliminary impact evaluation was conducted on the combined connectedness and curriculum programme. The connectedness component was well received by teacher participants, who saw benefits for both themselves and their students. Classroom observation also showed that teachers who received PD made use of the programme strategies. Grade 8 students who participated in the SPIY programme were less likely to report violent behaviour at 6-month follow-up than were control students, and trends also suggested reduced transport injuries. The results of this research support the use of the combined SPIY connectedness and curriculum components in a large-scale effectiveness trial to assess the impact of the programme on students' connectedness, risk-taking and associated injuries.

Language: en