Emotional Intelligence group coaching for Irish junior cycle pupils: testing a new classroom-based program
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN42971862 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN42971862 |
- Submission date
- 27/01/2020
- Registration date
- 16/02/2021
- Last edited
- 27/09/2021
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Current plain English summary as of 27/09/2021:
Background and study aims
Extensive research has confirmed that emotional intelligence (EI) - the ability to perceive, understand, regulate and use emotions to facilitate emotional and intellectual growth - can be improved for second level students, through classroom-based instruction and that enabling students to increase their EI can, in turn, positively impact their social and emotional skills, mental health, and overall wellbeing. This study aims at contributing to the body of evidence-based educational approaches to support students' overall wellbeing.
Who can participate?
Irish post-primary second-level schools in the great Dublin area. Schools need to be mixed gender. Participants in the trial will be classes of second-year junior cycle students.
What does the study involve?
A school will be selected through convenient sampling and participant students will be randomly allocated to either an active control or experimental group. Students in the active control group will receive Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) classes as usual; students in the experimental group will receive sessions designed to support the development of EI skills. Sessions will be held weekly for three months.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants will possibly benefit from learning about central aspects of emotional experience, key steps to identify where they are in that experience as well as what to do to regulate and address different types of emotions. Ultimately, participants will have a practical understanding on how to regulate emotions.
The intervention is intended to be a low-risk one. However, potential risks of participating include potential discomfort/distress arising from engaging in the activities being proposed.
Where is the study run from?
A second-level multi-denominational mixed-gender school in the Dublin area, Ireland.
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2019 to May 2022.
Who is funding the study?
Technological University of Dublin (Ireland)
Who is the main contact?
Angelo Marques Simoes
angelo.simoes@tudublin.ie
_____
Previous plain English summary:
Background and study aims
Extensive research has confirmed that emotional intelligence (EI) - the ability to perceive, understand, regulate and use emotions to facilitate emotional and intellectual growth - can be improved for second level students, through classroom-based instruction and that enabling students to increase their EI can, in turn, positively impact their mental health, academic performance and wellbeing. This study aims at contributing to the body of evidence-based educational approaches to support students' wellbeing.
Who can participate?
Irish post-primary second-level schools in the great Dublin area. Schools need to be mixed gender. Participants in the trial will be classes of second-year junior cycle students.
What does the study involve?
Schools will be randomly assigned to receive either Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) classes as usual or sessions designed to support the development of EI skills. Sessions will be held weekly for three months.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants will possibly benefit from learning about central aspects of emotional experience, key steps to identify where they are in that experience as well as what to do to regulate and address different types of emotions. Ultimately, participants will have a practical model to support emotion regulation.
The intervention is intended to be a low-risk one. However, potential risks of participating include potential discomfort/distress arising from engaging in the activities being proposed.
Where is the study run from?
Second-level multi-denominational mixed-gender schools in the Dublin area, Ireland.
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2019 to May 2022.
Who is funding the study?
Technological University of Dublin (Ireland)
Who is the main contact?
Angelo Marques Simoes
angelo.simoes@tudublin.ie
Contact information
Scientific
TUDublin
Blanchardstown Rd N
Blanchardstown
Dublin
D15 VPT3
Ireland
 ORCID ID |
0000-0002-1861-2932 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +353 871848825 |
| angelo.simoes@tudublin.ie |
Study information
| Study design | Single-site randomised controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | School |
| Study type | Quality of life |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | A randomised controlled trial of a new emotional intelligence classroom-based program for Irish junior cycle pupils: impact on emotional intelligence and mental health |
| Study objectives | Current study hypothesis as of 27/09/2021: 1. What is the impact of EI training on emotional intelligence scores both immediately and 3 months after intervention, for second-year junior cycle Irish students? 2. What is the impact of EI training on emotional distress scores both immediately and 3 months after intervention, in second-year junior cycle Irish students? ______ Previous study hypothesis: 1. What is the impact of EI training on emotional intelligence scores both 1 and 6 months after intervention, for second-year junior cycle Irish students? 2. What is the impact of EI training on emotional distress scores both 1 and 6 months after intervention, in second-year junior cycle Irish students? 3. What is the impact of EI training on mean English and Maths academic grades in second-year junior cycle students? |
| Ethics approval(s) | Approved 21/04/2020, TUDublin Blanchardstown Ethics Committee (Dublin, D15 YV78, Ireland; +353 18851000; pat.oconnor@tudublin.ie), ref: n/a |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) |
| Intervention | Current interventions as of 27/09/2021: Experimental groups: 12 sessions of 45 minutes each (over a period of 3 months) designed to support the development of EI skills through experiential learning, group and individual work, implemented by the researcher during Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) classes. Control groups: regular SPHE classes of 45 minutes each (over a period of 3 months), implemented by the respective teacher. The control groups are wait-list controls, which means that they will not receive the intervention at the same time as the experimental groups, only at a later stage. _____ Previous interventions: Experimental clusters: 12 sessions of 40 minutes each (over a period of 3 months) designed to support the development of EI skills through experiential learning, group and individual work, implemented by the researcher during Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) classes. Control clusters: regular SPHE classes of 40 minutes each (during 3 months), implemented by the respective teacher. The control groups are wait-list controls, which means that they will not receive the intervention at the same time as the experimental groups, only at a later stage. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | Current primary outcome measure as of 27/09/2021: 1. Emotional intelligence (measured before, immediately after the intervention and at 3 months) 1.1. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire - Adolescent Form (TEIQue-AF) 1.2. The Situational Test of Emotion Management – Youth Version (STEM-Y) 2. Emotional Distress (measured before, immediately after the intervention and at 3 months) using the Revised Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) _____ Previous primary outcome measure: 1. Emotional intelligence (measured immediately before and after the intervention at 1 and 6 months): 1.1. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire - Adolescent Form (TEIQue-AF) 1.2. The Situational Test of Emotion Management – Youth Version (STEM-Y) 2. Emotional Distress (measured immediately before and after the intervention at 1 and 6 months) using the Revised Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) 3. Academic achievement (measured 6 months after the intervention in both conditions) measured by end-of-year grades in English and Maths provided by the school administration |
| Secondary outcome measures | Current secondary outcome measures as of 27/09/2021: 1. Data regarding dose, coverage, frequency and content of the intervention will be gathered to assess the quality/fidelity of implementation 2. Qualitative data will also be gathered by the implementer (researcher) _____ Previous secondary outcome measures; Implementation fidelity: 1. Data regarding dose, coverage, frequency and content of the intervention will be gathered to assess the quality/fidelity of implementation 2. Qualitative data will also be gathered in each of the 12 sessions by an observer (teacher), in addition to the information gathered by the implementer (researcher) |
| Overall study start date | 02/03/2020 |
| Completion date | 15/05/2022 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Other |
|---|---|
| Age group | Child |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 80 participants: 4 groups (20 participants per group) |
| Total final enrolment | 80 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Irish post-primary second-level schools in the great Dublin area 2. Schools need to be mixed gender |
| Key exclusion criteria | Students who are not proficient in the English language (when compared with their age group) |
| Date of first enrolment | 14/09/2021 |
| Date of final enrolment | 23/09/2021 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Ireland
Study participating centre
Dublin
Dublin 15
Ireland
Sponsor information
University/education
Blanchardstown Rd N
Blanchardstown
Dublin
D15 YV78
Ireland
| Phone | +353 (01) 885 1000 |
|---|---|
| claire.macnamee@tudublin.ie | |
| Website | https://tudublin.ie/ |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/04t0qbt32 |
Funders
Funder type
University/education
Government organisation / Local government
- Alternative name(s)
- Dublin Institute of Technology, TU Dublin, Institiúid Telcneolaiochta Bhaile Átha Cliath, DIT
- Location
- Ireland
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 01/05/2023 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Data sharing statement to be made available at a later date |
| Publication and dissemination plan | Publication and dissemination of results in educational/psychological journals: - Baseline results of students' emotional intelligence and emotional distress will be gathered, levels and correlations before intervention will be analysed with the intent to publish. - Overall results of effectiveness post-intervention will be analysed and organised for publication. - The process of building a program (intervention) and implementing it will also be separately reported and compiled with the intention of further publication. |
| IPD sharing plan | The current data sharing plans for this study are unknown and will be available at a later date. |
Editorial Notes
27/09/2021: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The scientific title was changed from "A randomised controlled trial of a new emotional intelligence classroom-based program for Irish junior cycle pupils: impact on emotional intelligence, mental health and academic attainment" to "A randomised controlled trial of a new emotional intelligence classroom-based program for Irish junior cycle pupils: impact on emotional intelligence and mental health".
2. The recruitment start date was changed from 01/01/2021 to 14/09/2021.
3. The recruitment end date was changed from 30/09/2021 to 23/09/2021.
4. The total final enrolment was added.
5. The study hypothesis was changed.
6. The study design was changed from "Single-site cluster randomised controlled trial" to "Single-site randomised controlled trial".
7. The interventions were changed.
8. The primary outcome measure was changed.
9. The secondary outcome measures were changed.
10. The target number of participants was changed from "6 clusters (25-30 participants per cluster)" to "80 participants: 4 groups (20 participants per group)".
11. The plain English summary was updated to reflect these changes.
15/06/2021: The recruitment end date has been changed from 08/06/2021 to 30/09/2021.
16/02/2021: Trial’s existence confirmed by Technological University Dublin
