Friend to Friend Program + Coaching for Aggression

Overseen By Brooke Paskewich, PsyD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Disqualifiers: Non-English speakers, Special education, Boys, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

5250 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study examines the effectiveness of the Friend to Friend (F2F) program when conducted by teachers and counselors with active coaching from the research team. The project involves 14 small group sessions for relationally aggressive girls and 8 classroom sessions. Students, teachers, counselors and parents at intervention and control schools fill out pre- and post- program questionnaires.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the Friend to Friend (F2F) treatment for aggression?

Research shows that the Friend to Friend (F2F) program is effective in reducing relational aggression (harmful social behaviors like spreading rumors) among urban girls and improving their social problem-solving skills. Additionally, the program has broader positive effects, such as increasing prosocial behaviors (helpful and cooperative actions) and improving teacher-student relationships. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What makes the Friend to Friend Program + Coaching treatment unique for aggression?

The Friend to Friend Program + Coaching is unique because it combines social skills training with personalized coaching, focusing on improving friendship skills and social interactions, which is different from traditional aggression treatments that may not emphasize these aspects. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for 4th-5th grade students in urban, predominantly minority schools in Philadelphia. It targets girls showing signs of relational aggression and includes their parents, teachers, and counselors. Special education students not in regular classes or those with language barriers are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

Predominately minority student body (> 80%)

My school meets the specific requirements for participation.

Teachers/counselors employed by the participating school sites who provide their verbal consent for participation.

Exclusion Criteria

Students whose parents do not speak English or one of the foreign languages into which the Parent Information Sheet for Child Participation has been translated (who therefore cannot opt their child in or out of the study in an informed manner).

My child in special education is not in regular classes.

Exclusion Criteria for Teachers/Counselors

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

Friend to Friend program conducted by teachers and counselors with coaching from the research team, including 14 small group sessions and 8 classroom sessions

8 months

Weekly sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in teacher-student relationships, hostile attribution biases, relational aggression, and other outcomes

8 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Friend to Friend (F2F) with Coaching

Trial Overview The Friend to Friend (F2F) program with Coaching is being tested to see if it helps reduce aggression among young girls. The study involves group sessions for the girls and classroom sessions involving all students, with pre- and post-program questionnaires.

Participant Groups

Group I: Friend to Friend with Coaching Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Program for relationally aggressive girls and their classmates delivered by school personnel who have been coached by study team.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Referral to school counselor as needed as per standard practice.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Lead Sponsor

Trials

749

Recruited

11,400,000+

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator

Trials

2,103

Recruited

2,760,000+

Findings from Research

Three distinct developmental trajectories of aggression were identified in children from grades 1 to 3: early-onset/increasers, moderate-persistent, and stable low aggression, highlighting the varying patterns of aggressive behavior over time.

Factors such as being male, having attention deficit/hyperactivity issues, oppositional defiant problems, and experiencing negative life events were significant predictors for children following the early-onset/increasers trajectory, indicating a high risk for ongoing aggressive behavior.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Trajectories of peer-nominated aggression: risk status, predictors and outcomes. van Lier, PA., Crijnen, AA.[2019]

The attributional intervention significantly reduced aggressive boys' tendency to interpret ambiguous peer provocations as hostile, leading to less aggressive responses in both hypothetical scenarios and laboratory tasks.

Following the intervention, aggressive boys were rated as less aggressive by their teachers, indicating a positive change in behavior and perception after participating in the program.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An attributional intervention to reduce peer-directed aggression among African-American boys. Hudley, C., Graham, S.[2022]

The Friend to Friend (F2F) aggression intervention significantly reduced relational aggression and improved social problem-solving skills among urban African American girls, as shown in a randomized clinical trial involving participants from six low-income elementary schools.

These positive effects were not only observed immediately after the intervention but were also maintained one year later, indicating the long-term efficacy of the F2F program in addressing aggression in this demographic.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Friend to Friend: A Randomized Trial for Urban African American Relationally Aggressive Girls. Leff, SS., Paskewich, BS., Waasdorp, TE., et al.[2023]

The Friend to Friend (F2F) program effectively reduced relational aggression among urban ethnic minority girls, improving their social problem-solving skills and maintaining these effects for at least one year after treatment.

Beyond its primary target, the F2F program also positively influenced non-targeted boys and girls by increasing prosocial behaviors and enhancing teacher-student relationships, suggesting broader benefits of the intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Broader Impact of Friend to Friend (F2F): Effects on Teacher-Student Relationships, Prosocial Behaviors, and Relationally and Physically Aggressive Behaviors. Leff, SS., Waasdorp, TE., Paskewich, BS.[2023]

A new psychodiagnostic and intervention approach was developed to assess and address social aggressive behavior in children aged 9-11, involving about 700 participants, which helps identify the need for training and therapy interventions.

The approach effectively differentiates between various types of aggressive interactions in children, allowing for tailored training techniques to reduce inappropriate aggression and promote competent social behavior.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Intervention-oriented diagnosis of aggressiveness in children]. Zimmermann, VW.[2006]

A study involving 60 older adults (average age 68.7 years) found that a peer-mentored exercise program was as effective as one led by young qualified student mentors, with both groups showing significant improvements in fitness over a 35-week program.

While both groups had similar retention rates, the group mentored by young students had higher participation, indicating that while peer mentoring is effective, younger mentors may encourage more consistent attendance.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparing the effectiveness of peer mentoring and student mentoring in a 35-week fitness program for older adults. Dorgo, S., King, GA., Bader, JO., et al.[2021]

Children's Friendship Training (CFT) has been shown to enhance friendship skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but this study emphasizes the importance of understanding parents' experiences during the program.

Through interviews with eight parents after 12 CFT sessions, four key themes emerged: fear and resistance, awareness and adjustment, the difficulty of change, and the need for support, highlighting that parental involvement and understanding their challenges are crucial for the program's effectiveness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parents' Experience in Children's Friendship Training Programme for Their Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Inquiry. Ong, SY., Roslan, S., Ahmad, NA., et al.[2021]

Parental Friendship Coaching (PFC) was evaluated in a study with 172 families of children aged 6-11 with ADHD, showing some improvements in children's friendship behaviors compared to an active comparison intervention.

While PFC did not significantly improve overall friendship quality for all participants, it may benefit specific at-risk groups, such as children with prior psychosocial treatment or comorbid externalizing disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment of friendship problems in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Initial results from a randomized clinical trial. Mikami, AY., Normand, S., Hudec, KL., et al.[2021]

Structured peer mentoring in schools, where trained high school students support younger peers, is an effective way to encourage physical activity among adolescents, addressing the issue of inactivity despite national guidelines.

This method not only provides social support but also helps build skills and self-efficacy in younger students, promoting lifelong habits of physical activity and healthy eating.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Structured Peer-Mentoring Method for Physical Activity Behavior Change Among Adolescents. Smith, LH., Petosa, RL.[2019]

The PEERS® program, combined with the Circles curriculum, effectively improved social skills, friendship quality, and conversational skills in 10 college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities over an academic year.

Participants showed significant gains from pretest to posttest, indicating that structured social skills training can enhance interpersonal relationships for individuals with IDD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of PEERS® Social Skills Training on Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities During College. Rose, AJ., Kelley, KR., Raxter, A.[2021]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Trajectories of peer-nominated aggression: risk status, predictors and outcomes. [2019]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An attributional intervention to reduce peer-directed aggression among African-American boys. [2022]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Friend to Friend: A Randomized Trial for Urban African American Relationally Aggressive Girls. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Broader Impact of Friend to Friend (F2F): Effects on Teacher-Student Relationships, Prosocial Behaviors, and Relationally and Physically Aggressive Behaviors. [2023]

5. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Intervention-oriented diagnosis of aggressiveness in children]. [2006]

6. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparing the effectiveness of peer mentoring and student mentoring in a 35-week fitness program for older adults. [2021]

7. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parents' Experience in Children's Friendship Training Programme for Their Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Inquiry. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment of friendship problems in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Initial results from a randomized clinical trial. [2021]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Structured Peer-Mentoring Method for Physical Activity Behavior Change Among Adolescents. [2019]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of PEERS® Social Skills Training on Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities During College. [2021]