Evaluation of a Violence-Prevention Programme with Jamaican Primary School Teachers: A Cluster Randomised Trial

Helen Baker-Henningham, Yakeisha Scott, Marsha Bowers and Taja Francis
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Helen Baker-Henningham: School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2AS, UK
Yakeisha Scott: Caribbean Institute for Health Research, University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Marsha Bowers: Caribbean Institute for Health Research, University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Taja Francis: Caribbean Institute for Health Research, University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: This study investigated the effect of a school-based violence prevention programme implemented in Grade 1 classrooms in Jamaican primary schools. Fourteen primary schools were randomly assigned to receive training in classroom behaviour management ( n = 7 schools, 27 teachers/classrooms) or to a control group ( n = 7 schools, 28 teachers/classrooms). Four children from each class were randomly selected to participate in the evaluation ( n = 220 children). Teachers were trained through a combination of workshop and in-class support sessions, and received a mean of 11.5 h of training (range = 3–20) over 8 months. The primary outcomes were observations of (1) teachers’ use of violence against children and (2) class-wide child aggression. Teachers in intervention schools used significantly less violence against children (effect size (ES) = −0.73); benefits to class-wide child aggression were not significant (ES = −0.20). Intervention teachers also provided a more emotionally supportive classroom environment (ES = 1.22). No benefits were found to class-wide prosocial behaviour, teacher wellbeing, or child mental health. The intervention benefited children’s early learning skills, especially oral language and self-regulation skills (ES = 0.25), although no benefits were found to achievement in maths calculation, reading and spelling. A relatively brief teacher-training programme reduced violence against children by teachers and increased the quality of the classroom environment.

Keywords: violence; teacher training; child behaviour; corporal punishment; low- and middle-income country; primary school (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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