Lyndal Bond
The Gatehouse Project: can a multilevel school intervention affect emotional wellbeing and health risk behaviours?
Royal Children's Hospital|Murdoch Children's Research Institute
aim study determine effect multilevel school based intervention adolescents emotional wellbeing health risk behavioursschool based cluster randomised controlled trial students surveyed using laptop computers twice first year intervention annually thereafter two yearssecondary schools2678 year 8 students 74 participated first wave data collection attrition across waves less 3 8 10 respectively differential response rate intervention control groups subsequent waves 98 v 96 92 v 92 90 v 89 respectivelya comparatively consistent 3 5 risk difference found intervention control students drinking regular smoking friends alcohol tobacco use across three waves follow largest effect reduction reporting regular smoking intervention group 057 062 072 waves 2 3 4 respectively significant effect intervention depressive symptoms social school relationshipswhile research required determine fully processes change study shows focus general cognitive skills positive changes social environment school substantial impact important health risk behaviours