Research method（2009-10 & 2010-11）

• Research Procedure
• Assessment Tools

Research Procedure

To evaluate the effectiveness of the three types of group interventions (Child Group Intervention, Parent Group Intervention and Parent-child Conjoint Group Intervention), the project adopted a scientific research procedure.

 

1. Screening

Screening was the first step in the procedure. The students were invited to complete screening questionnaires to help us determine whether they should be assigned to an intervention group. The screening questionnaires consisted of various self-reported scales that aimed to assess the students’ thoughts, behaviours and emotions. Based on the results of the questionnaires, high-risk aggressors were selected to participate in pre-testing, based on the following criteria:

1. The students who received high scores on the Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (about 30 students who received the highest scores in each school); and
2. The students who received low scores on the Peer Victimisation Questionnaire (one standard deviation below all of the students in the school)

According to these criteria, only those who displayed a high risk for aggressive behaviour and were not bullied by their peers were selected as pure aggressors.

2. Pre-test

a. Students

After the screening, all of the selected students and their parents and teachers were invited to participate in the pre-test. Teachers were also allowed to recommend the aggressors, victims and control students they thought should take the pre-test. In total, about 30 students from each school were invited to participate in the pre-test. In addition to the quantitative assessment (i.e. pre-test questionnaires), the pre-test also contained a qualitative assessment, namely individual interviews, aimed at evaluating the students’ responses to different scenarios.

b. Parents

The parents whose children were designated high-risk aggressors were invited to participate in the pre-test. They were asked to complete pre-test questionnaires to assess their parenting style, family history, their children’s behaviour and emotions, the parent-child relationship and communication. In addition, the parents were asked to participate in a pre-test individual interview aimed at understanding more about their parenting style and opinions of their children’s behaviour. According to the results of the self-reported questionnaires and parent-reported questionnaires in the pre-test, we selected 9 to 12 of the most aggressive students from among the 30 students and assigned them to an intervention group or control group.

c. Teachers

Two teachers familiar with the selected students and their thoughts, behaviours and emotions were invited to participate in the pre-test. Due to limited resources, only one teacher was asked to complete both the pre-test interview and the questionnaires. The other teacher only needed to complete the pre-test questionnaires.

3. Treatment groups and control groups

Based on the results of the screening and pre-test questionnaires, the high-risk students were classified into two subtypes of aggressors: reactive aggressors and proactive aggressors. These high-risk students and their parents were randomly assigned to a child group (students only), parent group (parents only), parent-child conjoint group (both students and parents), child control group or parent control group.

4. Post-test

a. Students

Members of both the intervention groups and control groups were asked to complete post-test questionnaires and individual interviews within one month after the final session of the group intervention. They were then asked to complete three-month, one-year and two-year post-test questionnaires and interviews, to follow-up on the group members after they completed the intervention.

b. Parents

After the group intervention, at least one parent of a group member was invited to participate in the post-test questionnaires and interviews.

c. Teachers

Teachers were asked to observe the students’ thoughts, behaviours and emotions during the group intervention to ensure an accurate evaluation of the students. Similar to the pre-test, two teachers were asked to participate in the post-test and one of them was asked to participate in both the post-test questionnaires and the interview. The other one was only asked to complete the post-test questionnaires.

Assessment Tools for Students, Teachers and Parents

I. Reactive Aggressors (09-10)

	Screening Questionnaire	Pre-test	Post-test/three-month/one-year/ two-year follow-up
Students	Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale	Cognitive-Affective-Somatic Empathy Scale Brief Grit Scale Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-B State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory	Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale Cognitive-Affective-Somatic Empathy Scale Brief Grit Scale Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-B State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory
Teachers	N/A	Child Behavior Checklist – Teacher Report Form Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire－Teacher Rating Scale Teacher Discipline Style Inventory	Child Behavior Checklist – Teacher Report Form Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire－Teacher Rating Scale Teacher Discipline Style Inventory
Parents	N/A	Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire - Parent Rating Scale Antisocial Process Screening Device Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised Hypercompetitive Attitudes Scale Conduct Disorder/Oppositional Defiant Disorder Scale Adjective Checklist Family Questionnaire Kessler Psychological Distress Scale	Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire - Parent Rating Scale Antisocial Process Screening Device Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised Hypercompetitive Attitudes Scale Conduct Disorder/Oppositional Defiant Disorder Scale Adjective Checklist Family Questionnaire Kessler Psychological Distress Scale

 

II. Proactive Aggressors (10-11)

	Screening Questionnaire	Pre-test	Post-test/three-month/one-year/ two-year follow-up
Students	Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale	Cognitive-Affective-Somatic Empathy Scale Children's Hope Scale Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory	Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale Cognitive-Affective-Somatic Empathy Scale Children's Hope Scale Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory
Teachers	N/A	Child Behavior Checklist – Teacher Report Form Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire－Teacher Rating Scale Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire	Child Behavior Checklist – Teacher Report Form Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire－Teacher Rating Scale Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Parents	N/A	Child Behavior Checklist-Parent Version Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire - Parent Rating Scale Antisocial Process Screening Device Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised Adjective Checklist Family Questionnaire Kessler Psychological Distress Scale	Child Behavior Checklist-Parent Version Reactive and Proactive Aggression Questionnaire - Parent Rating Scale Antisocial Process Screening Device Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised Adjective Checklist Family Questionnaire Kessler Psychological Distress Scale