Protocol: A feasibility study and a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of the PAX ‘Good Behaviour Game’ in disadvantaged schools

O’Keeffe, Joanne; Thurston, Allen; Kee, Frank; O’Hare, Liam

doi:10.1016/j.ijer.2017.08.003

Cited by 5 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…These Kernels include games and rewards. The full details of the PAX GBG composition and rules used in this trial are published in the trial protocol (O'Keeffe et al, 2017).…”

Section: The Pax Good Behaviour Gamementioning

confidence: 99%

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An Exploratory, Cluster Randomised Control Trial of the PAX Good Behaviour Game

O’Keeffe

Thurston

Kee

et al. 2021

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This article presents the findings of an exploratory randomised controlled trial of the PAX Good Behaviour Game (PAX GBG) in Northern Ireland. The PAX GBG is an evidence‐based universal prevention programme designed to improve mental health by increasing self‐regulation, academic engagement, and decreasing disruptive behaviour in children. The study was designed in line with the Medical Research Council guidance on the development of complex interventions and is based on the Medical Research Council framework, more specifically within a Phase 2 exploratory trial. The study used a cluster randomised controlled trial design with a total of 15 schools (19 classes) randomised to intervention and control. This article reports specifically on the outcome of self‐regulation with 355 elementary school pupils in year 3 (age M = 7.40, SD = 0.30). Participating schools in the trial were located in areas of socio‐economic disadvantage. The teachers in the intervention group received training in the delivery of the PAX GBG and implemented the PAX GBG intervention for 12 weeks. A range of pre‐ and post‐test measures, including child reported behaviours, were undertaken. After the 12 weeks of implementation, this exploratory trial provided some evidence that the PAX GBG may help improve self‐regulation (d = .42) in participating pupils, while the findings suggest that it may offer a feasible mental health prevention and early intervention approach for Northern Ireland classrooms. However, a larger definitive trial would be needed to verify the findings in this study.

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“…These Kernels include games and rewards. The full details of the PAX GBG composition and rules used in this trial are published in the trial protocol (O'Keeffe et al, 2017).…”

Section: The Pax Good Behaviour Gamementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The teacher, an adult or a designated class PAX leader can record the Spleems (PAXis Institute, 2015). A TiDier checklist table (Hoffmann et al, 2014;O'Keeffe et al, 2017) outlining all the elements of the PAX GBG programme implementation is shown in Figure A1 of the Supplementary File.…”

Section: Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Exploratory, Cluster Randomised Control Trial of the PAX Good Behaviour Game

O’Keeffe

Thurston

Kee

et al. 2021

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“…A pilot cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in Northern Ireland (O’Keeffe et al 2017 ) with 353 children, ages 6–8, at 15 schools (19 classrooms) in areas of high socio-economic disadvantage. Short-term outcomes (12 weeks) reported in a thesis by Mulgrew ( 2019 ) indicate significantly improved self-rated student self-regulation (Cohen’s d = 0.42) compared to a passive control group.…”

Section: A Brief Review Of the Evidence Regarding The Pax Good Behavimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Retrospective ratings over long time-periods are likely to be unreliable. Finally, two of the studies published study protocols prior to conducting their trial, which is a commendable practice (Streimann et al 2017 ; O’Keeffe et al 2017 ).…”

Section: A Brief Review Of the Evidence Regarding The Pax Good Behavimentioning

confidence: 99%

The PAX Good Behavior Game: One Model for Evolving a More Nurturing Society

Johansson

Biglan

Embry³

2020

Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev

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This paper describes the culture and components of the PAX Good Behavior Game and offers it as one model for how to enhance the well-being of populations through the diffusion of nurturing practices into several venues of society. The PAX components, also known as evidence-based kernels, are proposed to be useful in classrooms, families, organizations, criminal justice, and in improving public discussion and government. Kernels affect behavior in the short- and long-term through combinations of antecedents, reinforcers, relational networks, and physiological effects. Identifying common strategies, tools, and clear targets of change is suggested as a way to work towards evolving freely available evidence-based tools that can be combined to improve social conditions in multiple contexts.

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“…In the decades since its original development ( Barrish et al, 1969 ), 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of the GBG have been conducted of the program being implemented universally during a normal school day. Six of these were conducted in the United States ( Dolan et al, 1993 ; Hansen et al, 2010 ; Ialongo et al, 2019 , Ialongo et al, 1999 ; Reid et al, 1999 ; Tolan et al, 2020 ); two each in the Netherlands ( van Lier et al, 2004 ; Witvliet et al, 2009 ) and Canada ( Dion et al, 2011 ; Jiang et al, 2018 ); and one each in Belgium ( Leflot et al, 2010 ), Northern Ireland ( O'Keeffe, 2019 ), Estonia ( Streimann et al, 2020 ), and England (for a review, see Humphrey et al, 2021 ). The current paper reports on the findings from the RCT conducted in England.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Playing the long game: A multivariate multilevel non-linear growth curve model of long-term effects in a randomized trial of the Good Behavior Game

Troncoso

Humphrey

2021

Journal of School Psychology

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This cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the impact of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) on children's developmental trajectories of disruptive behavior, concentration problems, and prosocial behavior from middle childhood (ages 6–7 years) to early adolescence (ages 10–11 years). Seventy-seven schools in England were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Allocation was balanced by school size and the proportion of children eligible for free school meals. Children ( N = 3084) ages 6–7 years at baseline were the target cohort. Outcome measures, assessed via the Teacher Observation of Child Adaptation Checklist, were taken prior to randomization (baseline – Time 1) and annually for the next 4 years (Time 2 to Time 5). During the 2-year main trial period (Time 1 to Time 3), teachers of this cohort in intervention schools implemented the GBG, whereas their counterparts in the control group continued their usual practice. A multivariate multilevel non-linear growth curve model indicated that the GBG reduced concentration problems over time. In addition, the model also revealed that the intervention improved prosocial behavior among at-risk children (e.g., those with elevated symptoms of conduct problems at Time 1, n = 485). No intervention effects were unequivocally found in relation to disruptive behavior. These findings are discussed in relation to the extant literature, strengths and limitations are noted, and practical and methodological implications are highlighted.

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Protocol: A feasibility study and a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of the PAX ‘Good Behaviour Game’ in disadvantaged schools

Cited by 5 publications

References 13 publications

An Exploratory, Cluster Randomised Control Trial of the PAX Good Behaviour Game

An Exploratory, Cluster Randomised Control Trial of the PAX Good Behaviour Game

The PAX Good Behavior Game: One Model for Evolving a More Nurturing Society

Playing the long game: A multivariate multilevel non-linear growth curve model of long-term effects in a randomized trial of the Good Behavior Game

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