Reducing violence by teachers using the preventative intervention Interaction Competencies with Children for Teachers (ICC-T): A cluster randomized controlled trial at public secondary schools in Tanzania

Abstract

The high global prevalence of school violence underlines the need for prevention. However, there are few scientifically evaluated intervention approaches that aim at preventing violence by teachers. We evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of the preventative intervention Interaction Competencies with Children for Teachers (ICC-T). In a cluster randomized controlled trial we assessed attitudes towards and use of violence by teachers (self-reported and reported by students) at eight schools in four regions in Tanzania. Two regions were randomly assigned as intervention regions. Data were assessed in the months before and three months after intervention. In total, 158 teachers (58% females; age: 32.08 years, SD = 5.65) and 486 students (54% females; age: 15.61 years, SD = 0.89) participated in this study. The feasibility was very good: Participants’ acceptance was high and they reported a good integration of the core elements in their working routine. The significantly stronger decrease in the use of emotional and physical violence reported both by teachers and students as well as the stronger decrease in positive attitudes of teachers towards physical and emotional violence in the intervention schools at follow-up provide initial evidence of the efficacy. However, further evidence for the sustainability of its effect is needed.

Reducing violent discipline by teachers using Interaction Competencies with Children for Teachers (ICC-T): Study protocol for a matched cluster randomized controlled trial in Tanzanian public primary schools

“…Violence against children by teachers at schools is a problem of global concern [7]. Previous research has shown that children are frequently exposed to violence by teachers in Tanzania [1,5]. Students are frequently beaten and even experience severe forms of violence by teachers, such as being burnt [20].…”

“…Apart from the legal intervention strategies, the school-based preventative intervention approach Interaction Competencies with Childrenfor Teachers (ICC-T) has been evaluated in a cluster randomized controlled trial (CRCT) in secondary schools and in a pilot study with one selected primary school in Tanzania [1,6]. ICC-T is based on attachment, behavioral, and social learning theories.…”

“…Use of violent discipline We will use a modified version of the CTS which was initially developed to assess parents' reports on their use of violence to assess teachers' use of physical and emotional violence in schools (see above for more details on subscales and answer categories). The scale has been implemented in similar studies in East Africa [1,2]. The CTS presented with acceptable internal consistency of 0.76 in a Ugandan teacher sample [22].…”

“…Attitude towards discipline We will use an adaptation of the CTS to assess teacher's positive attitude towards the use of violent discipline [1]. The items are the same as described before but this time answered on a fourpoint Likert scale ranging from 0 (never OK) to 3 (always or almost always OK).…”

“…measures for ICC-T training evaluation We will adopt the purpose-built measures as used in previous studies conducted by our team [1,2,6]. We will follow the guidelines for feasibility studies by Bowen et al [53] in assessing the demand, applicability, acceptability, and integration of ICC-T training techniques into teachers' daily work.…”