Evaluating the Back 2 School Program in a Norwegian Setting: A Multicenter Pilot Study

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF TROMSO · Dec 7, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

In Norway, there is no systematic approach for helping youth with school attendance problems. It is important to evaluate potential effective interventions and procedures for these youths. Back 2 School (B2S) is a modular cognitive behavioral intervention for youth with school attendance problems developed and evaluated through a randomized controlled trial by Professor Mikael Thastum and colleagues at the University of Aarhus, Denmark. The theoretical approach of the B2S program is trans-diagnostic, based on a modular cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) manual. The program aims at addressing ...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Youth enrolled in a public school within the municipality,
• • 2. aged 6-16 years and in 1st to -10th grade (excluding second semester of the 10th grade),
• • 3. having a level of school absenteeism above 10% during the last 3 months of school (excluding legal absence, e.g., permitted extra holidays),
• • 4. The youth and at least one parent/caregiver understand and speak Norwegian sufficiently to participate in the intervention and complete questionnaires,
• • 5. At minimum one of the parents is motivated for working on increasing the youth's school attendance,
• • 6. The participating families are willing to record baseline levels of school absenteeism and to participate in assessment, intervention procedures, and follow-up assessment,
• • 7. Written informed consent from caregiver with judicial parental rights and responsibilities (usually both parents) to take part in the B2S pilot study is obtained.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Youth with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders cannot be included in the pilot study (exclusion criteria). Also, youth in need of acute and/or more intensive specialist mental health services (e.g., due to suicidal risk, ongoing symptoms of psychosis, ongoing eating disorder) cannot be included.

Trial Officials