Psychiatric Symptomatology is Associated with Polydrug Use and School Violence in Early Adolescence.

This study investigated the association between psychiatric symptoms and polydrug use, school violence, and sociodemographic factors among Brazilian early adolescents. Using the baseline data collection from the effectiveness evaluation of PROERD, a school-based drug use prevention program, implemented in 30 public schools in São Paulo (n = 2316, M age = 12.3 years, 48.5% girls), multinomial logistic regressions were performed using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) subscales as response variables, and polydrug use, school violence, and sociodemographic characteristics as explanatory variables. In most SDQ subscales, girls and older students were more likely to have psychiatric symptoms. A positive association was identified between polydrug use and psychiatric symptoms. It was found that those who suffered and perpetrated physical violence had a greater likelihood of presenting psychiatric symptoms. Preventive interventions should consider the greater vulnerability related to the mental health of girls, older students, and those who suffer and perpetrate physical violence at school.

Effectiveness of D.A.R.E/Keepin' it REAL bullying prevention program among Brazilian students.

INTRODUCTION: Given the growing scientific evidence on the detrimental effects of bullying, several prevention programs have been implemented internationally to prevent this behavior among students. Brazil's Educational Program for Drug and Violence Resistance (PROERD) is an adaptation of US' DARE/Keepin' it REAL program, being the most widespread school-based prevention program in the country. However, it has been offered without any effectiveness evaluation. As such, this study evaluates the effectiveness of PROERD in reducing bullying perpetration and victimization among students. METHODS: Two cluster randomized controlled trials were carried out with 4030 students (1727 5th graders and 2303 7th graders) in 30 public schools in São Paulo, Brazil. The intervention group attended 10 PROERD classes taught by trained police officers whereas the control group underwent no intervention. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires using smartphones at two moments (baseline preintervention and 9-month follow-up). Multilevel analysis included two paradigms, complete cases (CC) and intention-to-treat (ITT), using Full Information Maximum Likelihood (FIML) and Multiple Imputation (MI). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Results show no statistical difference between groups, indicating lack of evidence on PROERD's effectiveness in preventing bullying behaviors. The insufficient number of classes on bullying prevention and the lack of cultural adaptation may explain these unexpected results. New in-depth evaluation studies concerning the program's components and process are needed.

Psychometric validation of the audio-guided rBVQ instrument for bullying evaluation among students / Validação psicométrica do instrumento áudio-guiado rBVQ para avaliação de bullying / Validación psicométrica del instrumento audio guiado rBVQ para la evaluación del bullying

The revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (rBVQ) is an internationally used instrument to identify bullying, but due to Brazilian students' low proficiency in reading and writing, it had to be adapted for audio-guided use through smartphones. We investigated construct validity, using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), under a two-correlated factor solution. Participated 1,742 fifth graders and 2,316 seventh graders from 30 public schools in the city of São Paulo. We found excellent fit indices models for both grades (fifth grade: CFI=0.985, RMSEA=0.020; seventh grade: CFI=0.990, RMSEA=0.015), as well as factor loading higher than 0.4 for all items, indicating their relevance to the construct. The rBVQ demonstrated excellent psychometric properties and may help future studies that aim to investigate bullying in populations with similar profiles. In addition, this study innovates by evaluating an audio-guided instrument and using mobile technology. (AU)

O Questionário revisado de bullying de Olweus (rBVQ) é um instrumento internacionalmente utilizado para identificar bullying, mas devido às dificuldades de estudantes brasileiros na leitura e escrita, foi adaptado para uso áudio-guiado em smartphones. Investigou-se a validade do construto por meio de análise confirmatória fatorial em uma solução de dois fatores. Participaram 1742 e 2316 alunos de quintos e sétimos anos de trinta escolas públicas de São Paulo. Encontrou-se excelentes índices de adequação para ambos os anos escolares (quintos: CFI = 0,985; RMSEA = 0,020; sétimos: CFI = 0,990; RMSEA = 0,015) e cargas fatoriais maiores que 0,4 para todos os itens, indicando sua relevância para o construto. O rBVQ demonstrou excelentes propriedades psicométricas e pode ajudar estudos futuros que objetivam investigar bullying em populações com perfis semelhantes. Além disso, este estudo inova por avaliar um instrumento áudio-guiado e utilizando tecnologia móvel. (AU)

El Cuestionario Revisado de Bullying de Olweus (rBVQ) es un instrumento utilizado internacionalmente para identificar bullying, pero debido a las dificultades de estudiantes brasileños en la lectura y la escritura, se ha adaptado su uso por medio de audioguías en smartphones. Se investigó la validez del constructo mediante el Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio, bajo un modelo de dos factores. Participaron 1742 y 2316 estudiantes de quinto y séptimo curso de 30 escuelas públicas de São Paulo. Excelentes tasas de adecuación fueron encontradas para ambos casos (quinto año: CFI=0,985, RMSEA=0,020; séptimo año: CFI=0,990, RMSEA=0,015), además de cargas factoriales superiores a 0,4 para todos los ítems, lo que indica su relevancia para el constructo. El instrumento rBVQ ha presentado excelentes propiedades psicométricas y puede ayudar a futuros estudios pretendan investigar el bullying en poblaciones con perfiles similares. Además, este estudio innova al evaluar un instrumento guiado por audio, empleando la tecnología móvil. (AU)

Examining Associations Between Race, Gender, Alcohol Use, School Performance, and Patterns of Bullying in the School Context: A Latent Class Analysis.

Although many studies addressed bullying occurrence and its associations, they often use individual variables constructed from few items that probably are inadequate to evaluate bullying severity and type. We aimed to identify involvement patterns in bullying victimization and perpetration, and its association with alcohol use, school performance, and sociodemographic variables. Baseline assessment of a randomized controlled trial were used and a latent class analysis was conducted to identify bullying patterns among 1,742 fifth-grade and 2,316 seventh-grade students from 30 public schools in São Paulo, Brazil. Data were collected using an anonymous self-reported, audio-guided questionnaire completed by the participants on smartphones. Multinomial logistic regressions were performed to verify how covariant variables affected bullying latent classes. Both grades presented the same four latent classes: low bullying, moderate bullying victimization, high bullying victimization, and high bullying victimization and perpetration. Alcohol use was associated with all bullying classes in both grades, with odds ratio up to 5.36 (95% CI 3.05; 10.38) among fifth graders from the high bullying victimization and perpetration class. Poor school performance was also strongly associated with this class (aOR = 10.12, 95%CI = 4.19; 24.41). Black/brown 5th graders were 3.35 times more likely to fit into the high bullying victimization class (95% CI 1.34; 8.37). Lack of evidence for association of sociodemographic variables and bullying latent class among seventh-grade students was found. Bullying and alcohol use are highly harmful behaviors that must be prevented. However, prevention programs should consider how racial and gender issues are influencing the way students experience violence.

Effectiveness of a school-based substance use prevention program taught by police officers in Brazil: Two cluster randomized controlled trials of the PROERD.

BACKGROUND: The Drug and Violence Resistance Educational Program (PROERD) is widely disseminated and implemented as a public policy in Brazil. PROERD's current curricula are the translation of the North American program DARE-Keepin'it REAL, based on the theories of socio-emotional learning and resistance training. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of PROERD in the prevention of drug use. METHOD: Two PROERD curricula were analyzed through two cluster randomized controlled trials conducted with 4030 students (1727 5th graders and 2303 7th graders) in 30 public schools in São Paulo. The intervention group received ten PROERD classes delivered by trained police officers, and the control group received no intervention. Data collection was performed using self-administered questionnaires on smartphones at two points in time (baseline pre-intervention and nine months follow-up). The outcomes evaluated were initiation and recent drug use. Two different paradigms were used in a multilevel analysis: an analysis of complete cases (CC) and an intention to treat missing data through full information maximum likelihood and selection model. RESULTS: We found no evidence of the effectiveness of PROERD as an intervention for the prevention of drug use. For the conditional transition analysis, we found that 7th graders in the PROERD group who were already binge drinking at baseline had a significantly higher chance of maintaining this consumption pattern when compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The lack of preventive effects found here suggests that a process evaluation may address concrete implementation and cultural adaptation issues.