Options
Strengthening Social-Emotional Competency: Development and Evaluation of RENEW: A Faith-Based Digital Gamification Intervention for Primary School Children
Other Title
Strengthening Social-Emotional Competency: Development and Evaluation of RENEW: A Faith-Based Digital Gamification Intervention for Primary School Children
Type
thesis
Date Issued
2025-06-05
Author(s)
Pierre Garymore Constantine Bowrin
Advisor
Subjects
系所名稱：全球衛生暨衛生安全博士學位學程
Publisher
全球衛生暨衛生安全博士學位學程
Description
學位別：博士
口試委員：吳怡萱; MAGIONCALDA, PAOLA; MARTINO, MATTEO; 張齡尹; SANNA, MATTIA
關鍵字：social emotional competency
口試委員：吳怡萱; MAGIONCALDA, PAOLA; MARTINO, MATTEO; 張齡尹; SANNA, MATTIA
關鍵字：social emotional competency
Abstract
Abstract
The Problem
Research indicates that approximately 15% to 25% of school-aged children exhibit notable deficiencies in social-emotional competencies. The enhancement of social emotional competencies within mainstream classroom settings has the potential to effectively address barriers to treatment, especially in populations most at risk, but this approach is not widely employed. Leveraging digital gamification to cultivate improved social-emotional- competency can foster emotional development and enhance overall well-being, in ways relevant to children and adolescents, however, the most potent and implementable means to achieve this remains uncertain.
Aim
The purpose of the study was to identify and activate mechanisms or pathways through which digital gamification, social-emotional learning, and faith-infused or value-based education can influence and promote improvements in social-emotional competence among children and adolescents.
Methods
The design and conduct of the study were guided by the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Stage Model for Behavioral Intervention Development, which consists of six developmental stages. At Stage 0, research focused on understanding the underlying mechanisms and causes of behavior, as well as identifying potential intervention targets. At Stage I, new interventions are created, or existing interventions are adapted. During Stage II, testing of interventions under controlled research conditions is encouraged to determine effectiveness. At Stage III, the intervention is evaluated in realistic settings and delivered by practitioners who would use it in practice. In Stage IV, the intervention's effectiveness is assessed within real-world settings and with diverse populations. At Stage V, methods for dissemination and implementation on a wider scale as well as strategies for sustainability of the intervention are determined. Table 1 lists the development path of the project from Stage 0 through Stage III. Stages IV and V will guide a future larger scale deployment of the study.
Table 1 RENEW Intervention Development Path
Stages Activity Descriptions
Stage 0
(Basic Research) ● Social-emotional competency intervention literature review.
● Research to identify key mechanisms or processes to best strengthen social-emotional competencies.
● Consultations with key stakeholders including special education teachers, learning support personnel, student counselors and education administrators.
Stage I
(Intervention Generation/ Refinement) ● Development of a prototype of the RENEW curriculum.
● The prototype was refined through an iterative user-centered process.
● Configuration of course modules via the Kahoot game-based learning platform.
● Training for teachers on questionnaire rating procedures.
Stage II
(Traditional Efficacy Testing) ● Pre-Pilot test with 2nd and 8th grade students
● Primary results:
○ Recruitment and retention
Stage III
(Efficacy Testing with Real-World Providers) ● Pilot cluster crossover randomized control trial over 6 months
● Primary outcomes:
i. DESSA-Mini social-emotional competency score change from baseline.
ii. SEARS-C global self-concept score change from baseline.
Stage IV
(Effectiveness Research)* ● Expand sample size and scope.
● Incorporate diverse outcome measures.
○ Social Return on Investment (SROI)
Stage V
(Dissemination and Implementation Research) ● Develop implementation plan.
● Identify facilitators and barriers.
● Develop training materials and support systems.
● Evaluate implementation fidelity
To evaluate the efficacy of the interventions during Stage III, a single-blind, cluster-randomized crossover trial was conducted over a six-month period within the 2021/2022 academic year, comparing the two intervention arms: RENEW - Gamification (RNG) and RENEW - Non-Gamified (RN). The study sample included 50 students who completed the SEARS-C short form and 45 who were assessed using the teacher-reported DESSA-Mini. Classes, serving as clusters, were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Each intervention consisted of eight 40-minute sessions, delivered weekly during the designated Bible study period.
Post-intervention outcomes were analyzed using paired sample t-tests and with an analysis of variance (ANOVA) model, adjusted for gender, grade, and baseline scores. Additionally, the frequency of participants classified as "average to high functioning," "at risk," and "high risk" was calculated for both pre- and post-intervention assessments to evaluate shifts in risk categories.
Results
From the teachers' perspective, participants in the gamification (RNG) group showed a significant mean social emotional competence (SEC) increase of 13.1%, which rose to 14.9% after adjustments for age and sex. Eighteen students progressed to higher SEC categories, and 26 exhibited medium-to-large improvements. Specifically, the results of the paired-sample t-tests showed significant within-group differences, as the average T-score after RNG was significantly greater than the corresponding pre-intervention value (57.3 vs. 50.6; P-value = 3.1E-08). The within-group difference after the non-gamified (RN) intervention was more modest and less significant (53.9 vs. 52.2; P value = 0.067).
From the students’ perspective, RNG participants demonstrated significant increases in their self-perceived SEC scores, along with an increase in the frequency of "average to high functioning" scores and a corresponding reduction in "at risk" and "high risk" classifications. In contrast, the RN group exhibited no significant changes across either measure. The paired-sample t-test revealed no statistically significant difference between the T-scores measured before and after RN (P value=0.416). As for RNG, the average post-intervention T-score increased from 39.060 to 41.220 (P value=0.062). Breaking down by gender, a significant improvement from 37.935 to 40.903 was observed among male participants exposed to RNG (P value=0.043).
Conclusion
This crossover cluster randomized control trial (RCT) highlights the potential of digital, gamified SEL interventions to improve SEC significantly, as evidenced by both teacher assessments and student self-reports. These findings underscore the efficacy of integrating digital gamification to foster social-emotional growth and reduce mental health risks among youth.
The Problem
Research indicates that approximately 15% to 25% of school-aged children exhibit notable deficiencies in social-emotional competencies. The enhancement of social emotional competencies within mainstream classroom settings has the potential to effectively address barriers to treatment, especially in populations most at risk, but this approach is not widely employed. Leveraging digital gamification to cultivate improved social-emotional- competency can foster emotional development and enhance overall well-being, in ways relevant to children and adolescents, however, the most potent and implementable means to achieve this remains uncertain.
Aim
The purpose of the study was to identify and activate mechanisms or pathways through which digital gamification, social-emotional learning, and faith-infused or value-based education can influence and promote improvements in social-emotional competence among children and adolescents.
Methods
The design and conduct of the study were guided by the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Stage Model for Behavioral Intervention Development, which consists of six developmental stages. At Stage 0, research focused on understanding the underlying mechanisms and causes of behavior, as well as identifying potential intervention targets. At Stage I, new interventions are created, or existing interventions are adapted. During Stage II, testing of interventions under controlled research conditions is encouraged to determine effectiveness. At Stage III, the intervention is evaluated in realistic settings and delivered by practitioners who would use it in practice. In Stage IV, the intervention's effectiveness is assessed within real-world settings and with diverse populations. At Stage V, methods for dissemination and implementation on a wider scale as well as strategies for sustainability of the intervention are determined. Table 1 lists the development path of the project from Stage 0 through Stage III. Stages IV and V will guide a future larger scale deployment of the study.
Table 1 RENEW Intervention Development Path
Stages Activity Descriptions
Stage 0
(Basic Research) ● Social-emotional competency intervention literature review.
● Research to identify key mechanisms or processes to best strengthen social-emotional competencies.
● Consultations with key stakeholders including special education teachers, learning support personnel, student counselors and education administrators.
Stage I
(Intervention Generation/ Refinement) ● Development of a prototype of the RENEW curriculum.
● The prototype was refined through an iterative user-centered process.
● Configuration of course modules via the Kahoot game-based learning platform.
● Training for teachers on questionnaire rating procedures.
Stage II
(Traditional Efficacy Testing) ● Pre-Pilot test with 2nd and 8th grade students
● Primary results:
○ Recruitment and retention
Stage III
(Efficacy Testing with Real-World Providers) ● Pilot cluster crossover randomized control trial over 6 months
● Primary outcomes:
i. DESSA-Mini social-emotional competency score change from baseline.
ii. SEARS-C global self-concept score change from baseline.
Stage IV
(Effectiveness Research)* ● Expand sample size and scope.
● Incorporate diverse outcome measures.
○ Social Return on Investment (SROI)
Stage V
(Dissemination and Implementation Research) ● Develop implementation plan.
● Identify facilitators and barriers.
● Develop training materials and support systems.
● Evaluate implementation fidelity
To evaluate the efficacy of the interventions during Stage III, a single-blind, cluster-randomized crossover trial was conducted over a six-month period within the 2021/2022 academic year, comparing the two intervention arms: RENEW - Gamification (RNG) and RENEW - Non-Gamified (RN). The study sample included 50 students who completed the SEARS-C short form and 45 who were assessed using the teacher-reported DESSA-Mini. Classes, serving as clusters, were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Each intervention consisted of eight 40-minute sessions, delivered weekly during the designated Bible study period.
Post-intervention outcomes were analyzed using paired sample t-tests and with an analysis of variance (ANOVA) model, adjusted for gender, grade, and baseline scores. Additionally, the frequency of participants classified as "average to high functioning," "at risk," and "high risk" was calculated for both pre- and post-intervention assessments to evaluate shifts in risk categories.
Results
From the teachers' perspective, participants in the gamification (RNG) group showed a significant mean social emotional competence (SEC) increase of 13.1%, which rose to 14.9% after adjustments for age and sex. Eighteen students progressed to higher SEC categories, and 26 exhibited medium-to-large improvements. Specifically, the results of the paired-sample t-tests showed significant within-group differences, as the average T-score after RNG was significantly greater than the corresponding pre-intervention value (57.3 vs. 50.6; P-value = 3.1E-08). The within-group difference after the non-gamified (RN) intervention was more modest and less significant (53.9 vs. 52.2; P value = 0.067).
From the students’ perspective, RNG participants demonstrated significant increases in their self-perceived SEC scores, along with an increase in the frequency of "average to high functioning" scores and a corresponding reduction in "at risk" and "high risk" classifications. In contrast, the RN group exhibited no significant changes across either measure. The paired-sample t-test revealed no statistically significant difference between the T-scores measured before and after RN (P value=0.416). As for RNG, the average post-intervention T-score increased from 39.060 to 41.220 (P value=0.062). Breaking down by gender, a significant improvement from 37.935 to 40.903 was observed among male participants exposed to RNG (P value=0.043).
Conclusion
This crossover cluster randomized control trial (RCT) highlights the potential of digital, gamified SEL interventions to improve SEC significantly, as evidenced by both teacher assessments and student self-reports. These findings underscore the efficacy of integrating digital gamification to foster social-emotional growth and reduce mental health risks among youth.