School-Led program shows promise in taming girl aggression
NCT ID NCT04164472
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether teachers and counselors can effectively run the Friend to Friend (F2F) program to reduce aggression in girls. Over 5,000 students from 40 urban schools participated, with some schools using the program and others serving as controls. The program includes small group sessions for relationally aggressive girls and classroom sessions for all students, aiming to improve problem-solving and reduce hostile behaviors.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Friend to Friend (F2F) behavioral program with coaching
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this program could provide schools with an effective, staff-led way to reduce aggression and improve social skills in students.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed study, but results may not apply to all schools or students. The program requires active coaching from researchers, which may limit real-world use.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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5,250 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2019
- Finished
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Jan 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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7 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Aim 1 Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria: * Inclusion Criteria for Schools 40 schools will be selected on the basis of the following inclusion criteria: 1. Urban school from the School District of Philadelphia 2. Predominately minority student body (\> 80%) 3. Relatively large school with at least 2 classrooms per grade 4. School is not currently involved in a systematic anti-aggression or bullying prevention program 5. School must have at least 1 school counselor who is interested in participating * Inclusion Criteria for Students 1. All boys and girls in regular education 4th-5th grade classrooms will be eligible to participate in screening and outcome assessment activities. 2. Screening will include a peer-rating procedure that will be utilized to identify girls with relational aggression (GRAs). 3. GRAs will be based on if they score \> .50 of a Standard Deviation above mean on relational aggression on the peer-rating measure. These identified girls will be recruited (with written parent consent and student assent) to participate in the F2F with Coaching or control condition. * Inclusion Criteria for Parents 1\) All parents of students in regular education 4th-5th grade classrooms will be eligible to participate in outcome assessment activities. Starting in year 4, parent recruitment will focus on parents of indicated girls. * Inclusion Criteria for Teachers/Counselors 1. Teachers/counselors employed by the participating school sites who provide their verbal consent for participation. 2. Teachers/counselors who currently teach and/or provide services to students in 4th-5th grade. Exclusion Criteria: * Exclusion Criteria for Students 1\) Students who do not speak English. 2) Students whose parents do not speak English or one of the foreign languages into which the Parent Information Sheet for Child Participation has been translated (who therefore cannot opt their child in or out of the study in an informed manner). 3\) Special education students who are not integrated within the regular education classroom. 4\) In intervention schools, boys are excluded from the F2F small group intervention, however, as noted above, all boys will participate in the class portion of the program. Boys in both conditions will complete screening and outcome assessment activities. * Exclusion Criteria for Parents 1\) Parents who do not speak English or one of the foreign languages into which the Parent Information Sheet for Parent Participation and parent questionnaires have been translated. 2\) Parents of students in special education who are not integrated within the regular education classroom. * Exclusion Criteria for Teachers/Counselors 1. Teachers/counselors who do not speak English. 2. Teachers/counselors who are not working with 4th-5th grade students at the participating school sites. Aim 2: Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria * Aim 2 Inclusion Criteria - Schools 1) 10 of Friend to Friend with Coaching schools in Aim 1 will participate in Aim 2. * Aim 2 Inclusion Criteria - Students 1. 4th grade boys and girls who meet the same criteria as described in Aim 1. 2. Similar to Aim 1, a peer rating procedure will be used to identify girls with relational aggression (GRAs) and prosocial role models. * Aim 2 Inclusion Criteria - Parents 1) Same as Aim 1. Aim 2 Inclusion Criteria - Teachers/Counselors 1) Counselors and 4th grade teachers who participated in F2F with Coaching in Aim 1. Aim 2 Exclusion Criteria - Students, Parents, Teacher/Counselors 1\) Same as Aim 1.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19146, United States
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