Overview

Grow Up Playing A Prevention Programme For Primary Schools

Quality level
Quality level : 3

Executive summary
Grow Up Playing is a primary school based programme for children aged between 6 and 10. The programme
promotes protective factors and reduces the risk factors through cartoon design, games and activities. A range of
life skills are addressed such as communication, assertiveness, decision making, thought and emotional control.

Type of
prevention
intervention
Sub-area universal
Setting school
Type of
training for professionals
approach
Target group
children/young people
(universal)
Age group 6-10
Target group
children/young people
(specific)
Annual
5000
coverage
Substances tobacco,cannabis,opiates,alcohol,ecstasy,cocaine and
addressed derivatives,amphetamines,methamphetamines,inhalants/solvents
outcome evaluation (how far are the specific objectives achieved),impact evaluation (how far is
Evaluation
the general objective achieved),process evaluation (how far are the operational objectives
type
achieved)
Country Portugal
Start date 01/04/2002
End date

Overall objective
The development of the child's psychological adjustment in order to reinforce protective factors and reduce risk
factors through training in personal and social competences at school.

Abstract
"Grow up Playing" is a longitudinal programme to promote the psychological adjustment of children in primary
school. Through cartoon design and interactive games, it addresses in a fun and attractive way, body
self-conscience, self-control and discipline, thoughts and emotions control, peers pressure, communication ways,
assertiveness and decision making. The school is a privileged setting and crucial for the development process of
the individual. Teachers are main prevention agents. "Grow up Playing" intends to be an instrument to help the
teachers to work - in the same way they do with Portuguese language and Maths - specific affective, personal and
social variables in the children to promote their psychological adjustment, reducing risk factors and reinforcing
protective factors. It is a programme structured into sessions that works annually on variables adjusted to the
children's age and the school syllabus. During the programme, the teachers receive support from a
multidisciplinary team trough coaching and the monitoring of children and families, detecting and sometimes
referring risk situation cases and physical abuse and negligence. Every year, the target variables were measured:
statistical analysis of the two groups (experimental and control ones) in two moments (pre and post-test). Final
evaluation obtained results from the perception of the teachers about promoted skills and the description of
parent's perception of children's psychological adjustment and the protective and risk factors in the children. This
programme is promising, because its results could have implications on important socio-affective variables and
because it provides the respective materials to address these topics within school syllabuses in a "friendly way".
Context and theory
Initial situation
The programme 'Grow up Playing' tackles the need in Portugal to provide schools with a syllabus that trains and
develops the psychological adjustment of children through the reinforcement of protective factors and the
reduction of risk factors. Primary school teachers are provided with a programme structured into sessions which
help children to cope with their inside (interior) world (thoughts, feelings and dreams. At the same time, different
strategies are implemented in order to avoid school failure, drug dependence, delinquency and so on. The
Programme focused in the development of a network through a longitudinal intervention, demanded by the
Municipalities, the Government (IDT) and other agents involved that have manifested the need of a coordinated
programme, focus in the promotion of psycho-sociological variables that also reinforces the importance of training,
coaching and evaluation (process and results). It was also an opportunity to develop an intervention that permits
following the main principles of best practice, which is reflected in the programme's conception and intervention
methodology.

Basic assumptions/theory
Eclectic concept that integrates different variables of psychological adjustment, with strategies that target the
different dimensions of the human being (complex human being). Based mainly on investigation results and
Bandura's Social Learning Model, Carvalho's Social Affective Model, the Psychopathological Development Model of
Glantz and Kaplan's Self-esteem Model. Training teachers as the main agents in the development of children. The
coaching of teachers is a crucial factor for a good programme implementation. (Black, D.R., Tobler, N. & Sciacca,
J.P. (1998). Peer Helping Involvement: An Efficacious Way to Meet the Challenge of Reducing Alcohol, Tobacco
and Other Drug Use Among Youth? Journal of School Health, vol.68, No.3, 87-93.) Involve the parents as main
agents in the development and psychological adjustment of their children. A modelling focus, based on the given
awards and unique cases strategies (diplomas to promote self-esteem)

Objectives and indicators

Process evaluation
Operational objectives
The training (6 sessions each school year) of teachers and provision of tools, strategies and methodologies for
developing the psychological adjustment of children. To measure teacher perception of children's psychological
adjustment, protective and risk factors. Coaching teacher's development of the programme. A team of
professionals visit the schools each 15/20 days in order to guided, helped the intervention, applying a qualitative
evaluation instrument.

Process indicators
Teachers' Motivation and Participation. Strategies used to implement the programme and to promote competences
in the children. Teachers' perception of Protective and Risk Factors and children's Psychological Adjustment.
Teacher's perception of childreen self-control and behaviour.

Instruments used
Type of quantitative instrument

Name of instrument (modified standardised instrument)

Program specific instruments used (e.g. self-constructed collection instrument): Annual Coaching Teachers
"Growing Up Playing" Instrument; qualitative instruments of teacher's perception of the development of the
programme (NGO Prevenir) Annual qualitative instrument of teacher's perception of the training (Centro de
Formacao de Professores , Ministry of Education)

Type of qualitative instrument

Observation. Semi-structured interviews (teacher coaching). Annual questionnaire.

Type of evaluation carried out

Evaluation design
outcome evaluation (how far are the specific objectives achieved),impact evaluation (how far is the general
objective achieved),process evaluation (how far are the operational objectives achieved)
Specific objectives and outcome indicators
Specific objective 1

The training and development of specific competences, adjusted to the child's age (body self-conscience,
self-control, self-image, self-esteem, emotional differentiation, control of emotions, resistance to peer pressure,
decision making, problem solving) in order to promote the child's protective factors and reduce the child's risk
factors.

Outcome indicator 1

Children motivation and specific competences: Self-control, Behaviour, Peer acceptance, Cognitive competence,
Physical competences and Physical appearance, Emotional Identification and Differentiation, Assertiveness, Hope,
Coping and Emotional Regulation, Decision Making Process.

Specific objective 2

Educational Agents involvement (Teacher and Family) to develop socio-effective competences in their children,
especially self-esteem. To measure the family's perception of the child's psychological adjustment and their
protective and risk factors.

Outcome indicator 2

Teacher's perception of the promoted skills: Self-control, Behaviour. Teacher's perception of children protective
and risk factors and the children psychological adjustment. Feedbacks of the teachers registered during the
coaching ( Strategies developed during the 4 years of the programme, materials, motivation and creativity,
improvement of the relation pupil/ teacher, change of teacher's educational methodologies, etc.) Strategies
Feedbacks of the parents registered during the coaching. Number of self-esteem diplomas received. Strategies
developed by teachers to involve the family. Parent's participation (activities and instruments developed). Family
perception of children protective and risk factors and the children psychological adjustment.

Specific objective 3

Outcome indicator 3

Instruments used
Type of quantitative instrument

Name of instrument (modified standardised instrument)

Social Support Scale for Children and Adolescents, Susan Harter (adapted as "As pessoas da minha vida"; The
Perceived Competence Scale for Children, Susan Harter (adapted as "Escala de comportamento real da crianca");
Self-control rating scale, Kendall, P.C., & Wilcox, L.E. (1979) (translated as "Escala de auto-controlo"); CABS -
Children's Assertive Behaviour Scale, S. Hobbs and D. L. Walle, 1985; Program specific instruments used,
self-constructed collection instrument: QARPA - Pais". Paulo Moreira,Lorena Crusellas e Adriana Lima; "Inventario
de Identificacao de Sentimentos". Paulo Moreira, Adriana Lima e Lorena Crusellas "Estratagias de Coping e
Regulacao Emocional". Paulo Moreira, Lorena Crusellas

Type of qualitative instrument

Action
It is a programme structured into sessions that works annually on variables adjusted to the children's age and the
school syllabus. In the First year: Body Self-conscience- "Let's discover the body!"; Self-control and discipline-
"Stop! Discipline and Self-control"; Self-esteem- Because I deserve it!. 60 diplomas to promote self-esteem;
Teacher manual (handbook) "To be a teacher: Basic Competences 1. Communication, Body Self-conscience,
Self-control and Discipline, Self-esteem". In the Second year: Self-esteem and Self-concept- "I'm unique and
special"; Emotional and cognitive differentiation. "The Adventures of feelings and thoughts"; Teacher manual. "To
be a teacher: Basic Competences 2. Emotional, cognitive and behavioural differentiation. Self-esteem". In the Third
year: Emotional and cognitive differentiation (positive feelings)- "Feelings are our friends"; Social Competences
and assertiveness- "Hello, Thanks"; Teacher manual- "To be a teacher: Basic Competences 3. Social Competences,
Assertiveness and Positive feelings". In the Fourth year: Decision making - "I decide!" Coping with negative
emotions - "I control my emotions!"; Teacher manual- "To be a teacher: Basic Competences 4. Decision making,
Assertiveness and Coping with negative emotions". Main activities: advice and support, brochure/leaflet, education
(skills, abilities, etc.), events (cultural, social, etc.), information, parents' meetings, parties, posters, publications,
stickers, teaching/training, theatre/drama, video, workshops,
Results
Process evaluation
Results

Satisfactory results of the training and the coaching strategy analysis. Teachers were very motivated. They
developed creative instruments, materials and strategies to teach the programme, adapting the materials to the
school syllabus and reaching the first objective of the programme. The teacher's perception of the promoted skills
and the development of the programme were very positive and shows even changes in their educational
methodologies (more autonomy to the children, improve the relation of pupils/ teachers and the relation of family/
school). Teacher's spread the programme by themselves to the school community and continues to develop the
programme after the 4 years intervention.

References
Awards: Runner Up of "Achievement Intervention Mentor Awards" - Mentor Foundation (2008) Scientifics Articles
and Publications: - Moreira, P. Crusellas, L; Machado Vaz, F. & Pinheiro, A.(2006). Contruyendo salud: de las
formulcines terricas a las evidencias empiricas. Salud y Drogas - Health and Addictions: Vol. 6, pp. 161-196. -
Moreira, P. & amp; Melo, A. (2005). "Saude Mental: do tratamento e prevencao". Porto: Porto Editora - Moreira,
P., Crusellas, L. e S, I. (2004) "A Alfabetizacaoo Emocional: da formulacao terica as evidencias da investigacao -
os primeiros passos de uma revolucao". Revista Portuguesa de Investigacao Educacional. Lisboa: Universidade
Catalica Editora - Drugnet Europe (2004) (Boletim de noticias do Observatorio Europeu da Droga e da
Toxicodependencia). - Educare HOJE (2004). "Projecto: Crescer a Brincar". Porto: Porto Editora - Moreira, P. &
Pereira, M. G. (2000). "Prevencao primaria das toxicodependencias: Avaliacao de uma intervencao de grupo em
criancas com idades entre os 8 e 9 anos". Analise Psicologica, 4 (XVIII): pg. 455-463. Lisboa: ISPA. Conferences
and Seminars: - Crusellas, L., Barbosa, M. e S, I. (2007). Promocao do ajustamento psicologico no 1 Ciclo do ensino
basico. Avaliacao do programa Crescer a Brincar. I Congresso Internacional: Intervencao com criancas, jovens e
familias. Braga: Universidade do Minho. - Resumos do 2 Congresso Hispano-Portugues de Psicologia "A Psicologia
ao servico das pessoas" (2004). "Alfabetizacao Emocional. Investir nas geracoes: da educacao e saude". Faculdade
de Psicologia e de Ciencias da Educacao. Universidade de Lisboa. - Forum Lisboa / Forum Algarve/ Forum Aveiro/
Forum Prevention Oeiras, etc. - Week of Prevention: Algarve, Lisboa, Cascais, Esposende, Oeiras, Sintra, etc.
Media and Marketing: Newspaper articles, Media interviews, Campaigns, Promotions, Brochures; Videos, etc.
Links: www.aprevenir.com www.idt.pt/arquivos/p3p682p686.htm;
www.emcdda.europa.eu/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.AttachmentDownload&nNodeID=2189&slanguageISO=PT
www.portoeditora.com/ficha.asp?ID=14061&a_clientes=1
http://www.cm-cascais.pt/NR/exeres/EB71DB7A-D00C-41EF-8D83-CF891967DF35.htm
http://www.cm-sintra.pt/Artigo.aspx?ID=2963
http://www.correiomanha.pt/noticiaImprimir.asp?idCanal=230&id=229074
http://www.eldia.es/2007-01-05/VIVIR/VIVIR6.HTM

Contact
Responsible
PREVENIR Association
organisation
Name of
PREVENIR Association
organisation
Street address Av. Antonio Augusto de Aguiar. 163. 5D
Postal code 1050-014 - Lisbon
City Lisbon
Country Portugal
Website www.aprevenir.com
Email aprevenir@gmail.com
Faculdade de Psicologia e Ciencias da Educacao da Universidade de Lisboa; Instituto da Droga
e da Toxicodependencia (IDT) - Portuguese National Drugs Institute; Ministerio de Educacao
Partner
(Ministry for Education; Camaras Municipais de Cascais, Lisboa, Oeiras, Sintra, Amares,
organisation(s)
Barcelos, Braga, Fafe, Famalicao, Guimares, Penafiel, Povoa de Lanhoso, S. Joao da Madeira,
Valpacos e Vilaverde.
Contact Lorena Crusellas
Name of contact Lorena Crusellas
Email aprevenir@gmail.com
Phone + 351 213808241 / + 351 917871794
Fax + 351 213519004
Additional information
More than 30 professionals from the NGO Prevenir, Town-Halls and SICAD (Full and
Number of staff involved
part-time jobs depends of the sample of the local/ region intervention)
Status/profession of staff 250 Teachers / Educators; 30 Psychologists and Sociologists and other health and
involved social workers.
Type of evaluator Both internal and external
Name of external
Ministry of Education
institution(s)
Full reference to
evaluation report

Budget
Annual budget Over 100 000 to 500 000
Sources of funding National government,Non-governmental organisation,Local authorities
Percentage from each National government=20%,Non-governmental organisation=20%,Local
source authorities=60%

Additional remarks