CyberbullyingNCT06796621
Building Respectful Online Space (BROS): Evaluating a Co-designed Anti-cyberbullying Intervention Among Adolescents
A study testing Building Respectful Online Space (BROS) and Healthy diet education program in people with Cyberbullying, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
Background: The growing prevalence of cyberbullying throughout the world indicates the importance of anti-cyberbullying interventions, especially for adolescents. While few interventions target cyberbullying, content from different regions may not necessarily apply to local contexts, adolescents' viewpoints were not… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 15 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Cyberbullying
- What is being tested?
- Building Respectful Online Space (BROS) and Healthy diet education program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 12 Feb 2025to 31 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 12 to 15 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Students in 1st to 3rd grades in secondary schools
- Students are able to read and understand Chinese
- Students obtained informed consent signed by their parents or legal guardians
Who cannot join
- Students in grades 4th through 6th who are heavily involved in homework and examination
- Students with severe diseases or co-occurring disorders
- Students' parents/ legal guardians who refuse to sign informed consent.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effectiveness of Co-designed Anti-cyberbullying Intervention [Building Respectful Online Space (BROS)] Among Adolescents: A Feasibility Study
Background: The growing prevalence of cyberbullying throughout the world indicates the importance of anti-cyberbullying interventions, especially for adolescents. While few interventions target cyberbullying, content from different regions may not necessarily apply to local contexts, adolescents' viewpoints were not considered in the past designs, few local RCTs, and unclear sustainability.
Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminarily effects of the co-designed anti-cyberbullying intervention: Building Respectful Online Space (BROS).
Read more
Methods: A sample of around 90 aged 12 to 15 will be recruited from secondary schools in Hong Kong. This study will adopt a 2-arm experimental trial. Each class will be randomly assigned equally into the intervention arm (BROS) and control arm (Heathy Diet), and eligible students will be allocated to either arm accordingly. The intervention will be provided in one or 3 days based on the school schedule. Participants will be assessed at baseline, 3 weeks later, and 12-week follow-up assessments. The primary outcome is cyberbullying behaviour of perpetration and victimisation; the secondary outcome includes cyberbullying attitudes, sleep quality, and psychosocial well-being. Feasibility and acceptability will be assessed. And generalised estimating equations analysis will be used to investigate the research objectives.
Potential contributions: The results of this study will provide evidence-based support for using a blended approach to prevent cyberbullying, promote psychosocial well-being, and promote sleep health. This intervention is dedicated to using evidence-to-user-driven ideas to develop culturally sensitive interventions to effectively prevent cyberbullying in the future.
Read the detailed description
There is a growing body of literature that recognises whole-school strategy can be effective in preventing cyberbullying. Interventions, such as NoTrap! in Italy, Prev@cib in Spain, Media Heroes in Germany, 'Friendly Attac' in Belgium , and ViSC in Austria, have been shown to effectively prevent cyberbullying. Some school-based programmes integrate digital format into their intervention; for instance, the 'Cyber Friendly Schools' intervention in Australia utilises the online modules to facilitate learning; the 'Friendly Attac' program incorporates series games, and a study adopted a purely online approach to prevent cyberbullying in the Netherlands. A recent systematic review suggests that school-based intervention could comprehensively promote healthy online behaviours and reduce cyberbullying incidence among adolescents .
- Conditions
- Cyberbullying
- Being tested
- Building Respectful Online Space (BROS), Healthy diet education program
- Keywords
- Cyberbullying, Prevention, Adolescent
- Medical subject headings
- Cyberbullying
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Building Respectful Online Space (BROS)Behavioural
Session 1 (40 minutes to 50 minutes): Respectful online relationship (Psychoeducation) using face-to-face approach with 40 minutes to 50 minutes online serious game Session 2 (40 minutes to 50 minutes): Navigating the online world (Psychoeducation) using face-to-face approach with 20 to 30 minutes online music therapy Session 3 (40 minutes to 50 minutes): Behaviour specific cognitions and reflection using face-to-face approach
Healthy diet education programBehavioural
Session 1 (40 - 50 minutes): Healthy Diet Pyramid (Psychoeducation) using face-to-face approach Session 2 (40 - 50 minutes): Mindful Eating and Healthy Weight Management (Psychoeducation) using face-to-face approach Session 3 (40 - 50 minutes): Healthy Eating Habits for Life (Psychoeducation)using face-to-face approach
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Building Respectful Online Space (BROS) | Experimental | The intervention group participants will receive the BROS intervention across three sessions, depending on the school schedule, presented in a hybrid mode. The sessions focus on integrating psychoeducation, behavioural-specific cognitions, serious games, music, and reflection, as a means against cyberbullying. The content includes knowledge related to cyberbullying and online safety, cyberbullying coping skills, relationship skills, emotion management, and empathy towards victims through classroom sessions, short videos, serious games, and online musical therapy. Receives: Behavioral: Building Respectful Online Space (BROS) |
| Healthy diet education program | Placebo comparator | For the control group participants, an alternative intervention (a healthy diet education program) with content unrelated to cyberbullying prevention will be given. The control group participants will receive the alternative intervention across three sessions. The content is based on recommendations from the Centre for Health Protection, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (CHP, 2024) on healthy eating pyramids, emotional eating, healthy weight management, and nutritional requirements for adolescents. Receives: Behavioral: Healthy diet education program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Cyberbullying behaviour
The Cyberbullying Behaviour Scale (CBBS) consists of E-Victimisation Scale (E-VS) and the E-Bullying Scale (E-BS), is the validated 11-item scale for measuring cyberbullying behaviour. The scale consist of two domain: 5-item of E-VS and 6-item of E-BS for adolescents with a 7-point Likert scale (Lam \& Li, 2013) that measure cyberbullying victimization and perpetration respectively. The sum score for E-VS range from 5-35, and E-BS from 5-42, and a higher score indicate severity of respective cyberbullying behavior (Lam \& Li, 2013). The Chinese version of CBBS will be used that was translated and validated by our research team.
Measured: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
Secondary outcomes (4)
Cyberbullying attitude
Cyberbullying Attitude Scale (CBAS) is used to identify positive cyberbullying attitude. The CBAS is a 9-item self-report scale using a 5-point Likert scale (Barlett et al., 2016). It consists of 5 items for harmful cyberbullying attitudes (HCA), which assess individuals' perceptions of cyberbullying perpetration, and 4 items for general cyberbullying characteristics (GCC). The range of HCA scores from 5 to 25 and the range of GCC scores from 4 to 20. A higher score indicates more harmful cyberbullying attitudes. The Chinese version of CBAS will be used that was translated and validated by our research team.
Measured: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
Sleep outcomes: Subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction
The Chinese version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) will be used to assess subjective sleep disruption and quality throughout the previous month (Ho et al., 2021). Subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disruptions, sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction are the seven components that comprise the components of the PSQI. The range of scores for each item is 0 (no difficulty) to 3 (extreme difficulty). The total score ranges between 0 and 21. Poorer quality of sleep is indicated by a higher overall score.
Measured: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
Mental well-being
The Chinese version of the WHO 5-item Well-Being Index is used to assess participants' mental well-being (Fung et al., 2022). Each item is rated on a six-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (at no time) to 5 (always), the total score range from 0 to 25. A higher score indicates greater mental well-being.
Measured: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
Life satisfaction
The Chinese version of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) (SWLS) is used to assess global cognitive judgments of satisfaction with one's life (Sachs, 2003).It consists of 5 items with a 7-item Likert scale (Pavot \& Diener, 1993), ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree) . The total score ranges from 7 to 35, with a higher score represent grater social well-being.
Measured: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Jan 2025
- Study start12 Feb 2025
- Primary completion29 May 2025
- Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for CyberbullyingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Chinese University of Hong KongThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- We will randomized two groups.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Concordia Lutheran School
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Lau Ying, Chinese University of Hong Kong
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06796621
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CUHK-2025-YL
- Status last verified
- Dec 2025
- First submitted
- 22 Jan 2025
- Last updated
- 5 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: Given that it is a very preliminary stage, the authors undecided to share IPD at this stage.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effectiveness of Co-designed Anti-cyberbullying Intervention [Building Respectful Online Space (BROS)] Among Adolescents: A Feasibility Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06796621
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CUHK-2025-YL
- Conditions
- Cyberbullying
- Keywords
- Cyberbullying, Prevention, Adolescent
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong KongUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Concordia Lutheran School
- Study start
- 12 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 29 May 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 28 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Background: The growing prevalence of cyberbullying throughout the world indicates the importance of anti-cyberbullying interventions, especially for adolescents. While few interventions target cyberbullying, content from different regions may not necessarily apply to local contexts, adolescents' viewpoints were not considered in the past designs, few local RCTs, and unclear sustainability.
Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminarily effects of the co-designed anti-cyberbullying intervention: Building Respectful Online Space (BROS).
Methods: A sample of around 90 aged 12 to 15 will be recruited from secondary schools in Hong Kong. This study will adopt a 2-arm experimental trial. Each class will be randomly assigned equally into the intervention arm (BROS) and control arm (Heathy Diet), and eligible students will be allocated to either arm accordingly. The intervention will be provided in one or 3 days based on the school schedule. Participants will be assessed at baseline, 3 weeks later, and 12-week follow-up assessments. The primary outcome is cyberbullying behaviour of perpetration and victimisation; the secondary outcome includes cyberbullying attitudes, sleep quality, and psychosocial well-being. Feasibility and acceptability will be assessed. And generalised estimating equations analysis will be used to investigate the research objectives.
Potential contributions: The results of this study will provide evidence-based support for using a blended approach to prevent cyberbullying, promote psychosocial well-being, and promote sleep health. This intervention is dedicated to using evidence-to-user-driven ideas to develop culturally sensitive interventions to effectively prevent cyberbullying in the future.
Detailed description
There is a growing body of literature that recognises whole-school strategy can be effective in preventing cyberbullying. Interventions, such as NoTrap! in Italy, Prev@cib in Spain, Media Heroes in Germany, 'Friendly Attac' in Belgium , and ViSC in Austria, have been shown to effectively prevent cyberbullying. Some school-based programmes integrate digital format into their intervention; for instance, the 'Cyber Friendly Schools' intervention in Australia utilises the online modules to facilitate learning; the 'Friendly Attac' program incorporates series games, and a study adopted a purely online approach to prevent cyberbullying in the Netherlands. A recent systematic review suggests that school-based intervention could comprehensively promote healthy online behaviours and reduce cyberbullying incidence among adolescents .
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- We will randomized two groups.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Building Respectful Online Space (BROS) | Experimental | Behavioral: Building Respectful Online Space (BROS)The intervention group participants will receive the BROS intervention across three sessions, depending on the school schedule, presented in a hybrid mode. The sessions focus on integrating psychoeducation, behavioural-specific cognitions, serious games, music, and reflection, as a means against cyberbullying. The content includes knowledge related to cyberbullying and online safety, cyberbullying coping skills, relationship skills, emotion management, and empathy towards victims through classroom sessions, short videos, serious games, and online musical therapy. |
| Healthy diet education program | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: Healthy diet education programFor the control group participants, an alternative intervention (a healthy diet education program) with content unrelated to cyberbullying prevention will be given. The control group participants will receive the alternative intervention across three sessions. The content is based on recommendations from the Centre for Health Protection, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (CHP, 2024) on healthy eating pyramids, emotional eating, healthy weight management, and nutritional requirements for adolescents. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 12 to 15 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Students in 1st to 3rd grades in secondary schools
- Students are able to read and understand Chinese
- Students obtained informed consent signed by their parents or legal guardians
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Students in grades 4th through 6th who are heavily involved in homework and examination
- Students with severe diseases or co-occurring disorders
- Students' parents/ legal guardians who refuse to sign informed consent.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Building Respectful Online Space (BROS)Session 1 (40 minutes to 50 minutes): Respectful online relationship (Psychoeducation) using face-to-face approach with 40 minutes to 50 minutes online serious game Session 2 (40 minutes to 50 minutes): Navigating the online world (Psychoeducation) using face-to-face approach with 20 to 30 minutes online music therapy Session 3 (40 minutes to 50 minutes): Behaviour specific cognitions and reflection using face-to-face approach | Behavioural | Building Respectful Online Space (BROS) |
| Healthy diet education programSession 1 (40 - 50 minutes): Healthy Diet Pyramid (Psychoeducation) using face-to-face approach Session 2 (40 - 50 minutes): Mindful Eating and Healthy Weight Management (Psychoeducation) using face-to-face approach Session 3 (40 - 50 minutes): Healthy Eating Habits for Life (Psychoeducation)using face-to-face approach | Behavioural | Healthy diet education program |
Primary outcome
Cyberbullying behaviour
Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
The Cyberbullying Behaviour Scale (CBBS) consists of E-Victimisation Scale (E-VS) and the E-Bullying Scale (E-BS), is the validated 11-item scale for measuring cyberbullying behaviour. The scale consist of two domain: 5-item of E-VS and 6-item of E-BS for adolescents with a 7-point Likert scale (Lam \& Li, 2013) that measure cyberbullying victimization and perpetration respectively. The sum score for E-VS range from 5-35, and E-BS from 5-42, and a higher score indicate severity of respective cyberbullying behavior (Lam \& Li, 2013). The Chinese version of CBBS will be used that was translated and validated by our research team.
4 secondary outcomes
Cyberbullying attitude
Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
Sleep outcomes: Subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction
Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
Mental well-being
Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
Life satisfaction
Time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Jan 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. Given that it is a very preliminary stage, the authors undecided to share IPD at this stage.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Building Respectful Online Space (BROS) and Healthy diet education program in people with Cyberbullying, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Cyberbullying behaviour (time frame: Baseline, pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3 months follow-up assessment after intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Jan 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 26 Oct 2026.