Research on Social Work Practice, Ahead of Print.
Objective: This report describes the outcomes of two controlled trials of a social information-processing intervention, the Let’s Be Friends (LBF) program, which was designed to reduce aggressive behavior in primary school children in rural China. Method: A blocked clusters design with random sampling was used in each trial. Combining the two trials and adjusting for differences between the studies, we estimated outcomes across all treated (n = 698) and control (n = 710) group children; additionally, we compared Trial 1 treated children with Trial 2 treated children. Results: Across the combined studies, significant differences on children’s social skills and behavior favored the LBF condition. However, the outcomes for Trial 2 demonstrated less robust behavioral effects, suggesting that the program was weakened by pandemic-related implementation and measurement challenges. Conclusion: The LBF appears to strengthen the social competence of children in rural China. However, conducting school-based interventions during environmental disruptions requires alternative delivery and measurement strategies.