Penn Resilience Programme (UK implementation in primary school)
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to EIF’s terms of reference, and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the programme provider.
The UK implementation of the Penn Resilience Programme is based on the Penn Resilience Programme (PRP), which was originally developed by a team of psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania.
The programme is based on Albert Ellis's cognitive behavioural model. The PRP (UK implementation) is a universal programme delivered in the school setting. It is designed to build young people’s resilience and promote realistic thinking and adaptive coping. Students are taught skills and coping strategies which are designed to contribute towards a number of resilience competencies, such as emotional intelligence and flexible and accurate thinking. Participants also learn techniques for positive social behaviour, including assertiveness and negotiation. This version of the programme is delivered to primary schoolchildren.
EIF Programme Assessment
Penn Resilience Programme (UK implementation in primary school) has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the programme caused the improvement.
What does the evidence rating mean?
Level 2 indicates that the programme has evidence of improving a child outcome from a study involving at least 20 participants, representing 60% of the sample, using validated instruments.
This programme does not receive a rating of 3 as its best evidence is not from a rigorously conducted RCT or QED evaluation.
A rating of 1 indicates that a programme has a low cost to set up and deliver, compared with other interventions reviewed by EIF. This is equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Child outcomes
According to the best available evidence for this programme's impact, it can achieve the following positive outcomes for children:
Supporting children's mental health and wellbeing
Penn Resilience Programme (UK implementation in primary school)
Key programme characteristics
Who is it for?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to the following age-groups:
- Primary school
How is it delivered?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to implementation through these delivery models:
- Group
Where is it delivered?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to its implementation in these settings:
- Primary school
How is it targeted?
The best available evidence for this programme relates to its implementation as:
- Universal
Where has it been implemented?
United Kingdom
UK provision
This programme has been implemented in the UK.
UK evaluation
This programme’s best evidence includes evaluation conducted in the UK.
Spotlight sets
EIF includes this programme in the following Spotlight sets:
- School-based social & emotional learning
Penn Resilience Programme (UK implementation in primary school)
About the programme
What happens during delivery?
How is it delivered?
- The PRP (UK implementation) is delivered in 18 one-hour sessions to groups of between six and 30 students. It is taught in school and lessons are timetabled as part of the normal school day. It has mainly been delivered by teachers with some other staff, such as teaching assistants or learning mentors, also delivering the programme.
What happens during the intervention?
- A range of teaching tools and approaches are used, such as scenarios, role play, quizzes, and individual, paired and group activities.
- The programme teaches the following resilient thinking skills: the link between thoughts and feelings, identifying thinking styles, generating alternatives, putting it in perspective, real-time resilience, assertive communication, and negotiation.
- These skills and coping strategies are designed to contribute towards six resilience competencies: emotional intelligence, impulse control, optimistic thinking, flexible and accurate thinking, self-efficacy, and connecting with others.
- The teacher outlines examples so students can see the process of using the skill and practise it, such as by using an example taken from the class ‘problem pool’ (anonymous, everyday problems submitted by the students).
- The programme also teaches coping strategies: calming and focusing, social skills, overcoming procrastination, problem-solving, and distraction.
What are the implementation requirements?
Who can deliver it?
- The practitioner who delivers this programme is usually a schoolteacher with NFQ-7/8/9. However, other practitioners such as teaching assistants or learning mentors can deliver the programme with a recommended minimum NFQ-4
What are the training requirements?
- Practitioners receive 35 hours of programme training. Booster training of practitioners is not required.
How are the practitioners supervised?
- External supervision of practitioners is not required in relation to the PRP specifically.
- However, standard internal line management supervision, which would include the opportunity to discuss teaching the PRP is recommended.
What are the systems for maintaining fidelity?
- Training manual
- Other printed material
- Telephone support as required from a How to Thrive PRP facilitator
Is there a licensing requirement?
Yes, there is a licence required to run this programme.
How does it work? (Theory of Change)
How does it work?
- Teaching resilience skills can prevent and reduce mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, as well as improve behaviour, wellbeing and performance.
- The PRP (UK implementation) aims to improve children's psychological wellbeing and self-efficacy by promoting flexible and accurate thinking, optimism wedded to reality and impulse control.
- In the short term, there is an improvement in pupils’ depression and anxiety symptoms, school attendance rates and academic attainment levels.
- By reducing the incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms, children and young people are more likely to avoid associated mental health issues such as poor attainment, behaviour and drug misuse, and more likely to make the most of the opportunities available to them in and beyond school.
Intended outcomes
Supporting children's mental health and wellbeing
Enhancing school achievement & employment
Contact details
Penn Resilience Programme (UK implementation in primary school)
About the evidence
The most rigorous evidence for PRP (UK implementation) comes from a QED conducted in the UK. This study identified statistically significant positive impact on a number of child outcomes.
The conclusions that can be drawn from this study are limited by methodological issues pertaining to a lack of clarity in terms of differential attrition and the large magnitude of difference between groups on key outcome measures at baseline, which statistical control is considered unlikely to compensate for.
This programme is underpinned by one level 2 study, and so the programme receives a level 2 rating overall.
Note: The rating is based on one study of the UK implementation of the Penn Resilience Programme (PRP) in primary schools. Other versions of the PRP model, including the UK implementation of the PRP in secondary schools and international implementations of the PRP, have been evaluated in other studies. These versions are treated as separate programmes by EIF due to different features, such as target age group and programme duration. We would advise commissioners to consult the relevant studies for further information. Please refer to the full reference list for details.
Study 1
| Citation: | Challen (2012) |
|---|---|
| Design: | QED |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Sample: | Approximately 175 pupils from four schools, age 9–10 at the start of the intervention |
| Timing: | Post-intervention |
| Child outcomes: |
Reduced symptoms of depression (child self-report)
Reduced symptoms of anxiety (child self-report) |
| Other outcomes: | None measured |
| Study rating: | 2 |
Challen, A. (2012). Short report on the impact of the 2011 Primary UK Penn Resilience Programme in Hertfordshire schools. Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics.
Study design and sample
This study is a QED. Of the final four schools for which data are available, two schools chose to teach the programme and the two other schools were recruited to act as controls. In addition, a within-school control classroom was used.
This study was conducted in the UK, with a sample of approximately 175 pupils, who were aged 9-10 at the start of the programme.
Measures
Symptoms of depression were measured using The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (child self-report). Symptoms of anxiety were measured using The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (child self-report). Behaviour was measured using The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (teacher report).
Findings
This study identified statistically significant positive impact on the following child outcomes: reduced symptoms of depression and reduced symptoms of anxiety.
Other studies
The following studies were identified for this programme but did not count towards the programme's overall evidence rating. A programme receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
Chaplin, T. M., Gillham, J. E., Reivich, K., Elkon, A. G., Samuels, B., Freres, D. R., … Seligman, M. E. (2006). Depression prevention for early adolescent girls: A pilot study of all girls versus co-ed groups. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 26(1), 110–126 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in the USA.
Gillham, J. E., Hamilton, J., Freres, D. R., Patton, K., & Gallop, R. (2006). Preventing depression among early adolescents in the primary care setting: A randomized controlled study of the Penn Resiliency Program. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 34(2), 195–211 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in the USA.
Gillham, J. E., Reivich, K. J., Freres, D. R., Chaplin, T. M., Shatté, A. J., Samuels, B., … Gallop, R. (2007). School-based prevention of depressive symptoms: A randomized controlled study of the effectiveness and specificity of the Penn Resiliency Program. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75(1), 9–19 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in the USA.
Gillham, J. E., Reivich, K. J., Freres, D. R., Lascher, M., Litzinger, S., Shatté, A., & Seligman, M. E. (2006). School-based prevention of depression and anxiety symptoms in early adolescence: A pilot of a parent intervention component. School Psychology Quarterly, 21(3), 323–348 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in the USA.
Kindt, K., Kleinjan, M., Janssens, J. M., & Scholte, R. H. (2014). Evaluation of a school-based depression prevention program among adolescents from low-income areas: A randomized controlled effectiveness trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(5), 5273–5293 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in the Netherlands.
Quayle, D., Dziurawiec, S., Roberts, C., Kane, R., & Ebsworthy, G. (2001). The effect of an optimism and lifeskills program on depressive symptoms in preadolescence. Behaviour Change, 18(4), 194–203 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in Australia.
Roberts, C. M., Kane, R., Bishop, B., Cross, D., Fenton, J., & Hart, B. (2010). The prevention of anxiety and depression in children from disadvantaged schools. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48(1), 68–73 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in Australia.
Rooney, R., Hassan, S., Kane, R., Roberts, C. M., & Nesa, M. (2013). Reducing depression in 9–10 year old children in low SES schools: A longitudinal universal randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 51(12), 845–854 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in Australia.
Rooney, R., Roberts, C., Kane, R., Pike, L., Winsor, A., White, J., & Brown, A. (2006). The prevention of depression in 8- to 9-year-old children: A pilot study. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 16(1), 76–90 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in Australia.
Tak, Y. R., Lichtwarck-Aschoff, A., Gillham, J. E., Zundert, R. M., & Engels, R. C. (2016). Universal school-based depression prevention “Op Volle Kracht”: A longitudinal cluster randomized controlled trial. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(5), 949–961 - This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in the Netherlands.
University of Hertfordshire. (2013). The United Kingdom Resilience Programme. The experience of schools in Buckinghamshire: A qualitative research project. School of Education, University of Hertfordshire.
Yu, D. L., & Seligman, M. E. (2002). Preventing depressive symptoms in Chinese children. Prevention & Treatment, 5(1), 9a - This reference refers to a randomised control trial and pre-post study, conducted in China.
Published April 2024