Cluster-randomized Trial of Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills Program Compared to Treatment as Usual/Waitlist for Youth Ages 11-14: Study Protocol for Conceptual Replication

This study protocol outlines a cluster-randomized trial designed to conceptually replicate the efficacy of the Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) program for youth aged 11–14 by evaluating its effectiveness when delivered by school-based providers compared to treatment-as-usual/waitlist and research team providers under authentic post-pandemic conditions.

The Gist

Imagine a school as a busy kitchen. For many teenagers (ages 11–14), the "kitchen" of their daily life is chaotic. They struggle to organize their ingredients (time), follow the recipe (planning), and actually cook the meal (doing homework). This messiness often leads to burnt dinners, which in school terms means falling grades and feeling overwhelmed.

Scientists have already tested a special "recipe" called HOPS (Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills) in a controlled lab setting. It worked like a charm, helping kids get their act together. But in that first test, the chefs were professional researchers hired just for the experiment.

This new study is like taking that famous recipe out of the lab and trying to cook it in real, busy school kitchens.

Here is the simple breakdown of what they are doing:

1. The Big Experiment (The "Taste Test")

The researchers are picking about 30 schools to join this experiment. They are flipping a coin to decide what happens at each school:

• The HOPS Group: These schools get the special recipe.
• The Waitlist Group: These schools keep doing what they usually do (Treatment as Usual) for now, acting as a control group to see if the recipe actually makes a difference.

2. The Two Types of Chefs

Here is where it gets interesting. In the HOPS schools, the researchers are testing who cooks the meal:

• School Chefs: Regular school staff (like counselors or teachers) who work there every day. They get a quick 2-hour training session on the recipe.
• Research Chefs: The original experts from the university who know the recipe inside and out.

Why do this?
After the pandemic, schools are often short on money and staff. The researchers want to know: Can the school staff cook this recipe just as well as the experts, or do we need the expensive experts to get the same results?

3. Checking the Results

The researchers aren't just asking, "Did the kids feel better?" They are checking the actual plates:

• Did the kids get better at organizing?
• Did they finish their homework?
• Did their grades go up?

They check these things right after the program, and then again 6 months and 12 months later to see if the kids kept the skills or if they slipped back into old habits. They also record the sessions (like filming a cooking show) to make sure the chefs are actually following the recipe correctly.

4. The "Secret Ingredients"

The researchers know that every student is different. They are looking to see if the recipe works better for:

• Kids with ADHD (who might have a very noisy kitchen).
• Kids who are feeling sad or anxious.
• Kids from families with different amounts of money.

The Bottom Line

Think of this study as a real-world stress test. The goal is to prove that this "Organization Recipe" isn't just a fancy trick that only works in a perfect lab with expert chefs. They want to show that it works even when served by regular school staff in the messy, real world of post-pandemic schools.

If it works, it means schools can teach these vital life skills to hundreds of kids without needing a team of outside experts, saving money and helping more students succeed.

Technical Summary

Based on the study protocol provided, here is a detailed technical summary of the research. Note that as this is a study protocol, the "Results" section describes the planned analytical approach and expected outcomes rather than finalized empirical data.

1. Problem Statement

• Core Issue: Difficulties in Organization, Time Management, and Planning (OTMP) are strongly linked to academic underachievement in youth.
• Context: While previous research established the efficacy of the Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) program for students aged 11–14, that prior evidence relied on counselors employed directly by the research team.
• Gap: There is a lack of evidence regarding HOPS effectiveness under "authentic" conditions where the intervention is delivered by school-employed providers, particularly in the context of post-COVID-19 resource constraints. Furthermore, there is a need to understand if the delivery source (school vs. research provider) impacts intervention efficacy.

2. Methodology

• Study Design: A cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) designed as a conceptual replication.
• Participants & Setting:
  • Target Population: Youth aged 11–14.
  • Sample Size: Approximately 30 schools, with a target enrollment of 135 participants.
  • Sampling Strategy: Schools are the unit of randomization.
• Randomization Scheme:
  • Level 1 (Schools): Assigned to HOPS or Treatment-As-Usual/Waitlist (TAU/WL) in a 2:1 ratio.
  • Level 2 (Within HOPS Schools): Students assigned to HOPS are further randomized to receive the intervention from either school-based providers or research team providers in a 1:1 ratio.
• Intervention Details:
  • HOPS Program: Focuses on OTMP skills training.
  • Provider Training: All providers receive 2 hours of initial training with additional assistance available on request.
  • Fidelity: All HOPS sessions are video-recorded for fidelity coding to ensure protocol adherence.
• Outcome Measures:
  • Primary Domains: OTMP skills, homework completion/quality, and academic performance.
  • Timepoints: Baseline, post-treatment, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up.
• Statistical Analysis:
  • Model: Mixed effects modeling to account for the hierarchical data structure (students nested within schools).
  • Effect Modifiers: The analysis will examine the influence of student ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), internalizing symptoms, and family socioeconomic status (SES).
  • Power: The study is powered to detect a minimal effect size of 0.50 (medium to large), consistent with prior research.

3. Key Contributions

• Conceptual Replication: This study replicates a prior successful RCT but shifts the implementation context from a research-controlled environment to authentic school settings.
• Implementation Science: It uniquely investigates the "real-world" effectiveness of HOPS when delivered by school staff versus research staff, addressing the critical question of scalability and sustainability.
• Post-Pandemic Relevance: The study specifically addresses the challenge of limited school resources following the COVID-19 pandemic, testing whether the intervention remains effective under constrained conditions.
• Provider Comparison: By randomizing within HOPS schools, the study isolates the variable of provider type (school vs. research) to determine if the source of delivery alters the intervention's impact.

4. Results (Planned/Expected)

• Note: As this is a protocol, definitive results are not yet available. The study outlines the following analytical goals:
  • Primary Hypothesis: HOPS will demonstrate medium-to-large effect sizes in improving OTMP skills and academic performance compared to TAU/WL, replicating prior findings.
  • Secondary Hypothesis: The study aims to determine if there is a statistically significant difference in outcomes between school-provided HOPS and research-provided HOPS.
  • Moderation Analysis: The study will generate data on how specific student characteristics (ADHD, ODD, internalizing symptoms) and family SES moderate the treatment effect, potentially identifying subgroups that benefit most or least from the intervention.

5. Significance

• Clinical & Educational Impact: If successful, this study will validate HOPS as a scalable, school-based intervention that does not require specialized research-team counselors, thereby increasing accessibility for students with OTMP deficits.
• Policy Implications: The findings will inform school administrators and policymakers regarding the feasibility of integrating evidence-based OTMP training into standard school curricula, even in resource-limited post-pandemic environments.
• Scientific Advancement: By distinguishing between efficacy (research setting) and effectiveness (authentic setting), the study bridges the gap between academic research and practical application, contributing to the broader field of implementation science in mental health and education.

Trial Registration: NCT04465708 (ClinicalTrials.gov).