A qualitative study about engagement in a school-based prevention programme for secondary school students

School-based prevention programmes are one avenue of support for students with internalising symptoms. Research has primarily focused on programme implementation and evaluation, with less emphasis on the experiences of the programme participants and the programme features that influence participant engagement. This qualitative study explores the experiences of secondary school students, aged between 13 to 14 years old, who participated in an abbreviated six-session school-based prevention group programme, the Positive Thoughts and Actions (Singapore) (PTA-SG). The aim was to identify programme features (e.g. programme content and strategies) that contributed to students’ engagement in the PTA-SG programme. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight secondary school students at the end of the programme and transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Students described that the programme 1) incorporated personally meaningful interactive activities, 2) enabled them to gain concrete results and feelings of competence and 3) provided a supportive small-group environment with positive peer modelling. The students’ perspectives about their participation and engagement helps provide recommendations for future development of prevention programmes in secondary schools.