Effects of Psychosocial Intervention on the Level of Stress: A Pre- Experimental Research on School Children Who Experienced Displacement in Marawi City, Philippines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2024.v15i04.005Abstract
Background: Armed conflicts have a profound impact on the psychosocial well-being of children, particularly those belonging to the most vulnerable displaced groups. Understanding and addressing the psychosocial needs of these children is of paramount importance. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention in mitigating stress levels among school- aged children displaced from their homes within the conflict zone of Marawi City. Methods: Employing a pre-experimental design with a single group and utilizing a pre-post-test approach, 38 displaced children aged 7-12 were selected based on specified criteria. The participants underwent a 13-session psychosocial intervention guided by predetermined criteria. Data were collected using three questionnaires encompassing personal and socio-demographic details (part 1), an adapted children's stress symptom scale (part 2), and an assessment of children's emotions before and after the psychosocial interventions (part 3). Results: The results demonstrated a statistically significant difference between pre-test and post-test stress levels among the displaced children who participated in the psychosocial intervention. Conclusion: Participation in various psychosocial interventions was associated with a significant decrease in displacement-related stress levels among the children. This underscores the potential effectiveness of targeted psychosocial interventions in ameliorating the stress experienced by displaced children. Recommendation: Future research endeavors should focus on further enhancing therapeutic approaches tailored to the unique needs of displaced children, particularly those susceptible to the adverse effects of stress. A concerted effort is needed to develop and implement interventions that can comprehensively address the psychosocial well- being of children affected by armed conflicts and displacement.
Keywords:
Displaced, Homeless, Level of Stress, Psychosocial Intervention, School-Aged ChildrenDownloads
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