‘Strong Kids’: Effects of drama therapy on child resilience after the 2021 German flood disaster

IF 1.5 3区心理学 Q3 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Arts in Psychotherapy Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.aip.2025.102254

Sabine C. Koch , Sarah Stange , Natalie Ernst , Julie Kinnen , Manuela Juhart , Harald Gruber , Maren Schlüter , Ulrike Schwab de Ribaupierre , Bettina Merschmeyer , Simone Klees , Johannes Junker , Henning Hues

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Abstract

This study examines the effects of drama therapy workshops in schools and kindergartens on strengthening the resilience of the children after the centennial flood disaster in the German Ahrtal in July 2021. The drama therapy intervention reached about 600 children in kindergartens and schools, with N = 238 being part of the main evaluation of the workshop (ages 3–11). The children’s educators completed the 10-item child resilience scale for each participating child (N = 238) at five points in time: before and immediately after the flood (in hindsight at baseline), before and after the intervention, and at a six-week follow-up; control participants were observed at two additional times (n = 127; within-group), with a questionnaire before and after a regular school week preceding the workshop week. Within the given limitations of a within-subject design, results suggest that the drama therapy intervention can strengthen child resilience, independent of sex, number of siblings or migration background of the children. Educators’ ratings indicated that child resilience increased significantly from before to after the intervention compared to a regular school week and further increased significantly from after the workshop to the follow-up. Acceptance of the intervention was high. Vulnerable children with the highest social-behavioral problems showed the steepest increase in resilience after the workshops but fell back at follow-up. Children aged 3–4 and severely affected children benefited less and may need an adapted version or longer duration of the intervention. Moderating factors and implications of the findings for child emergency aid and prevention are discussed.

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“坚强的孩子”：2021年德国洪灾后戏剧疗法对儿童恢复力的影响

本研究考察了2021年7月德国阿尔塔尔百年洪灾后，学校和幼儿园戏剧治疗工作坊对增强儿童复原力的影响。戏剧治疗干预覆盖了大约600名幼儿园和学校的儿童，其中N = 238是工作坊主要评估的一部分（3-11岁）。儿童教育工作者在五个时间点完成了每个参与儿童的10项儿童弹性量表（N = 238）：洪水之前和之后（事后基线），干预之前和之后，以及六周的随访；对照参与者在另外两次观察(n = 127；小组内)，在工作周之前的常规学校周前后进行问卷调查。在给定的主题内设计的限制下，结果表明戏剧治疗干预可以增强儿童的复原力，与儿童的性别、兄弟姐妹数量或移民背景无关。教育工作者的评分表明，与正常的学校周相比，儿童弹性从干预前到干预后显著增加，从研讨会后到随访进一步显著增加。对干预的接受度很高。社会行为问题最严重的弱势儿童在讲习班后的恢复力增长最快，但在随访中有所回落。3-4岁的儿童和受严重影响的儿童受益较少，可能需要一个适应的版本或更长的干预时间。讨论了调节因素和调查结果对儿童紧急援助和预防的影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Arts in Psychotherapy Multiple-

CiteScore

3.20

自引率

11.10%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Arts in Psychotherapy is a dynamic, contemporary journal publishing evidence-based research, expert opinion, theoretical positions, and case material on a wide range of topics intersecting the fields of mental health and creative arts therapies. It is an international peer-reviewed journal publishing 5 issues annually. Papers are welcomed from researchers and practitioners in the fields of art, dance/movement, drama, music, and poetry psychotherapy, as well as expressive and creative arts therapy, neuroscience, psychiatry, education, allied health, and psychology that aim to engage high level theoretical concepts with the rigor of professional practice. The journal welcomes contributions that present new and emergent knowledge about the role of the arts in healthcare, and engage a critical discourse relevant to an international readership that can inform the development of new services and the refinement of existing policies and practices. There is no restriction on research methods and review papers are welcome. From time to time the journal publishes special issues on topics warranting a distinctive focus relevant to the stated goals and scope of the publication.