Concept

Structured activities at NGO sites

Researchers conducted a nonrandomized trial over one year in the Palestinian Territories to evaluate the impact of structured activities at nongovernmental organization sites on child mental health (internalizing and externalizing), child hopefulness, and parental support (40). The structured activities included traditional dance, art, sports, drama, and puppetry, with the hypothesis that they would (1) aid emotional adjustment in hostile environments by providing routine constructive engagement and opportunities for attachment and expression, (2) have a positive impact on parent-child relationships by providing safe outdoor activities to be shared, and (3) increase children's orientation towards the future. The study ensured a culturally appropriate community focus by translating all materials to the local language, employing local volunteers as providers, implementing cultural activities, and using the community center as the primary location for all activities. The child participants demonstrated improved internalizing/externalizing outcomes compared to a small control group, but no improvements in hopefulness were observed, and parental support improvements were reported at only one of the involved sites.

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Updated 2023-05-12

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Clinical Practice of Psychology

Psychology

Social Science

Empirical Science

Science

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