Τα φιλαράκια: σχεδιασμός, κατασκευή, εφαρμογή και αξιολόγηση ενός ψυχοεκπαιδευτικού προγράμματος για τη συναισθηματική ανθεκτικότητα των παιδιών του δημοτικού σχολείου

Abstract

The concept of prevention of mental health care is a component of study and research in the fields of social sciences the last decades. Adults, who work with children as professionals, pay particular attention to factors, which are not limited in the field of knowledge acquisition alone, but extended to the cultivation of those skills, that will help young people develop themselves into empowered adults mentally. The cultivation of virtues contained in the meaning of emotional intelligence will give the students an opportunity to discover positive personality traits, as well as positive emotions, inherent both to themselves and their peers. This study examines the applicability and the degree of effectiveness of a creative, interactive psycho-educational program for children of primary school, to enhance the robust action and the formation of their emotional resilience.In the program, which lasted almost for a year and half (pilot phase and main survey), took part 362 children in total, aged 9 -10 years. The program was delivered in the school class once or twice a week (intervention) and it lasted for one school hour. Each intervention consisted of playful exercises and original creative activities based on the principles of cognitive - behavioral therapy and were designed specifically to meet the objectives of each intervention and to be manageable by students regarding their age. Furthermore, the content of the intervention program was adapted to the program of each elementary school, was applied. The analysis of the results supports the effectiveness of the program and demonstrates its suitability for children of primary school.