psychosocial sport & play programs: buffering the effects of conflict & disaster through...
TRANSCRIPT
Psychosocial Sport & Play Programs: Buffering the Effects of Conflict & Disaster
Through Enhancing Resilience?
Bob Henley, Ph.D.
Research Psychologist
Swiss Tropical InstituteDept. Of Public Health,
Epidemiology & Social Health
Socinstrasse 57, PO Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
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Overview of this discussion
Use of sport & play in humanitarian aid settings
Resilience & protective factor building blocks
The Beslan Resilience program for youth
Beslan program research: results & challenges
Next steps to be considered
Psychosocial sport & play programs are used to address numerous health & social problems:
During & after wars or civil conflicts
To provide healthcare education, support & services
In response to social problems - to address issues of poverty, and to encourage participation in school
After disasters to help re-establish community, social & psychological stability
“Sport itself is actually a neutral or empty practice that is filled in with meanings, values and ideas by the culture in which it takes place and the individuals who take part” Guest (2005).
Central questions regarding rehabilitation after severely stressful or traumatic events:
Why do some people seem to overcome traumatic or severely stressful life events easier or
more quickly than others?
Why do some people seem to be unaffected, or even become stronger after stressful life events?
Is this something that can be taught? And can structured sports & play activities help do this? We think yes...
How can psychosocial sport & play programs help children manage the effects of adversity?
Not clear: little empirical research currently existsMy theory: A key influence may be Resilience - what is it?
From physics: The power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, stretched or compressed; elasticity (e.g., bridges)
From developmental psychology: „A dynamic process encompassing positive adaptation within the context of significant adversity. Implicit within this notion are two critical conditions:
1. An exposure to significant threat or severe adversity, and... 2.The achievement of positive adaptation despite major assaults on
the developmental process” (Luthar 2000).
What Enhances the Development of Resilience?
Over 30 years of research has identified these key Protective-enabling Factors:
Healthy attachments with familyClose relationships with non-family adults (teachers, coaches, mentors,etc)Healthy Peer Relationships Involvement with & contributions to
the communityLearning effective problem-solving & coping strategies that assist with adaptation
Examples of resilience competencies that emerge in times of adversity:
Being a leader for others during difficult times
Keeping hopeful
Dealing with unexpected events with confidence
Having the confidence & flexibility to know what to do when faced with challenges
Using your sense of humor to cope, stay calm & support others
Being able to adjust in any situation
Having a positive self-appraisement
Being persistent and concentrated in focus
Being determined and not giving up
Hypothesis: structured sport and play programs provide protective factors that enhance resilience
Coaches, teachers & mentors who can bond with children
An interactive & supportive peer environment, structured & supported by adult guidance
Coping skills & problem-solving strategies are taught
Building community awareness, attachment & cohesion
Children’s psychological, social & behavioral strengths are thus gently supported in a play setting: In psychosocial sport programs winning is not the focus - healing is
Our research: Beslan Resilience Study
(2004 school siege - hostage & bombing tragedy)
(Vetter, Dulaev, Mueller, Henley, Kanukova & Gallo (2009); Impact of a Resilience Enhancing Program on Teenagers from Beslan (in review for publication now)
September 2004 - Beslan, North Ossetia school attack resulted in over 1300 hostages, 344 deaths (186 of whom were children) & 700 injuries
Summer 2006 - week long intensive „resilience enhancement“ programs were initiated for the kids of Beslan in the nearby mountains
94 kids (mean age 13.35, 40% girls, 60% boys) participated in intensive mountaineering, first aid training, climbing & camping activities - under the guidance of the rescue team & therapists
We used the Russian version of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) at the start and end of the program, and as a six month follow-up, to assess the program‘s effectiveness in enhancing the children‘s resilience. Results...
Non-hostages (N = 48) - A higher initial baseline, with resilience improvement after the program, then regression back to baselineHostages (N = 46) - A lower initial baseline score, resilience improvement after, and continuing resilience improvement after 6 months!! (significance at p <.001) (Vetter, et al, 2007; submitted)
CD-RISC over time
58
60
62
64
66
68
70
72
74
76
78
baseline follow-up 1 follow-up 2
total samplehostages
non-hostages
Significance of these results
Some of the first empirical results we know of suggesting that children experiencing significant traumatic events can have their resilience enhanced via participation in sport & play activities
Even almost two years after a traumatic event, a short-term intensive activities program can enhance resilience in children
Kids experiencing significant traumatic events not only showed improved resilience by the end of the program, but reported continued improvement in resilience levels six months later!
These programs were led by caring adults with close ties to the kids, who encourged healthy peer interaction, taught coping skills and problem-solving strategies, and promoted connection with and commitment to a community
Possible limitations to this study of a resilience-based psychosocial program:
Not all kids may benefit from resilience programs (some may have high resilience already and not improve significantly - although they may help contribute to the resilience of others)
Psychosocial programs may not be able to manage children with more acute psychological, social or behavioral problems - these kids will require more intensive individual care
Only one study so far - more studies are needed before we can make more conclusive statements
The inclusion of a non-participating comparison group would have made the research stronger
Resilience is a promising concept - but needs much more development and research to be done in the field
What is needed?
More empirical research on community-based, resilience-focused sport & play practices
Identify best resilience enhancement practices that can be shared with other psychosocial, mental health and education professionals
Further development of resilience concepts, operationalizing these and putting them into practice
Develop & implement more resilience programs for children and youth
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Resources:
International Platform on Sport & Development (Swiss Academy for Development) http://www.sportanddev.org/
My papers:
How Psychosocial Sport & Play Programs Help Youth Manage Adversity:A Review of What We Know & What We Should Research
http://www.psychosocial.com/IJPR_12/Psychological_Sport_and_Play_Henley.html
Helping Children Overcome Disaster Trauma Through Post-Emergency Psychosocial Sport Programs
http://www.sportanddev.org/learnmore/sport_and_disaster_response/introduction/index.cfm?uNewsID=64
To review...
Touched on RESILIENCE as the possible key influence in sport and play programs
Looked at the Protective-Enabling factors that help to build resilience
Identified how sport and play programs look to provide the protective-enabling factors that enhances resilience
Looked at the case example of the Beslan Resilience Project, and what we learned
References & Key Articles
Bell, C., & Suggs, H. (1998 ). Using Sports to strengthen resiliency in children. Training heart. Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 7(4), 859-865.
Duncan, J., & Arntson, L. (2004 ). Children in Crisis: Good Practices in Evaluating Psychosocial Programming. Save the Children; http://www.savethechildren.org/publications/technical-resources/emergencies-protection/Good_Practices_in_Evaluating_Psychosocial_Programming.pdf
Grotburg (2001); Resilience Programs for children in disaster. Ambulatory Child Health, vol 7
Loughry, etal (2006), The impact of structured activities among Palestinian children in a time of conflict; Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 47, 1211-1218
Luthar, S. S., & Cicchetti, D. (2000). The construct of resilience: Implications for interventions and social policies. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 857-885
Save the Children (2004); Classroom based intervention - impact evaluation (report) http://www.savethechildren.org/publications/technical-resources/education/
CBI_Impact_Evaluation.pdf