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School-based indicated prevention: a randomised trial of group therapy
Paul McArdle1, David Moseley, Toby Quibell
1Fleming Nuffield Unit, Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|September 19, 2002
Summary
Drama group therapy significantly improved behavioral and emotional problems in at-risk children, showing sustained benefits over a year. This school-based intervention offers a promising approach for child mental health.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Behavioral Therapy
- Educational Interventions
Background:
- Identified 122 children at risk for behavioral or emotional problems.
- Children were randomly assigned to either drama-group therapy or a curriculum-studies control group.
- The study was school-based.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of drama-group therapy for children with behavioral or emotional problems.
- To compare drama-group therapy with a curriculum-studies control and a waiting list control.
- To assess the long-term impact of the intervention.
Main Methods:
- 117 children completed 12 hour-long sessions of drama-group therapy or control intervention.
- Post-intervention self-reports and teacher reports were collected.
- Categorical analyses focused on children with the most severe symptoms.
Main Results:
- Drama group therapy showed a clear advantage over both waiting list and curriculum studies, according to teacher reports.
- Significant effects were observed post-intervention in self-reports for both groups.
- Teacher-reported improvements were sustained over a year-long follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Drama-group therapy is an effective intervention for children at risk for behavioral and emotional problems.
- The benefits of drama-group therapy are sustained over a one-year follow-up period.
- Teacher-reported outcomes provide strong evidence for the efficacy of drama-group therapy.