Experiences of Emotional Healing After Figurines Intervention in Rural Thai Primary School Children: A Mixed-method...

Early emotional difficulties, even when not clinically diagnosed, may affect children's social and academic development. Emotional healing can enhance children's emotional awareness and coping skills, potentially preventing future mental health issues. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of emotional healing after figurines intervention in rural Thai primary school children.

This study employed a mixed-method research design, including two parts: first, a pre- and post-test design, and second, a descriptive phenomenological approach. It was conducted from March to May 2025 at a rural primary school in Tha Sala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. 22 students who met the criteria for mild to moderate depressive symptoms based on the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A) 9 scores participated in a school-based healing program using miniature figurines; nine of them who completed the program were purposively selected with parental consent to share their experiences through semi-structured individual interviews. Data were thematically analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method, and saturation was reached when no new themes emerged.

PHQ-A mean scores for the 22 participants decreased from pre-test (10.05±2.87) to post-test (4.09±1.41), (P=0.01). PHQ-A mean scores for the 9 students in the qualitative study decreased from pre-test (10.78±2.33) to post-test (3.33±0.87), (P=0.08). The qualitative findings were consistent with healing and showed a decrease in PHQ-A scores. The healing stories of 9 Thai school children showed awakening self-awareness, emotional healing, and developing personal growth.

The figurine intervention promotes emotional self-exploration, which can increase self-confidence in emotion management and build resilience in Thai school children.