Can school lessons devised using psychological theories and therapeutic approaches positively impact on the mental health and emotional intelligence of young people affected by war including ex-child soldiers in Northern Uganda?

• Main Author: Radoja, Stevan
• Published: Cardiff University 2018
• Subjects: BF Psychology
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.738420

The aim of this investigation was to identify if school lessons, which were designed to incorporate psychological theories and therapeutic approaches, could improve the mental health and/or emotional intelligence of the students being taught the lessons (N=76). The lessons (the intervention program) were designed by the researcher and taught by local teachers at 11 secondary schools to year 7 and year 8 pupils in an area of Northern Uganda where a civil war had taken place during the previous 22 years between a rebel group and government forces. The study comprised the intervention group who were taught the lessons over 2 years and a control group living in the same area that were not taught the lessons. Both groups were given a Mental Health (MH) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) questionnaire designed by the researcher at the beginning of the intervention period and at the end. Volunteers from the intervention group also took part in a semi structured interview. Teachers who taught the program were also given a questionnaire to elicit their views on the benefits and workability of the program. The findings indicated a significant effect of the intervention on most aspects of MH and EI in the intervention group compared with the control group. The effects of the intervention did not vary significantly between genders. Teachers’ questionnaires indicated an overall positive effect on teacher student relationships, behavior and general benefits to students. The elements of the program such as the teaching approach, methods of learning, content and effect on relationships between students were not examined but form part of a discussion into the potential future direction /further research for programs with similar aims.