Preparing children to cope with earthquakes

Building emotional competence

Bibliographic Data

ID9620100
AuthorsDaniela Raccanello (0000-0002-2810-7630, Department of Human Sciences University of Verona Verona Italy, corresponding author), Giada Vicentini (0000-0001-7120-4965, Department of Human Sciences University of Verona Verona Italy), Emmanuela Rocca (0000-0002-0526-0472, Department of Human Sciences University of Verona Verona Italy), Rob Hall (0000-0003-1709-363X, Macquarie University Sydney New South Wales Australia), Roberto Burro (0000-0002-4491-2015, Department of Human Sciences University of Verona Verona Italy)
Year2023
Volume114
Issue4
Pages871-907
Publication date2023-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-1269 • E-ISSN: 2044-8295
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/bjop.12661
PMID37171875
OpenAlexW4376274046
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited123

Natural disasters, including earthquakes, can have a traumatic impact on children's psychological wellbeing and development. The efficacy of interventions aimed at enhancing children's socio‐emotional learning has been documented in the literature. At the same time, these techniques are the key for training children for possible future disasters by enhancing their knowledge about behavioural preparedness and emotional competence. However, research on evidence‐based training programs on earthquakes combining digital and traditional activities is scarce. We tested the efficacy of a 10‐unit training program for primary school children, developed within the Emotional Prevention and Earthquakes in Primary School (PrEmT) project. The program aimed at increasing knowledge of and metacognition about earthquakes, safety behaviours, emotions, and coping strategies, through digital (using the web‐application HEMOT ® , Helmet for EMOTions, developed ad‐hoc) and traditional activities (completing paper‐and‐pencil tasks). The participants were 548 second and fourth‐graders from Italian schools. They were divided into an experimental group (participating in the training program) and a control group. Both groups participated in pretests and posttests to evaluate changes in their knowledge of training‐related contents. For ethical reasons, we also measured children's wellbeing. Generalized linear mixed models indicated an improvement in the experimental group's knowledge and metacognition about earthquakes, safety behaviours, emotions, and coping strategies after the training program, compared to the control group. Children's general wellbeing did not deteriorate during participation in the project. The results documented the efficacy of the evidence‐based training program developed within the PrEmT project. The program provides a preventive method for enhancing earthquake‐related resilience that could be generalized to other kinds of disasters

Competence (human resources) · Coping (psychology) · Developmental psychology · Medical education · Preparedness · Psychological intervention · Applied Psychology · Clinical Psychology · Disaster Response and Management · Medicine · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology · Resilience and Mental Health · Social Psychology