Context & objectives
Various studies and experts around the world warned about the serious impacts of the pandemic on the mental health of the population. Prolonged stress due to the ambient uncertainty, social isolation, numerous losses (routine and habits, school, work, leisure, sometimes a loved one …), increased incidences of domestic violence and substances abuses, and stigmatization were the main causes of psychological issues. Individuals with pre-existing mental health challenges were particularly at risk as they lost access to coping activities and social support or were stuck at home in an unconducive environment. Longer-term mechanisms include the effects of the predicted economic recession.
Dr Goh Kah Hong, head, and senior consultant of psychological medicine at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital Singapore, expected the pandemic to have a “long tail” because of the ramifications of prolonged stress and social isolation. “With so much uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, it is hard to predict how long people will continue to struggle when it wraps up.”
Children, adolescents, and young adults were particularly affected by the crisis. Overwhelmed by all kinds of emotions, they were not always able to adopt the right coping behaviours to continue learning and developing their potential. What’s more, being from a socio-economically disadvantaged background was often an aggravating factor.
1) CHILDREN: stressors such as prolonged stress, fears of infection, frustration and boredom, inadequate information, lack of in-person contact with classmates, friends, and teachers, lack of personal space at home, and family financial loss had problematic and enduring effects on children.
2) YOUTH: whilst less vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infection, youth was more at risk of the negative psychosocial effects of the pandemic. Social connectedness and social identity have indeed more prominence in youth. Young people were more likely to be affected by the negative psychosocial consequences of lockdowns and social distancing than adults. This is also because their coping skills are not equivalent to that of a mature adult, coping being a developmentally acquired skill.
The objectives of the programme were:
- to help children and youth to regulate their emotions and thereby mitigate their mental health issues resulting of the Covid crisis
- to equip the caregivers working for the partner organizations with art therapy tools to continue to support the children and youth after the project has ended, as well as with arts-based self-care tools
- to inform local organizations about the benefits and the complementarity of art therapy interventions
Impact
Thanks to the support of our donors and partners, more than 880 participants (children, youth and staff) have received the benefits of art therapy through group sessions or a training.
Watch this video about one of the interventions :
Read about Arabella, a 15-year-old girl, who started having symptoms of depression during the Covid-19 lockdown in Spain.
Partners
Our gratitude goes to the Sofina Covid Solidary Fund and to the King Baudouin Foundation for their support to this special programme and to our partners for their trust.
