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PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN DURING MARTIAL LAW IN UKRAINE

10.34142//2708-4809.SIUTY.2022.24

The article presents the experience of developing and implementing psychological support for schoolchildren under martial law in Ukraine. The essence of the concept of «psychological support» is revealed, and its main goal is defined — the development of adaptive capabilities for adaptation to new living conditions. The stages of psychological support are defined: diagnostic, consulting, developmental and corrective, and educational. The experience of using art therapy methods and educational anti-crisis training is described.
Keywords: psychological support, schoolchildren, art therapy, educational anti-crisis training, relaxation exercises.

Rybalko L. S.
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor,
H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Ovsiuk D. R.
PhD student of the third (educational and scientific) level of higher education,
H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine

Ukrainian society is currently going through a difficult period. Martial law in Ukraine, as well as related factors such as moving, separation from loved ones, and loss of a sense of security, are becoming psychotraumatic factors that have a particular impact on children. However, life cannot stop in the face of negative conditions; children must continue to communicate, study, and go about their daily lives. Therefore, families and schools face the urgent problem of adapting students to the new dangerous living and learning environment. In these circumstances, the activities of practical psychologists and educators in providing psychological support to schoolchildren are especially important.

The purpose of the article is to show pedagogical methods of organizing psychological support for schoolchildren for successful adaptation during the period of martial law in Ukraine.

As stated in the letter of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine “On the activities of the psychological service in the education system in the academic year 2022/2023”, psychological support is an activity to “ensure the psychological stability of participants in the educational process” [4, p. 1].

Let’s consider the concept of “psychological resilience”, which the letter calls for the development of. Currently, psychological resilience is considered as a psychological quality or resource of a personality that allows to overcome stress and adapt to new unfavorable circumstances [1]. In turn, the psychological dictionary defines psychological support as a system of measures that increase adaptability to new living conditions. Psychological support is realized through optimization of the psychological and emotional state of a person [2]. Thus, we understand the concept of “psychological support” as measures to develop students’ adaptive capacities and resilience to adapt to new living conditions. To develop a psychological support program, we turned to the main activities of a practical psychologist [1]. The following stages of psychological support were identified: diagnostic, counseling, developmental and corrective, and educational.

To achieve this goal, work on psychological support for schoolchildren began on the basis of Kharkiv specialized schools of I-III degrees No. 18 (628 students in 23 classes) and No. 87 (826 students in 31 classes) of the Kharkiv City Council of the Kharkiv region. Classes were held once a month with each class separately with the participation of the class teacher.

At the diagnostic stage, we determined the existing level of maladjustment of students in grades 5-6 using the following methods: the Spielberg Anxiety Test (STAI), the T. Balashova Depression Scale in Adaptation, the author’s questionnaire for teachers, the projective methods “Man in the Rain” and “Metaphorical Self-Portrait (Plant).” To test the students, permission (verbal) was obtained in advance from the children’s parents or guardians. The following results were obtained: the general indicators according to T. Balashova’s methodology are at a low level, which indicates that children have the potential for recovery, show interest in new things and communication with others. The general indicators of social and personal anxiety are at a high (44% and 67%, respectively) and medium (56% and 33%, respectively) level, which indicates that children perceive the situation around them as very threatening and are unable to overcome their own despair and nervousness about it. A survey of teachers revealed that students’ cognitive abilities are depressed, with a decrease in interest in learning, deterioration of voluntary attention and long-term memory. Low and medium levels of adaptation to learning prevail (37% and 42%, respectively). Children are confused, do not know how to behave in a new threatening situation, and cannot control the situation. Projective techniques revealed the main strategies of schoolchildren’s behavior: immersion in themselves (fantastic plants), denial of the existing situation (plants under glass domes, in frames, behind fences), a feeling of loss of strength (plants with thin stems, plants without stems, plants that lose leaves/petals).

The obtained results made it possible to specify the tasks of the work at the counseling stage: to reduce the level of anxiety of students, to restore interest in learning and communication with peers and adults, a sense of control over their own lives, to develop productive strategies for interacting with the world around them. It should be noted that the solution of these tasks is impossible without the active participation of significant adults – parents and teachers. To this end, we provided individual and group counseling online via Google Meet, Zoom, Telegram, Viber, and by phone. Parents and teachers were provided with information related to: organizing the child’s living space, establishing work and rest regimes, as well as daily routines; conducting meaningful joint leisure activities – a general conversation lasting up to 5 minutes before school, joint games (“story chain”, board games); reading and discussing the day’s events before bedtime. Methods of reducing anxiety, calming and distracting children are presented for independent use: “Colored Palm”, “Funny Face”, “Turning into a Superhero”, “I am a Tree”, “Let’s Make an Animal”, “Safe for Fears”, “Traveling through the Rainbow”.

We considered the developmental and correctional stage as the main one in the entire system of psychological support for schoolchildren. Prevention was carried out by means of art therapy, which has a dual function: it creates a space for aesthetic pleasure and creative activity of children, and also serves as a tool for self-work, helps to immerse oneself in one’s own experiences, open up to new things, and reflect on difficult emotions and events [3]. Art therapy as a means of psychological support removes barriers between the psychologist and the applicants, between their conscious and unconscious.

During art therapy, a child has the opportunity to feel his or her own specialness and inner strength, which helps to be resilient, courageous and able to cope with any difficult situation and create an image of a happy future. Art therapy also helps to calm down, concentrate, face and overcome fear, go through problems and difficulties in an imaginary situation and overcome them. Drawing methods were used for the sessions, including “Spot of Fear,” “Metaphorical Self-Portrait,” “Place of Good Memories,” “My Coat of Arms and My Kingdom”; textual methods of storytelling and fairy tale therapy, including fantasy stories “The Hero’s Journey,” “The Story of My Family,” “Gratitude List,” and “The Story of Emotions.”

The experience of conducting art therapy meetings for psychological support suggests that drawing methods were equally enthusiastically received by all age groups of participants. Primary school and 5-6th grade students are extremely interested in presenting their artwork, getting feedback from the psychologist, class teacher and classmates, their mood rises, creative search begins, children finish stories and draw pictures, or create another artwork – a quarter of the participants do so. Children also turn to pleasant memories, which also improve their mood and promote productive strategies of communication and interaction. Often, classroom teachers and teachers present joined in the work on the drawings. Teachers noted that they liked art therapy classes for the following reasons: they help to distract from reality, problems, plunge into a fantasy world where everything is under control, give them the opportunity to dream; create an atmosphere of unity with students, provide a common topic for discussion during online breaks; evoke positive emotions, make them laugh, remind them of pleasant moments from childhood, and inspire them to use new ideas in their activities.

Text-based methods did not interest elementary school students, and only slightly interested students in grades 5-6. However, students in grades 7-9 showed great interest in creating stories and fairy tales, and some students rhymed their works.

In our opinion, this is due to the peculiarity of the cognitive processes of primary school and 5-6 grade students, who find it difficult to create a coherent literary text. Another peculiarity was the closedness of specialized secondary school students compared to basic secondary school students in demonstrating their works. More than a third of students in grades 10 and 11 refused to show their drawings in public or tell their stories, although they did not hesitate to present them to a practical psychologist. Among students in grades 5-9, this figure was about one-fifth, and in elementary school it was one-tenth. We see this as the desire of specialized secondary school students not to reveal their identity and true feelings to their classmates.

We saw the educational stage of pedagogical support as disseminating the experience gained among practical psychologists and teachers. Thus, an anti-crisis training was conducted for students, parents and teachers of Kharkiv Specialized School No. 18 of the Kharkiv City Council of the Kharkiv Region, Kharkiv Specialized School No. 87 of the Kharkiv City Council of the Kharkiv Region.

The peculiarity of the anti-crisis training is the combination of educational and psychological elements. The participants received information on relaxation techniques, grounding, emotional control and restoration of emotional balance. They practiced using the exercises: “Variety of activities”. “Conversation with an Idol”, muscle relaxation techniques “Spring Rain”, “Volcano of Anger”, “Shell”; relaxation exercises “Safe Place”, “Rainbow Travel”, “My Plans”, grounding techniques “5 Objects – 5 Feelings”, “I am a Plant”, “Safety Ball”. The training received positive feedback from the participants. They noted its relevance, practicality, accessible and visual presentation of information.

Thus, we have presented the experience of implementing psychological support for students, which consists of four stages: diagnostic, counseling, developmental and corrective, and educational. Testing the level of students’ adaptation, conducted after the implementation of the measures, revealed their effectiveness. A high level of adaptation to learning prevails (55%), while the level of medium- and low-adapted students decreased to 28% and 17%, respectively.

Prospects for further research are seen in the development of a complex for psychological support of pedagogical staff of general secondary education institutions.

List of references

1. Assonov D. Haustova O. Development of the concept of resistance in the scientific literature in recent years. Psychosomatic medicine and general practice. 2019. № 4. URL: https://uk.e-medjournal.com/index.php/psp/article/view/219 (accessed 09.11.2022).
2. Sinyavsky VV, Sergeienkova OP Psychological Dictionary / edited by N. Pobirchenko. Kyiv: Naukova svit, 2007. 336 с. С. 241.
3. Chekster O. Y. Application of the method of art therapy in providing psychological assistance to children who have experienced traumatic events. Psychological problems of creativity: a collection of materials. XXII International Scientific and Practical Conference (July 23, 2022) / edited by V. O. Moliako. Kyiv : H. S. Kostiuk Institute of Psychology of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, 2022. 292 с. С. 267-279.
4. On the activities of the psychological service in the education system in the academic year 2022/2023: Letter of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine dated 02.08.2022 № 1/8794-22. URL : https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/rada/show/v8794729-22#Text (accessed on 09.11.2022).