| Abstract [eng] |
Miglė Vilaitė. Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Health Promotion intervention: BrainRx Training Program. Master thesis. Supervisor − Dr. Aušra Beržanskytė, Institute of Health Sciences, Vilnius University, Department of Public Health. Vilnius, 2024; 69p. Justification: Nowadays, more and more children experience learning difficulties. Health promotion interventions are needed to discover the causes of learning problems and to address them. Cognitive training can comprehensively improve children's health. Aim: to evaluate the impact of the “BrainRx” program on children aged 6–17 years. Tasks: 1. To evaluate the effectiveness of the “BrainRx” program on children's cognitive skills. 2. To reveal the benefits of the BrainRx program for children through the experiences of the program trainers. Methodology: In the mixed−methods study the subjects are children aged 6–17 years who have attended the “BrainRx” program. The sources of information: the confidential data from the “BrainRx Student Management” data system in the quantitative study and the coaches' perspectives as revealed by semi−structured interviews in the qualitative study. Results and conclusions: 1. “BrainRx” method is effective in developing cognitive skills. The change in all cognitive skills for children aged 6−17 was statistically significant. The changes in Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Auditory Processing skill are estimated at very large effect sizes. The age dependence of cognitive achievement was found between several age groups: children aged 10–13 years showed better performance in the Auditory Processing ability, when compared separately with children 6–9 and 14–17 years old. 2. “BrainRx” training program improves children's mental health. BrainRx training program improves mental, specifically, emotional health by contributing to the development of individual qualities: self−esteem, emotional resilience, responsibility, self−sufficiency, creativity, etc. Children have better self−awareness and self−expression, acceptance of mistakes and failures, new hobbies, and better academic and sporting achievements. “BrainRx” training program improves mental, specifically, social health: the need to communicate increases and relationships with parents, friends and others become closer. The increased effectiveness of “BrainRx” training program is due to the orientation towards an empathetic and supportive relationship between a coach and a child, an educational environment that allows for the development of togetherness and relationships, and a methodology that is based on individual attention, consistency and rising intensity. |
