| Abstract [eng] |
Childhood violence and neglect are among the most traumatic experiences, causing not only short-term but also long-term consequences, especially when violence is experienced constantly. Living in conditions of threat and lack of security can cause continuous traumatic stress reactions, manifested in a reduced sense of security, lack of trust, emotional exhaustion, social isolation, and difficulties in regulating emotions. However, not all adolescents who have experienced violence experience difficulties – some of them are resilient. Such adaptation can be strengthened by various factors, including violence prevention programs that promote children’s protective factors. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the impact of the violence prevention program “We are safe” on continuous traumatic stress reactions and psychological resilience. The study involved 14-17-year-old Lithuanian school students (N=81; in the control group, n=44, of which 50% were girls; in the exposure group, n=37, of which 51.4% were girls). The instruments used in the study were: “Child & Youth Resilience Measure-Revised”, “The Continuous Traumatic Stress Response Scale” and “Abuse”. A cluster random experiment design with control and exposure groups was chosen for the study. Results: participation in the violence prevention program “We are Safe” reduced the fear and helplessness reactions of adolescents who had experienced violence in their lifetime and in the past 2 months; reduced the exhaustion and detachment reactions of adolescents who had experienced violence for more than 2 months; the program did not affect the psychological resilience of adolescents who had experienced violence. |
