Evaluating a Movement-Based Mental Health Promotion Intervention for Refugee Children in Uganda: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

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Title: Evaluating a Movement-Based Mental Health Promotion Intervention for Refugee Children in Uganda: A Quasi-Experimental Study.
Authors: Bleile, Alexandra C. E. (AUTHOR), Koppenol-Gonzalez, Gabriela V. (AUTHOR), Orech, Bruce (AUTHOR), Verreault, Katia (AUTHOR), Jordans, Mark J. D. (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. Sep/Oct2025, Vol. 54 Issue 5, p592-607. 16p.
Subjects: Mental health, Refugee children, Field research, Well-being, Treatment effectiveness, Countries, Traumatism, Collective action
Geographic Terms: Uganda
Abstract: Objective: Mental health promotion interventions are widely implemented in humanitarian settings and low- and middle-income contexts (LMICs), yet evidence on effectiveness is scarce and mixed. This study evaluated the movement-based mental health promotion intervention "TeamUp" in Bidibidi refugee settlement, in Northern Uganda. Method: A quasi-experimental study including four schools (two per arm) assessed the outcomes of 10- to 15-year-old South Sudanese and Ugandan children (n = 549). Randomly allocated, they either participated in up to 11 TeamUp sessions (n = 265) provided by trained facilitators; or belonged to a control group, which continued care as usual (n = 284). Primary outcomes measured psychosocial wellbeing, friendships and attitude to school; secondary outcomes included traumatic distress, depressive symptoms, quality of life, physical health, bullying, interoceptive awareness, and irritability. Data were collected at baseline and endline. Results: Children joining TeamUp, showed significantly more improvements on primary outcomes: emotional and psychosocial wellbeing (Mdiff = −1.49, SE = 0.6, p =.01), satisfaction with and attitude toward school (−0.57, SE = 0.2, p =.004); and secondary outcomes: traumatic stress (2.64, SE = 0.8, p <.001), health-related quality of life (−1.56, SE = 0.4, p =.001), physical health (−0.78, SE = 0.3, p =.014) and the TeamUp mechanisms of action scale (−3.34, SE = 0.9, p <.001), specifically the subscales social connectedness (−0.74, SE = 0.3, p =.007) and sense of agency (−0.91, SE = 0.3, p =.005), compared to the control group. No significant differences were found on bullying, interoceptive awareness, irritability and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The results are promising for TeamUp as a mental health promotion intervention for children affected by armed-conflict, displacement and on-going adversity. Further research will need to assess the intervention's effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Evaluating a Movement-Based Mental Health Promotion Intervention for Refugee Children in Uganda: A Quasi-Experimental Study.
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  Data: Objective: Mental health promotion interventions are widely implemented in humanitarian settings and low- and middle-income contexts (LMICs), yet evidence on effectiveness is scarce and mixed. This study evaluated the movement-based mental health promotion intervention &quot;TeamUp&quot; in Bidibidi refugee settlement, in Northern Uganda. Method: A quasi-experimental study including four schools (two per arm) assessed the outcomes of 10- to 15-year-old South Sudanese and Ugandan children (n = 549). Randomly allocated, they either participated in up to 11 TeamUp sessions (n = 265) provided by trained facilitators; or belonged to a control group, which continued care as usual (n = 284). Primary outcomes measured psychosocial wellbeing, friendships and attitude to school; secondary outcomes included traumatic distress, depressive symptoms, quality of life, physical health, bullying, interoceptive awareness, and irritability. Data were collected at baseline and endline. Results: Children joining TeamUp, showed significantly more improvements on primary outcomes: emotional and psychosocial wellbeing (Mdiff = −1.49, SE = 0.6, p =.01), satisfaction with and attitude toward school (−0.57, SE = 0.2, p =.004); and secondary outcomes: traumatic stress (2.64, SE = 0.8, p &lt;.001), health-related quality of life (−1.56, SE = 0.4, p =.001), physical health (−0.78, SE = 0.3, p =.014) and the TeamUp mechanisms of action scale (−3.34, SE = 0.9, p &lt;.001), specifically the subscales social connectedness (−0.74, SE = 0.3, p =.007) and sense of agency (−0.91, SE = 0.3, p =.005), compared to the control group. No significant differences were found on bullying, interoceptive awareness, irritability and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The results are promising for TeamUp as a mental health promotion intervention for children affected by armed-conflict, displacement and on-going adversity. Further research will need to assess the intervention&#39;s effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: &lt;i&gt;Copyright of Journal of Clinical Child &amp; Adolescent Psychology is the property of Taylor &amp; Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder&#39;s express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.&lt;/i&gt; (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/15374416.2024.2330073
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 592
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mental health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Refugee children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Field research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Well-being
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      – SubjectFull: Treatment effectiveness
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      – SubjectFull: Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Traumatism
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      – SubjectFull: Collective action
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      – SubjectFull: Uganda
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Evaluating a Movement-Based Mental Health Promotion Intervention for Refugee Children in Uganda: A Quasi-Experimental Study.
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              Text: Sep/Oct2025
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