A teacher-led classroom intervention in an area of Mexico experiencing community violence: A controlled mixed-method feasibility study

TL;DR

A ten-minute teacher-led stress-reduction intervention improved reading and math grades in Mexican adolescents living in a high-violence area, but did not reduce trauma symptoms.

Contribution

This study explores the feasibility of using thought field therapy in schools to improve academic performance in high-violence communities.

Findings

Treatment group showed large improvements in reading and math scores.

Control group experienced moderate math score decline and no reading change.

PTSD scores did not improve in the treatment group over five months.

Abstract

We aimed to explore the effectiveness of a daily ten-minute teacher-led group thought field therapy stress-reduction intervention on middle-school adolescents residing in an area experiencing high levels of interpersonal and community violence. We hypothesized that it would lead to a reduction of trauma symptoms and improve grades in reading and math.

In this double-masked feasibility study, adolescents in one school received a daily teacher-led thought field therapy intervention, and children in a different school served as an active waitlist group and received the same amount of time in a daily unguided drawing activity. The schools were geographically distant to prevent cross-contamination.

Due to differences between groups in PTSD and academic performance prior to intervention, differences within each school’s scores over time were calculated and compared to each other for indirect assessment of effect. PTSD scores at the treatment school showed no lasting change at five months, while the control school showed moderate improvement. Adolescents in the treatment group demonstrated large improvements in both reading and math. Adolescents in the control group demonstrated moderate decrease in math, and no change in reading.

Preliminary evidence gained in this study suggests that a teacher-led ten-minute group thought field therapy exercise might assist adolescents’ learning in reading and math. However, in an area experiencing ongoing interpersonal and community violence, a more multicomponent approach with longer periods of intervention, caretaker involvement and individual therapy for those who might benefit from it, may be needed.

Study registration number: ISRCTN10548974.

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