This master's thesis aims to evaluate the implementation of the Dobro sem mental health promotion workshops for children in Slovenian primary schools.
In the theoretical part, I define childhood mental health and examine the various life circumstances that influence it. I analyse children’s vulnerability, their dependence on protective and risk factors in their environment, and the importance of psychological resilience. Additionally, I review the development of mental health distress and disorders in children, their prevalence in Slovenia, and various approaches to supporting children in distress. The thesis further explores the influence of the school environment on children’s mental health, the protective and risk factors within this environment, and existing practices for safeguarding mental health in Slovenian primary schools. Finally, I present the preventive program Dobro sem and provide a detailed description of its module designed for children aged 6 to 12.
The empirical part is based on a qualitative study, which included three focus groups with 11 participants who implemented the Dobro sem children’s module in Slovenian primary schools in 2021. Based on the collected data, I evaluated the program’s implementation in Slovenian primary schools, focusing on participants’ perspectives regarding the content and delivery of the workshops within the school setting and the selected target group, the program’s reach among vulnerable children, its contributions and potential improvements. Findings indicate that this type of content is crucial in schools and highly suitable for the target group. The prevailing opinion is that the workshops effectively reach even the most vulnerable children. Each participant benefits in various ways from workshops, such as a sense of belonging, new knowledge, positive experiences, support, a sense of being heard and a place to express their thoughts and feelings. The biggest challenges in implementation relate to workshop organization, as the school system lacks flexibility in incorporating new content into the curriculum. Additionally, participants suggested improvements to the evaluation process, as they find the existing form not particularly useful.
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