Martial Arts‐Based Curriculum Reduces Stress, Emotional, and Behavioral Problems in Elementary Schoolchildren During the <scp>COVID</scp>‐19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study

Marusak, Hilary A.; Borg, Breanna; Morales, Austin; Smith, Jamila Carrington; Blankenship, Kelly; Allen, Junior Lloyd; Goldberg, Elimelech; Bluth, Martin H.

doi:10.1111/mbe.12307

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Our research shows that martial arts‐based programs can reduce pain and emotional distress in children with cancer, sickle cell, other chronic health conditions, and their siblings (Marusak et al, 2020). We have also demonstrated that a martial arts‐based school program was associated with reduced stress and COVID‐19‐related anxieties in predominantly Black, lower SES elementary school students (Marusak et al, 2022). Using neuroimaging, we found that greater trait mindfulness was associated with lower anxiety and increased markers of neural flexibility in children (Marusak et al, 2018).…”

Section: Mind–body Interventions: the “What” “How” And “Why”mentioning

confidence: 85%

Strong mind, strong body: The promise of mind–body interventions to address growing mental health needs among youth

Grasser

Marusak

2023

Mental Health Science

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As the prevalence of childhood and adolescent anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns continues to rise, there has been an unprecedented increase in support of mind-body practices like yoga, dance, meditation, mindfulness, aerobic exercise, and more-in part driven by the mental health burden imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.While a growing body of evidence supports the safety and effectiveness of mind-body approaches, gaps in funding for and empirical research on mechanistic underpinnings, methodology development to assess multicomponent therapeutic practices, dissemination and implementation, and diversity in researchers, practitioners, and recipients remain. As a consequence, the neurobiological impacts of mind-body techniques are not well understood nor broadly accepted as standard forms of care by clinicians and insurers-often being considered as "alternative" rather than "complementary" or "integrative." In this commentary, we summarize work from our labs and others highlighting the promise of mind-body approaches for improving mental health in youth, in line with the National Institute of Mental Health's strategic plan to address health disparities. We offer a potential framework for implementation and research-the Expressive Therapies Continuum. We also propose solutions to key research and policy gaps, that by could have positive public health impacts for those who are struggling and to prevent emergence of psychiatric illness, especially in developing youth.

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Section: Mind–body Interventions: the “What” “How” And “Why”mentioning

confidence: 85%

Strong mind, strong body: The promise of mind–body interventions to address growing mental health needs among youth

Grasser

Marusak

2023

Mental Health Science

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“…Recentemente, os autores Marusak et al (2022) testaram a capacidade de influência dessas atividades na inteligência emocional de estudantes. O resultado do experimento constatou melhora nas condições emocionais, de estresse e diminuição do medo relacionado ao contexto da pandemia em crianças escolares submetidas a um protocolo controlado de cinco meses de prática de artes marciais incluídas no currículo escolar.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Significados da prática do Jiu-jítsu na escola: percepção de estudantes no contexto de pandemia da covid-19

Gasparotto

2022

Rev. Bras. Ciênc. Esporte

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RESUMO O objetivo do estudo foi compreender significados atribuídos pelos estudantes à prática do jiu-jítsu em um projeto escolar, sobre sentimentos e emoções durante a pandemia de covid-19, a partir da análise de discurso de um grupo focal formado por oito participantes de um projeto de extensão da modalidade de jiu-jítsu, com auxílio do software Iramuteq. Identificaram-se três classes e seis subclasses de palavras relacionadas que, em conjunto com a análise de similitude destes termos, demonstraram as percepções e significações que os estudantes atribuíram à experiência no projeto. Para os estudantes, os ensinamentos da modalidade e experiências no projeto escolar puderam auxiliar a mitigar efeitos emocionais negativos, resultantes do isolamento social.

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“…Parents or legal guardians (hereafter “caregivers”) in the participating grades and schools were given an information sheet about the study at the beginning of the 2019–2020 school year. Children ( N = 292 total, including 170 Black) completed baseline assessments in the classroom in October 2019 using Qualtrics survey software as part of a larger study (see Marusak et al, 2022). After COVID‐19‐related school shutdowns in March 2020, children and one caregiver were invited to complete remote follow‐up surveys in both May and August of 2020.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of caregivers on COVID‐19 fears, behaviors, and perceived impact in a majority Black American sample of children

Bhogal,

Heeter,

Gowatch

et al. 2024

Mental Health Science

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Caregivers may play an essential role in buffering and/or exacerbating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) fears and behaviors in youth. However, few studies have examined these associations in children from racial or ethnic minority groups, who have been historically marginalized and may be disproportionately susceptible to psychological consequences. Here, we examined the associations among caregivers and children in COVID‐19‐related fears, behaviors, and impact in a majority Black (71.9%) sample of children. Children (N = 64, 24 females, ages 7–10 years) were recruited from three Detroit, Michigan‐area schools during the 2019–2020 school year. Following school shutdowns in March 2020, children and their caregivers were invited to complete remote surveys in May and August 2020. We examined the associations among child and caregiver COVID‐19‐related fears, preventive behaviors, and perceived impact. We also examined whether aspects of the caregiver–child relationship (i.e., closeness, conflicts) moderated these associations. Caregiver–child fears about social distancing, preventive behaviors, and the perceived impact of COVID‐19 were positively correlated. The positive correlation between caregiver–child preventive behaviors strengthened over time and was moderated by caregiver–child closeness. These findings suggest that caregivers may impact fear as well as preventive behaviors and perceived impact of the pandemic in marginalized youth.

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Martial Arts‐Based Curriculum Reduces Stress, Emotional, and Behavioral Problems in Elementary Schoolchildren During the COVID‐19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study

Cited by 7 publications

References 19 publications

Strong mind, strong body: The promise of mind–body interventions to address growing mental health needs among youth

Strong mind, strong body: The promise of mind–body interventions to address growing mental health needs among youth

Significados da prática do Jiu-jítsu na escola: percepção de estudantes no contexto de pandemia da covid-19

The impact of caregivers on COVID‐19 fears, behaviors, and perceived impact in a majority Black American sample of children

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