The Effect of an Online Live Group Program with Greek Traditional Dances on State Anxiety and Self-Esteem

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of an online live group program with Greek traditional dances on the self-esteem and anxiety of the participants. The research involved 147 people, 43 men and 104 women, aged 49,73±8,141 years old, members of Cultural Clubs. The participants were randomly divided into the experimental group (N=75) and the control group (N=72). The experimental group participated in online live group lessons of Greek traditional dances, through the online platform ZOOM, twice a week. Each lesson had a 45-minute duration and the program lasted 12 weeks, during the quarantine imposed due to COVID-19. During the same period of 12 weeks, the control group continued its daily life in quarantine. The participants in both groups completed the Heatherton and Polivy (1991) State Self-Esteem Scale to measure performance self-esteem, social self-esteem and appearance self-esteem, as well as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-FORM X-1 by Spielberger et al. (1970) for the measurement of state anxiety, before and after the 12-week period. The processing of the data showed that after participating in the online live group program of Greek traditional dances, the participants in the experimental group significantly increased their performance self-esteem (t=-7,75, p<0,001), social self-esteem (t=-5,23, p<0,001), and appearance self-esteem (t=-5,67, p<0,001), but they significantly reduced their state anxiety (t=7,33, p<0,001). Regarding the participants in the control group, after the 12-week period, the studied variables moved in the undesirable direction, as evidenced by the reduction in self-esteem factors and the increase in state anxiety. The results show that participating in Greek traditional dance group programs, which are conducted live online, affects positively the self-esteem and state anxiety of the participants. Consequently, during these difficult health times that the whole world is experiencing, participating in online live group programs of Greek traditional dance may improve the participants’ psychological state, offering at the same time the solution on the one hand to distance oneself from other people and on the other hand to come in contact with people.

Psychosocial Assistance Through a Support Group Program as a Strategy for Handling Adolescent Social Problems in the Village of Merak Belantung, South Lampung

Tujuan dari kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini adalah membantu meningkatkan kesadaran remaja tentang pentingnya sehat secara sosial serta membantu pemerintah Daerah Lampung Selatan mengurangi permasalahan-permasalahan sosial khususnya masalah sosial remaja. Masa remaja merupakan masa transisi dari masa anak-anak ke masa dewasa. Dianggap dewasa belum, dianggap anak-anak juga bukan. Oleh karenanya remaja perlu didampingi secara psikososial supaya remaja bisa berkembang secara baik dan sesuai yang diharapkan oleh orang tua. Salah satu permasalahan remaja adalah masalah pencarian jati diri. Melihat situasai seperti ini timbul keiginan untuk mendampingi remaja dan bekerjasama dengan para tokoh masyarakat di Desa Merak Belantung Lampung Selatan untuk memberikan bimbingan dan penyuluhan serta pendampingan kepada para remaja warga di desa tersebut. Hal itu dilakukan supaya warga sadar akan pentingnya sehat secara sosial dan membantu pemerintah mengatasi masalah sosial remaja. Metode kegiatan untuk pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini menggunakan program Support Group, yang didalamnya akan ada kegiatan bimbingan, penyuluhan dan pendampingan psikososial kepada remaja di Desa Merak Belantung Lampung Selatan. Jika ini terealisir maka insyaalah permasalahan sosial remaja di Desa Merak Belantung Lampung Selatan akan teratasi. Salah satu kebanggaan kota Desa Merak Belantung adalah memiliki banyak tempat wisata yang ramai dikunjungi oleh para wisatawan baik lokal maupun domestik bahkan internasional. Keberadaan pariwisata tersebut idealnya memberi kontribusi kepada masyarakat khususnya remaja untuk berfikir dan bertindak sesuai norma-norma sosial masyarakat Desa Merak Belantung Lampung Selatan. Kenyataannya para remaja malah terpengaruh dengan lingkungan wisata yang relatif bebas tersebut. Disinilah urgensi pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini dilakukan. Keberadaan tempat wisata seharusnya tidak mengurangi untuk menjadi remaja yang sholeh secara pribadi, sosial dan spiritual. Kesimpulan dari pengabdian ini adalah (1) Support group therapy yang diberikan membuat informan mengenali dirinya, memahami bahwa setiap orang memiliki kelebihan dan kekurangan dan juga sejarah masing-masing, serta bisa menerima dirinya; (2) Support group therapy yang telah dilaksanakan mampu memberikan fungsi terapeutiknya terhadap kelompok, yaitu sebagai faktor dukungan (supportive factors), faktor keterbukaan diri dan katarsis, faktor belajar kebijaksanaan atau kearifan dari anggota kelompok lainnya, serta faktor-faktor psikologis yang berkaitan dengan bagaimana menjalin hubungan dengan orang lain dan bagaimana memahami diri sendiri.

IMPLEMENTASI KEBIJAKAN PROGRAM GOTONG ROYONG DI KECAMATAN SEBERANG ULU 1 KOTA PALEMBANG PROVINSI SUMATRA SELATAN

Kesadaran masyarakat akan lingkungan di Kota Palembang selama dua tahun terakhir mengakibatkan kurang maksimal fungsionalisasi sungai. Berangkat dari fenomena ini, Pemerintah Kota Palembang mengeluarkan Peraturan Wali Kota Palembang No. 14 Tahun 2019 tentang Pelaksanaan Gotong Royong Tingkat Kota, Kecamatan, Mandiri dan RT/RW. Selama 5 tahun terakhir, peraturan tersebut mengalami perubahan dari tahun ke tahun untuk memaksimalkan gotong royong di tengah masyarakat. Ditemui kendala seperti kurangnya sarana prasarana yang mendukung kegiatan, sedikitnya sosialisasi yang diterima masyarakat, dan kendala lain. Untuk itu, penulis tertarik meneliti tentang Implementasi Kebijakan Program Gotong Royong di Kecamatan Seberang Ulu 1 Kota Palembang Provinsi Sumatra Selatan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui implementasi kebijakan program gotong royong di Kecamatan Seberang Ulu 1 Kota Palembang dengan berdasar pada teori Syukur. Desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif dan pendekatan induktif. Teknik pengumpulan data yang dilakukan dengan wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan teori utama Syukur yang dilihat dari empat dimensi yaitu Lingkungan, Target Group, Program, Unsur Pelaksana. Hasil penelitian ini disimpulkan bahwa implementasi kebijakan program gotong royong di Kecamatan Seberang Ulu 1 Kota Palembang sudah berjalan sesuai prosedur sebagaimana yang diatur dalam peraturan terkait pelaksanaan program gotong royong namun belum optimal. Dalam pelaksanaannya terdapat beberapa faktor pendukung, yakni dana/anggaran yang disediakan khusus dari APBD dan FKPD Kota Palembang yang turun langsung dalam pelaksanaan gotong-royong, Selain itu juga terdapat beberapa faktor penghambat, yakni masih kurangnya kesadaran masyarakat untuk ikut serta dalam pelaksanaan gotong royong, masih kurangnya kedisiplinan aparat pemerintah, dan sarana dan prasarana yang belum memadai.

Self-compassion in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for chronic pain: a pilot study

Objectives Evidence shows that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an empirically supported psychological approach for chronic pain (CP) management. Although self-compassion is not explicitly a target of ACT, it seems to be one mechanism of change in ACT for CP. However, research is lacking on the benefits of including explicit self-compassionate exercises in ACT for CP. The current study pilot tested a Compassionate ACT 8-session group program (COMP.ACT; n=9), as well as an ACT-only 8-session group program (ACT; n=7), in a sample of women with CP. Methods The current study follows a quasi-experimental design, and conducts Reliable and Significant Change analyses comparing pre- to post-intervention scores of self-report measures. Results No differences were found between conditions at baseline, nor between completers and drop-outs. Although preliminary, results showed COMP.ACT led to greater clinical improvements in depression and anxiety, while ACT led to greater improvements in stress and uncompassionate self-responding. Reliable and Significant Change analysis showed that some participants improved significantly (in psychopathological symptoms, valued living and uncompassionate self-responding) in both conditions, while the majority did not change significantly. Conclusions More research is needed to conclude whether explicit self-compassion exercises are useful in ACT for CP. Limitations and implications are further discussed.

LinkAGES Colorado: Evaluation of Intergenerational Programs to Improve Connections Across All Ages

LinkAGES: Colorado is a collaborative group of multi-sector organizations (e.g., libraries, non-profit service organizations, nursing homes) that uses a capacity-building approach to support the offering of intergenerational programs and evaluation of outcomes over time and across programs. Since 2018, LinkAGES has implemented 20 intergenerational programs involving various activities (e.g., music and art therapy, sharing cultural traditions), across settings, and across modalities (in-person and online). Ages of program participants ranged from 5 months to 96 years old. This study evaluated change in connectedness between generations over time. Participants (n=118) completed pre- and post-program ratings on social connection (i.e., level of intergenerational engagement, self-perception of extent of feeling connected, and self-perception of impact on someone from another generation) on a 4-point Likert scale. Paired sample t-test results indicated that programs significantly improved engagement and perceived impact. Using multiple regression analyses, we tested change over time for each outcome controlling for participant age group, program host setting, and program modality. A greater positive change in level of engagement occurred for older adults and in-person programs. Additionally, feelings of connection and perceived impact significantly improved over time when controlling for age group, program modality, and program host setting, with age group as a significant covariate. This study demonstrates the impact of intergenerational programs on social connectedness across a wider network of organizations than much of the extant literature. While the positive outcomes are promising and consistent across LinkAGES programs and existing literature, further exploration of age group differences should be considered.