Introduction: Children are at greater danger in natural disasters and thus require more help than adults. This research assessed the effectiveness of the intervention provided by the SAHAR units of the Red Crescent Youth Organization and child-friendly spaces in reducing behavioral disorders in children aged 3 to 12 years, one year after the flood that occurred in Lorestan Province, Iran.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study employed a causal-comparative design. The statistical population included all children aged 3 to 12 years who were affected by the 2019 flood in Lorestan Province. A convenience sampling method was applied, and the sample (105 children; 35 in each group) included parents or caregivers of children receiving services from the SAHAR team (first case group), children using child-friendly space services (second case group), and children reporting no benefit from services (control group). Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Data analysis was conducted using analysis of variance and the Kruskal-Wallis test.
Results: The control group showed higher average aggression levels compared to the other groups. The SAHAR team group exhibited higher levels of attention problems, emotional reactivity, social problems, anxiety/depression, somatic complaints, and withdrawal. The child-friendly space group had lower mean scores for all these variables. Among children aged 6 to 12 years, those who received services from the SAHAR team had the highest mean scores for all behavioral variables, whereas the child-friendly space group had the lowest.
Conclusion: Children in the child-friendly space group exhibited significantly fewer behavioral problems than those who received interventions from the SAHAR team or no services at all. Hence, medium-term supportive interventions, like child-friendly spaces, in critical situations following natural disasters have positive effects on the social and mental health of affected children.