On March 19, 2020, the Argentine Government  decreed mandatory preventive isolation as a necessary measure to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Argentina. The decree established that all Argentine inhabitants must remain in their homes and established the prohibition of moving in public spaces and of holding meetings. Thus, work activities in the usual places, attendance to educational institutions, and public worship activities were all interrupted, and the country’s borders were closed.

These measures were extended in Argentina for 4 months, causing an important change in the dynamics of work for adults, in the learning process for children and adolescents, and modifications in the way of interacting with family members. In addition, the lack of social relationships began to affect negatively the psychic health of young people and adults. In fact, according to the report developed by the National University of Mar del Plata, in which almost 15,000 people participated, 82% said they were concerned about health, 35% indicated concern about the emotional impact that quarantine had on them. while 37% claimed to have symptoms of depression.

Motivated by this social reality and with the intention of promoting the psychic health of young people, Dr. Belén Mesurado, Researcher at CONICET and Austral University, together with her team made the Hero program available to a group of families. This program was developed thanks to a grant from the Templeton World Charity Foundation.

During the mandatory quarantine, around 100 Argentine teenagers from 12 to 15 years old participated in ‘Hero’. The application of Hero from the home of adolescents through our website www.herointervention.com seeks to mitigate the negative effects of social isolation on the mental health of young people.

The results of the study showed that children who participated in Hero improved their family ties with their parents and siblings by adopting empathy, that is, the ability to put themselves in the place of others, understanding their points of view, and sharing their emotions or feelings. Hero helped them to behave better in solidarity by putting themselves at the service of their parents and siblings with whom they live during isolation. The program also helped them improve their emotional state by promoting spaces for reflection and favoring joy, states of relaxation, and states of gratitude over the opportunities they have, for their families, etc.

Note: All differences were statistically significant with a probability of error of 1%.

 

We also share some testimonies that the adolescents who participated in the study left us:

 

 

A scientific article is currently in preparation on the effectiveness of the program in Argentine youth during the quarantine period.