[Resilient Children: Evaluation of a Programme to Promote Resilience in Kindergarten and Elementary School]. / Resiliente Kinder: Evaluation eines Programms zur Förderung der Resilienz in der Elementar- und Primarpädagogik.

In the project "Resilient Children", a resilience promotion program for kindergartens and elementary schools was directly applied and evaluated during the COVID-19-crisis.The aim of the study was to strengthen the three sources of resilience according to Grotberg (1995) I HAVE, I AM and I CAN through targeted exercises and resilience-promoting communication (transfer to everyday life). Additionally, gender differences with regard to the effect of the programme were addressed. "Resilient Children" was evaluated at the impact level (pre-post design) and process level. Eight kindergartens and three elementary schools with 125 children participated. A total of 122 teachers and 70 parents provided information about the children. The results at the impact level showed that from the parent and teacher perspective, and from the self-perspective (children), the three sources of resilience were significantly strengthened. With regard to gender differences, the results from the perspective of teachers and parents showed that girls were characterised by greater changes than boys. Compared to the girls, the physical andmental well-being of the boys improved fromthe parents' point of view. The results of the process evaluation revealed a high level of motivation and enthusiasm for participation in the programme on the part of participating children and teachers. The success of "Resilient Children" depends on the identification of the teachers with the program.

Children's Mental Health During the First Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Burden, Risk Factors and Posttraumatic Growth - A Mixed-Methods Parents' Perspective.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying containment measures such as physical distancing and school closures led to major changes in children's everyday lives. By means of a mixed-methods study, the "Tyrolean COVID-19 Children's Study" investigated the effects of the pandemic and factors influencing mental health and health-related quality of life of North Tyrolean (Austria) and South Tyrolean (Italy) children aged 3-13 years. Parents filled out N = 2,691 online questionnaires (951 preschool children: 3-6 years; 1,740 schoolchildren: 7-13 years) at four measurement time points (March 2020, December 2020, June 2021, December 2021). For both age groups, children's mental health outcomes (internalising problems, posttraumatic stress symptoms) were worse in December 2021 (t4) than children's mental health outcomes in March 2020 (t1). With regard to aggressive behaviour, this difference was only found among schoolchildren. Thematic analysis of an open ended, written question revealed the following positive changes in children during the Corona crisis: (1) the importance of intra- and extra-familial relationships, (2) new competences and experiences, (3) values and virtues, (4) use of time, and (5) family strength. Using multilevel modelling, threat experience, economic disruption, and perceived posttraumatic growth were shown to be the strongest predictors of all outcomes. Additionally, male gender was shown to be a predictor of aggressive behaviour. In terms of age, schoolchildren showed more internalising problems, aggressive behaviour, and threat experience than preschool children. With regard to time, parents in December 2021 reported more threat experience in older children and less perceived posttraumatic growth in both older and younger children, than parents at the beginning of the pandemic. Targeted support for vulnerable children may prevent longer-term development of psychopathologies and contribute to society's psychosocial resilience in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, sustainable promotion of children's posttraumatic growth can also contribute to children's mental health and could even offer a chance to turn the crisis into an opportunity.