The Effect of Eco-Therapy Intervention on Children’s Fantasy and Aggression Among Early School-Aged Children.

A survey of over 46,000 participants in India found that 61% of urban parents noticed excessive social media use in their children, leading to aggression, impatience, and reduced attention spans (New Indian Express, 2023). This phenomenon, linked to "Nature-Deficit Disorder," highlights the crucial role of nature in fostering cognitive, emotional, and motor development in children (Louv, 2008; WHO, 2021). The aim of the present study was to explore the impact of Ecotherapy on Children's Fantasy and Aggression among early school aged children. The study employed a Quasi Experimental pre-test and post-test, experimental control group Design. A sample of 8-9-year-old children from a school in Pune, Maharashtra, was selected through purposive sampling. The study used the Children’s Fantasy Inventory (CFI) and the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Scale (RPQ) to assess fantasy and aggression, respectively. The tests were translated into Marathi and administered through paper and pencil means. The study hypothesized that children in the experimental group would show significant increases in fantasy and reductions in aggression compared to the control group. The intervention lasted 7 days, with the experimental group participating in activities such as nature walks and nature art, while the control group engaged in regular activities. Data were analysed using JASP software (Version 0.19.1). Descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to compare gain scores on fantasy and aggression between the two groups. The findings indicated that the experimental group had higher gain scores on children's fantasy, with a mean of 1.575 and a standard deviation (SD) of 8.233, as compared to the control group, which had a mean of 0.850 and an SD of 12.563. The findings indicated that the experimental group had lower gain scores on aggression, with a mean of -2.756 and a standard deviation (SD) of 5.864, as compared to the control group, which had a mean of -2.050 and an SD of 8.776. However, the results were not statistically significant, with a p-value of 0.600 on Children’s Fantasy and 0.795 on Aggression. Thus, this study contributes to future research targeted at examining the long-term impacts of ecotherapy on child development and offers important preliminary insights into the short-term impact of ecotherapy on children's fantasy and aggression.