Animation-Based Breathing Therapy for School-Age Children

Animation-Based Breathing Therapy for Children: A Novel Approach for School Settings

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the efficacy of animation-based breathing therapy on the physical (cough strength, chest expansion, and walking speed) and psychological health (perceived stress level, well-being, and attention) of school-age children.

One hundred thirty school-age children, aged between 8 and 12, will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: an animation-based breathing therapy group or a control group. The intervention group will receive animation-based breathing therapy for six weeks (two sessions per day, five days per week). Assessments will be conducted at baseline and at the end of the six-week period. Cough strength will be measured using a peak expiratory flow meter. Chest expansion will be assessed with a measuring tape at the axillary, epigastric, and subcostal levels. Walking speed will be evaluated using the 10-Meter Walk Test. Perceived stress will be assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale for Children, well-being will be measured using the WHO-5 Child Wellbeing Index, and attention will be assessed using the Bourdon Attention Test.

Inclusion Criteria:

-- Children aged between 8 and 12 years,

• Attending school and formal education regularly,
• Volunteers whose parents and themselves agreed to participate after being informed about the purpose of the study and the procedures involved, and who provided written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children with any condition that may prevent them from completing self-reported questionnaires during the assessment (e.g., difficulty in understanding forms, physical disabilities, illiteracy),
• History of any upper or lower extremity injury within the past six months,
• History of any upper or lower extremity surgery within the past six months,
• Presence of any soft tissue disorder,
• Diagnosed with serious gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematological disorders following examination by a specialist physician,
• Diagnosed spinal problems such as scoliosis, kyphosis, or kyphoscoliosis,
• Diagnosed with psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or autism spectrum disorder,
• History of epilepsy or serious head trauma,
• Current use of psychotropic medications.