26isfam035 10.3205/26isfam035 urn:nbn:de:0183-26isfam0356 Meeting Abstract Salvadori Salvadori Eliala A EA

RED NOSES International Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, Italy Department of Psychology, University of Miami

author de Faveri de Faveri Silvia S

RED NOSES International

author Eltanamly Eltanamly Hend H

Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

author Albuquerque Albuquerque Sara S

HEI-Lab - Digital Human Environment Interaction Lab, Lusófona University

author Sajnani Sajnani Nisha N

Department of Music and Performing Arts, New York University Jameel Arts & Health Lab

author Papadatou Papadatou Danai D

Department of Nursing, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

author Presaghi Presaghi Fabio F

Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

author German Medical Science GMS Publishing House

Düsseldorf

610 20260612 engl This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Dieser Artikel ist ein Open-Access-Artikel und steht unter den Lizenzbedingungen der Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (Namensnennung). M0652 035 International Society for Arts and Medicine The Healing Arts – Forging Alliances of Arts & Medicine Presentation Abstracts Berlin 20260618 20260620 26isfam035 TextHumanitarian field workers operating in protracted crisis settings face chronic exposure to traumatic events, resource scarcity, and emotional exhaustion - from heavy workloads to prolonged separation from family and friends, to safety risks - conditions that erode individual well-being and organizational capacity. Such sustained strain elevates risk for a range of mental health conditions; yet evidence-based psychosocial interventions remain scant, particularly arts-based approaches.This ongoing study evaluates healthcare clowning as a novel strategy for supporting socio-emotional well-being among humanitarian workers engaged in refugee care in Lesvos, Greece - a primary entry point for migrants via the Eastern Mediterranean route. Rooted in positive psychology frameworks, the research examines how intrapersonal strategies (dispositional happiness, hope, gratitude, emotion regulation, humor styles, resilience) and interpersonal functioning (social support, connectedness, belonging) serve as protective factors for mental health outcomes (anxiety, quality of life, life satisfaction).Field workers (health professionals, psychologists, educators, social workers) are recruited through local NGO partnerships and community networks. We employ a 2×4 quasi-experimental, sequential explanatory mixed-methods design integrating standardized questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, wearable stress indicators, and focus groups. The intervention (versus control) group participates in 2-hour clown-led Humor Relief Workshops, assessed across four timepoints (two pre- and two post-tests).This presentation will detail the methodological design, multi-wave data collection procedure, recruitment challenges, retention rates, and preliminary qualitative findings from Wave-1 participants (N=76; September-December 2025), offering critical insights into conducting arts-based intervention research within active humanitarian contexts where humor-based strategies may mitigate anxiety and sustain mental health during protracted displacement crises. 0 0 0 0