Hospital Vall d'Hebron study links family leisure to improved pediatric emotional wellbeing

A multicenter scientific study led by Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron has confirmed that family leisure experiences can improve the emotional wellbeing of pediatric patients with serious chronic illnesses and their caregivers. The research focused on the PortAventura Dreams Village project, an initiative by the PortAventura Foundation that has provided free six-day stays at its theme park resort to children and adolescents with severe chronic diseases or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) since 2019.

The study involved 105 participants aged 4 to 17 and their families from Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, and Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús in Madrid. Researchers evaluated the psychosocial impact at three intervals: before the stay, one week after, and four weeks later.

Dr. Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga, head of Psychiatry at Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, noted that chronic illness often dictates family life, creating emotional burdens related to medical treatments and uncertainty. The study suggests that providing a space to temporarily break these routines through positive shared experiences is associated with improved emotional wellbeing.