Effects of War, Terrorism and Armed Conflict on Young Children: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Millions of children have been maimed, displaced, orphaned and killed in modern warfare that targets civilian populations. Several reviews have documented the impact of political trauma on children's mental health but none has focused specifically on young children (ages 0-6). Since developmental factors influence the young child's perception and experience of traumatic events, this developmental period is characterized by a unique spectrum of responses to political trauma. This systematic review, comprising 35 studies that included a total of 4365 young children, examined the effects of exposure to war, conflict and terrorism on young children and the influence of parental factors on these effects. Results showed that effects include PTSD and post-traumatic stress symptoms, behavioral and emotional symptoms, sleep problems, disturbed play, and psychosomatic symptoms. Correlations emerged between parental and children's psychopathology and, additionally, family environment and parental functioning emerged as moderators of the exposure-outcome association for children.

Risk and resilience trajectories in war‐exposed children across the first decade of life

“…The fluid nature of development adds another dimension of variability, and different sets of predictors were found to correlate with various pathology‐onset trajectories. Pathology in early childhood was predicted by maternal response to trauma evocation and the chronic course was shaped by both maternal lack of containment during trauma reminders and mothers' psychopathological symptoms, consistent with perspectives suggesting that maladaptive response to trauma in early childhood is associated with maternal symptoms and dysfunctional behavior (Slone & Mann, ). Young children possess less cognitive and emotional resources to cope with danger and rely on the social buffering of caregivers, and their response to trauma resonates with the parent's reaction; thus, traumatized parents' anxious behaviors may exacerbate their children's symptomatology (Scheeringa & Zeanah, ).…”

Effects of the Warfare on Children, Health and Hope

“…Ailesel ve çocukla ilgili temel problemler yaşanan sürecin ağırlığını artırmaktadır. 28,29 Yapılan bir çalışmada, savaş sonrası posttravmatik stres bozukluğu olan çocuklara konuşma terapisi uygulanmış, çalışma grubundaki çocuklara bu terapinin pozitif etkisinin kanıtlandığı belirtilmiştir. 30 İki yüz beş aile ve çocukları üzerinde yapılan çalışmada, savaşın davranış ve duygusal hastalıklar üzerindeki etkileri incelenmiş, aileleri etkilenen çocukların benzer problemler gösterdiği saptanmıştır.…”

The impact of post‐traumatic stress disorder on dental and gingival status of children during syrian crisis: A preliminary study

“…Teenagers may present symptoms such as depression, increased fears, nightmares, and sleep disorders, psychosomatic symptoms, a sense of helplessness, aggressive behavior and problems at school . Younger children demonstrate regressive behaviors, poor concentration, addictive behavior, hyperactivity, and tantrums…”