Resilience and adjustment trajectories amongst children in displacement-affected communities in Zarqa, Jordan

Abstract

Background The experiences of protracted conflict and displacement are clear threats to children’s developmental progress. Understanding the factors that shape the trajectories of children’s well-being and adjustment in such contexts is important for informing interventions. Methods We collected data at three time points from a sample of Syrian refugee and Jordanian children (n=650) residing in Zarqa, Jordan who met eligibility criteria for humanitarian programming. We assessed primary outcomes of protection concerns, caregiver stress, mental health, and developmental assets at three time points: baseline (T1), three months later (T2), and fifteen months after baseline (T3). Results Over the fifteen-month study period (T1-T3) child protection concerns and mental health symptoms improved, caregiver stress remained constant, and developmental assets deteriorated. School attendance was independently associated with improvements in protection concerns ( β = −1.05, P =0.01), caregiver stress ( β = −0.66, P =0.02), and developmental assets ( β = 3.84, P =0.02). Concern over lost livelihoods significantly predicted higher protection concerns ( β = 4.08, P <0.001) and caregiver stress ( β = 2.32, P <0.001). Attending child-focused programming did not significantly impact primary outcomes. Conclusions This study documents the capacity for adjustment and adaptation of children in the context of protracted displacement. The significant influences of attending school and concern over lost livelihoods on observed trajectories indicate the importance of addressing structural factors, such as education and employment, in supporting processes of resilience in these populations. Programmatic activities for children may secure valuable shorter-term impacts but here, as elsewhere, failed to impact outcomes longer-term.

The dynamic nature of refugee children's resilience: a cohort study of Syrian refugees in Lebanon

“…These findings fit with recent research finding overall improvements over time in children affected by conflict (Müller et al ., 2019; Purgato et al ., 2020; Hermosilla et al ., 2021) and show that even in challenging post-displacement contexts some children demonstrate manifested resilience. However, 10.3% of the sample deteriorated over time, the proportion of children meeting externalising criteria remained notably higher than in previous reviews (Kien et al ., 2019; Blackmore et al ., 2020), and the proportion of children with persistently high general risk was larger than seen in children resettled in Europe (Müller et al ., 2019).…”

“…This could be particularly complex in populations exposed to ongoing adversity, such as refugees living in camps. Research thus far suggests that the mental health of conflict-affected children generally improves over time, but some children may not improve, and some may deteriorate (Müller et al ., 2019; Hermosilla et al ., 2021).…”

Improving adolescent mental health and protection in humanitarian settings: longitudinal findings from a multi‐arm randomized controlled trial of child‐friendly spaces among South Sudanese refugees in Uganda

“…However, the short‐term effects varied considerably across humanitarian contexts and were largely dependent on the program's contextual fit to these circumstances, the age and sex of participants, and the overall quality of the program (Metzler, Savage, Yamano, & Ager, 2015). To date, there is mixed evidence on the lasting impacts of this early version of CFS and similar psychosocial interventions (Hermosilla, Metzler, Savage, & Ager, 2021; Metzler et al., 2019; Purgato et al., 2018).…”

Bosnian Paternal War Orphans

“…On the other hand, there are also reports that kibbutz adolescents who lost their fathers at age 2 to 10 years did not differ from nonorphans in terms of anxiety or autonomy (Kurtz et al, 1993). In this context, recent research indicates general mental health improvement over time in children affected by a conflict (Hermosilla et al, 2020; Purgato et al, 2020).…”