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Levavi K, Yatziv T, Yakov P, Pike A, Deater-Deckard K, Hadar A, Bar G, Froimovici M, Atzaba-Poria N. Maternal Perceptions and Responsiveness to Cry in Armed Conflict Zones: Links to Child Behavior Problems. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2024:10.1007/s10802-024-01207-8. [PMID: 38833107 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-024-01207-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Crying is a typical infant behavior that activates parental caregiving behaviors, acting as "human alarms" important for the infant's survival. When living under war-related threat, the auditory system may be sensitized given its importance for survival, potentially impacting maternal cry processing. Children living in armed-conflict zones are at increased risk for behavior problems, which may relate to both direct exposure and indirect effects through their parents' perceptions and behaviors. This hypothesis was examined in a sample of mothers and their first-born children (aged 10-45 months) living in the Gaza vicinity area in Israel, chronically exposed to missile alarms (high-exposure; n = 45), and a comparison group (low-exposure; n = 86). Group differences in child behavior problems and maternal perceptions of and responsiveness to cry were investigated. A moderated indirect-effect of maternal cry perceptions on child behavior problems via maternal responsiveness to cry was examined. In the high-exposure group, children had more externalizing problems and mothers rated cries as more aversive. Maternal cry perception was indirectly related to child behavior problems via responsiveness to cry only in the high-exposure group: higher perceptions of cry as aversive or the child as distressed were related to faster responding to crying, and faster cry responsiveness was linked with fewer behavior problems. Results suggest that in armed-conflict zones with auditory warning signals, the parental caring system may be easily activated by cries due to the strong association between alarms and threat. Furthermore, children may need their mothers to react faster when feeling distressed, possibly because of the surrounding threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinneret Levavi
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Duet Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Tal Yatziv
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Duet Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Porat Yakov
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Duet Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Alison Pike
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Kirby Deater-Deckard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | | | - Guy Bar
- Fertility and IVF Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Naama Atzaba-Poria
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
- Duet Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
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Veronese G, Bdier D, Obaid H, Mahamid F, Crugnola CR, Cavazzoni F. Hope and life satisfaction in Palestinian children victim of military violence: The predictive role of agency, potentially traumatic experiences and symptoms of trauma. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2023; 146:106520. [PMID: 37931545 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children exposed political violence deploy resources to maintain functioning, hope and life satisfaction. OBJECTIVE We sought to explore whether or not children promote hope and life satisfaction trough agency, psychological difficulties, potentially traumatic experiences and symptoms in Palestine. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING 965 children (494 males and 471 females) in multiple geographical contexts, and areas were involved. METHODS We administered the War Child Agency Assessment Scale, Child Hope Scale, Multilevel Students'Life Satisfaction Scale-Bref, the Strength and difficulties scale, the Child Revised Impact of events Scale, and Trauma Checklist, and performed regression analysis; hope and life satisfaction were dependent and agency, strength and difficulties, trauma symptoms and traumatic events independent variables. RESULTS Specific forms of agency predicted life satisfaction (β = 0.219; ** p < .01, social agency; β = 0.11; ** p < .01, with agency in education) and hope (β = 0.07; ** p < .05, agency on free movement), while mental difficulties (conduct problems, β = -0.09; ** p < .01; hyperactivity, β = -0.07; ** p < .05; β = -0.15; ** p < .01 with life satisfaction) (conduct problems, β = -0.06; ** p < .05, and difficulties in pro-social behaviour, β = -0.21; ** p < .01 with hope), traumatic events (β = -0.16; ** p < .01, with life satisfaction; β = -0.15; ** p < .01, with hope) and trauma symptoms (β = -0.09; ** p < .05, with hope) were negatively associated with the dependents variables. CONCLUSIONS We found a positive role of social, educational, and freedom of movement agentic behaviours in fostering hope and life satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Veronese
- Department of Human Sciences & Education "R. Massa", University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy; Stellenbosch University, Department of Psychology, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
| | - Dana Bdier
- Department of Human Sciences & Education "R. Massa", University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy; An-Najah National University, Department of Psychology and Counseling, Nablus, Palestinian territories, State of Palestine
| | - Hania Obaid
- Department of Human Sciences & Education "R. Massa", University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Fayez Mahamid
- An-Najah National University, Department of Psychology and Counseling, Nablus, Palestinian territories, State of Palestine
| | | | - Federica Cavazzoni
- Department of Human Sciences & Education "R. Massa", University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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Shrestha S, Zhong N, Sadat SMA, Zhan S. Conceptualizing Peace: A Qualitative Study Among Afghan Adolescents Living in Intractable Conflict. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:4401-4416. [PMID: 37929266 PMCID: PMC10625378 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s428434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Adolescents living in protracted conflict areas have mostly been perceived as passive recipients of the impact of events in their surroundings who are rarely considered agents of social transformation. But a growing body of research on adolescents' psychological development indicates that adolescents actively perceive concepts like peace and their roles and responsibilities toward creating conditions for peace. Applying the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory, this study focuses on understanding how adolescents from Afghanistan with lifelong exposure to intractable conflict conceptualize peace. Methods The study was conducted in the Bagrami, Paghman and Dih Sabz districts of Kabul City in Afghanistan. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to interview 63 male and female adolescents aged 13-19. The participants belonged to different ethnic groups, such as Pashtun, Hazara and Tajik. An inductive approach was applied to analyze the data using thematic analysis. Results Three distinct themes about peace emerged from the data: peace based on individual emotions, social relations, and larger societal structures. Peace for adolescents had both personal and inner and social or outer dimensions. Afghan adolescents' conceptualization of peace is primarily based on their interaction with the micro-system. Home and family provided perceived calmness and normalcy, which characterized peace as individual emotion. Social relations, often determined by good communication, community cohesiveness, and social support between family members, neighbours, and ethnic groups, constituted adolescents' concepts about peace. Adolescents also demonstrated awareness of larger societal structures, such as the role of community leaders and government in ensuring perceived safety and security, forming their concepts of peace. Conclusion Adolescents have meaningful voices capable of forming perceptions about peace. The microsystem of an adolescent's environment has a significant influence in the conceptualization of peace. This study contributes to expanding the knowledge on the underpinnings of peace by relating to developmental and peace psychology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silu Shrestha
- Department of Psychology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nian Zhong
- Department of Psychology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | | | - Siqun Zhan
- Department of Psychology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
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Leer J, Lopez Boo F, Norman S. Supporting child and family resilience in the face of political violence: Evidence from a home visit parenting program. Child Dev 2023; 94:1222-1238. [PMID: 37593969 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Political violence affects more than 25% of children globally, yet little is known about how to support positive adaptation among conflict-affected children. Using a sample of 3797 Nicaraguan child-caregiver dyads (MAgeTime1 = 1.5 years, MAgeTime2 = 5.9 years; 51% male), this registered report used a novel quasi-experimental approach to examine how exposure to political violence relates to child and caregiver outcomes, and to test three policy-relevant moderators: participation in a large-scale home visit parenting program, household economic disruption, and media exposure. Results revealed positive associations between political violence and harsh discipline practices (0.33 SD), but there was no evidence that political violence affected children's behavior, caregiver depressive symptoms, or responsive parenting practices, and there was no evidence of moderation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Leer
- Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Savannah Norman
- Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Nuttman-Shwartz O. The Long-Term Effects of Living in a Shared and Continuous Traumatic Reality: The Case of Israeli Families on the Border With Gaza. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:1387-1404. [PMID: 34962839 DOI: 10.1177/15248380211063467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
This article presents a literature review of the concept of intergenerational transmission of traumatic stress among a specific population of Israeli parents and children living near the Israeli/Gaza border, an area that can essentially be viewed as a laboratory of shared, continuous, and stressful reality resulting from ongoing political violence. The Google Scholar database was used to search only for peer-reviewed articles written in English and published between 2002 and 2020, and the particular focus of the study was Israeli families living in the "Gaza envelope": communities that have been on the receiving end of rockets and mortars from Gaza for the past 20 years. The review was based on 35 articles and sheds light on the existence of studies using a variety of perspectives (e.g., psychological, biopsychosocial, and behavioral). Findings demonstrate the effects of continuous stress situations on the family dynamic, even before birth, among this small population. In addition, they show that to understand the unique process of intergenerational trauma transmission in a shared continuous traumatic reality, it is important to adopt a comprehensive perspective so as to understand the reciprocal, long-lasting, and transgenerational effects of being exposed to traumatic stress. This perspective can be used as a basis for developing family intervention strategies that are appropriate for preventing stress outcomes that derive from living in the context of persistent violence.
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Qasrawi R, Vicuna Polo S, Abu Khader R, Abu Al-Halawa D, Hallaq S, Abu Halaweh N, Abdeen Z. Machine learning techniques for identifying mental health risk factor associated with schoolchildren cognitive ability living in politically violent environments. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1071622. [PMID: 37304448 PMCID: PMC10250653 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1071622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Mental health and cognitive development are critical aspects of a child's overall well-being; they can be particularly challenging for children living in politically violent environments. Children in conflict areas face a range of stressors, including exposure to violence, insecurity, and displacement, which can have a profound impact on their mental health and cognitive development. Methods This study examines the impact of living in politically violent environments on the mental health and cognitive development of children. The analysis was conducted using machine learning techniques on the 2014 health behavior school children dataset, consisting of 6373 schoolchildren aged 10-15 from public and United Nations Relief and Works Agency schools in Palestine. The dataset included 31 features related to socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle, mental health, exposure to political violence, social support, and cognitive ability. The data was balanced and weighted by gender and age. Results This study examines the impact of living in politically violent environments on the mental health and cognitive development of children. The analysis was conducted using machine learning techniques on the 2014 health behavior school children dataset, consisting of 6373 schoolchildren aged 10-15 from public and United Nations Relief and Works Agency schools in Palestine. The dataset included 31 features related to socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle, mental health, exposure to political violence, social support, and cognitive ability. The data was balanced and weighted by gender and age. Discussion The findings can inform evidence-based strategies for preventing and mitigating the detrimental effects of political violence on individuals and communities, highlighting the importance of addressing the needs of children in conflict-affected areas and the potential of using technology to improve their well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radwan Qasrawi
- Department of Computer Sciences, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine
- Department of Computer Engineering, Istinye University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Stephanny Vicuna Polo
- Al-Quds Center for Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - Rami Abu Khader
- Al-Quds Center for Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine
| | | | - Sameh Hallaq
- Al-Quds Bard College for Arts and Sciences, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - Nael Abu Halaweh
- Department of Computer Sciences, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - Ziad Abdeen
- Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine
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Blackwell AH, Agengo Y, Ozoukou D, Wendt JU, Nigane A, Goana P, Kanani B, Falb K. Drivers of 'voluntary' recruitment and challenges for families with adolescents engaged with armed groups: Qualitative insights from Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0001265. [PMID: 37224144 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Globally, armed conflicts have increased threefold since 2010. The number of children voluntarily engaging with armed groups is also rising, despite increasing efforts to prevent this grave human rights violation. However, traditional approaches focusing on the prevention, release, and reintegration of children through forced recruitment do not adequately address the complex and interlinking push and pull factors of voluntary recruitment. This qualitative study sought to deepen understanding of the drivers and consequences of voluntary recruitment from the perspectives of adolescents and their caregivers, as well as to explore how to better support families living in conflict settings. In-depth interviews were conducted with 74 adolescents (44 boys and 30 girls) ages 14 to 20 years and 39 caregivers (18 men and 21 women) ages 32 to 66 years in two distinct conflict settings: North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ouham-Pendé, Central African Republic. Interviews with adolescents utilized a visual narrative technique. The findings examine the unique perspectives of adolescents engaged with armed groups and their caregivers to understand how conflict experiences, economic insecurity, and social insecurity influence adolescent's engagement with armed groups and reintegration with their families. The study found that families living in conflict settings are subject to traumatic experiences and economic hardship that erode protective family relationships, leaving adolescent boys and girls particularly vulnerable to the systemic and overlapping factors that influence them to engage with and return to armed groups. The findings illustrate how these factors can disrupt protective social structures, and inversely how familial support can act as a potential protective factor against recruitment and break the cycle of reengagement. By better understanding the experiences of adolescents enduring recruitment and how to support caregivers of those adolescents, more comprehensive programming models can be developed to adequately prevent voluntary recruitment and promote successful reintegration, enabling children to reach their full potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra H Blackwell
- Airbel Impact Lab, International Rescue Committee, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Department of Social Policy & Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yvonne Agengo
- Violence Prevention & Response Unit, International Rescue Committee, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Ozoukou
- Airbel Impact Lab, International Rescue Committee, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Zolberg-IRC Fellow, The New School, New York City, New York, United States of America
| | - Julia Ulrike Wendt
- Violence Prevention & Response Unit, International Rescue Committee, Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Alice Nigane
- Violence Prevention & Response Unit, International Rescue Committee, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Paradis Goana
- Violence Prevention & Response Unit, International Rescue Committee, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Bertin Kanani
- Violence Prevention & Response Unit, International Rescue Committee, Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Kathryn Falb
- Airbel Impact Lab, International Rescue Committee, Washington, DC, United States of America
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Wentz B, Miller-Graff LE, Merrilees CE, Cummings EM. A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective on Political Violence and Youth Adjustment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20105864. [PMID: 37239590 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20105864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
According to the United Nations (2021), [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany Wentz
- Department of Psychology, William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Laura E Miller-Graff
- Department of Psychology, William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
- Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556-5677, USA
| | | | - E Mark Cummings
- Department of Psychology, William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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Chatterjee P, Chen J, Yousafzai A, Kawachi I, Subramanian SV. Area level indirect exposure to extended conflicts and early childhood anthropometric outcomes in India: a repeat cross-sectional analysis. Confl Health 2023; 17:23. [PMID: 37150814 PMCID: PMC10164367 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-023-00519-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Protracted, internal conflicts with geographic variations within countries, are an important understudied community exposure for adverse child health outcomes. METHODS Violent events from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) between January 2016-December 2020 and January 2010-December 2015, were included as exposure events for children sampled in National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) 5 (2019-21) and NFHS 4 (2015-16), respectively. Geocoded data from UCDP were merged with residential clusters from NFHS, to identify children living in villages or urban blocks situated at <= 50 km from conflict sites. Within these clusters, which we defined as conflict exposed, we studied risks of stunting, underweight and wasting in children, prenatally, and in 0-3 years. We assessed sensitivity on a subsample of siblings with discordant conflict exposures. RESULTS For NFHS 5, exposure to violence between 0 and 3 years was associated with 1.16 times (95% CI 1.11-1.20) higher risks of stunting, 1.08 (1.04, 1.12) times higher risks of underweight, and no change in wasting. In-utero violence exposure was associated with 1.11 times (95% CI 1.04-1.17) higher risks of stunting, 1.08 (95% CI 1.02-1.14) times higher risks of underweight, and no change in wasting, among children <= 2 years. In 17,760 siblings of 8333 mothers, exposure to violence during 0-3 years, was associated with a 1.19 times higher risk of stunting (95% CI - 0.24 to 0.084). Incremental quartiles of violence exposure had higher risks of stunting and underweight until quartile 3. CONCLUSION In-utero and early childhood indirect exposure to protracted conflicts were associated with increased stunting and underweight in India. Given the continued exposures of such historically and contextually rooted internal conflicts in many LMICs, chronic violence exposures should be targeted in public health policies as important social and political determinant of child health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pritha Chatterjee
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Jarvis Chen
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Aisha Yousafzai
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - S V Subramanian
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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Thabet A, Ghandi S, Barker EK, Rutherford G, Malekinejad M. Interventions to enhance psychological resilience in forcibly displaced children: a systematic review. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:bmjgh-2021-007320. [PMID: 36731918 PMCID: PMC9896216 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children represent nearly 40% of forcibly displaced populations and are subject to stressors that affect well-being. Little is known about the effects of interventions to enhance psychological resilience in these children, outside clinical settings. METHODS We conducted a systematic review, following Cochrane methods. Eligible studies tested resilience-enhancing interventions outside clinical settings in forcibly displaced children/adolescents. We included longitudinal quantitative studies with comparator conditions irrespective of geographical scope or language. We searched articles published between January 2010 and April 2020 in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO and the WHO's Global Index Medicus. To standardise effect sizes across the different reported outcomes, we transformed reported mean differences to standardised mean differences using Hedge's g statistic with associated 95% CI. We pooled data for meta-analysis where appropriate. We used Cochrane tools to assess study risk of bias and used Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation to determine evidence quality for meta-analysed outcomes. RESULTS Searches yielded 4829 results. Twenty-three studies met inclusion criteria. Studies reported 18 outcomes measured by 48 different scales; only 1 study explicitly measured resilience. Eight studies were randomised controlled trials; the rest were non-randomised pre-post studies. Interventions were diverse and typically implemented in group settings. Studies reported significant improvement in outcomes pertinent to behavioural problems, coping mechanisms and general well-being but not to caregiver support or psychiatric symptoms. In meta-analysis, resilience was improved (gav=0.194, 95% CI 0.018 to 0.369), but anxiety symptoms and quality of life were not (gav=-0.326, 95% CI -0.782 to 0.131 and gav=0.325, 95% CI -0.027 to 0.678, respectively). Risk of bias varied. Quality of evidence for most graded outcomes was very low. CONCLUSIONS The multiplicity of study designs, intervention types, outcomes and measures incumbered quantifying intervention effectiveness. Future resilience research in this population should use rigorous methods and follow reporting guidelines. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42020177069.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Thabet
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sonia Ghandi
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Erin K Barker
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Geroge Rutherford
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Mohsen Malekinejad
- Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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11
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Un día en la vida de niños y niñas del Suroccidente Colombiano con experiencias de violencia sociopolítica. REVISTA IBEROAMERICANA DE PSICOLOGÍA 2022. [DOI: 10.33881/2027-1786.rip.15207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
La investigación desarrollista sobre la violencia socio-política se ha centrado principalmente en explicar sus efectos psicológicos a mediano y largo plazo en la niñez y ha generalizado a partir de grandes muestras. Pocos estudios se han centrado en explorar momento a momento las experiencias de la vida cotidiana de niños y niñas que sufrieron episodios de ese tipo de violencia. En esta investigación se usó un diseño basado en la observación de un día en la vida de dos niñas y dos niños del Suroccidente Colombiano para describir el contexto en que se desarrollan, cómo se ven a sí mismos y cómo resignifican experiencias de violencia política que vivieron en su primera infancia. Se usaron relatos autobiográficos, entrevistas y un análisis de temas emergentes. Se identificaron identidades y experiencias estrechamente ligadas a la construcción de relaciones basadas en el respeto a los demás, la valoración positiva de sí mismos, el reconocimiento de la familia como organizadora de sus experiencias, la construcción de saberes para desarrollar habilidades y la resignificación de las experiencias dolorosas. La discusión se centró en las implicaciones de adoptar una concepción del proceso de desarrollo en términos de trayectorias de desarrollo no siempre previsibles, ni orientadas a un estado final; así como el papel que tiene el método seleccionado en esa indagación. Se concluye que las experiencias actuales no necesariamente se derivan de trayectorias lineales, pues son afectadas por factores situacionales inherentes a la ecología social en las que viven las personas.
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12
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Merrilees CE, Taylor LK, Goeke-Morey MC, Shirlow P, Cummings EM. Age as a Dynamic Moderator of Relations between Exposure to Political Conflict and Mental Health in Belfast, Northern Ireland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19148339. [PMID: 35886192 PMCID: PMC9317634 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Identifying how, when, and under what conditions exposure to political conflict is associated with youth mental health problems is critical to developing programming to help youth exposed to various forms of political violence. The current study uses Time Varying Effects Modeling (TVEM) to examine how relations between exposure to ethno-politically motivated antisocial behavior and mental health problems change as a function of age in a sample of youth from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Young people (N = 583, Mage 16.51 wave 1, 17.23 wave 2) self-reported their exposure to sectarian antisocial behavior, nonsectarian antisocial behavior, and mental health problems as part of a longitudinal study of youth across multiple neighborhoods in Belfast. The results suggest mental health problems and associations with exposure to sectarian antisocial behavior change in nonlinear patterns throughout adolescence, with the strongest links between exposure to political conflict and mental health between ages 16 and 19. Significant relations between nonsectarian antisocial behavior and mental health problems were not indicated for the full sample but the results suggested a relation emerged in later adolescence for Protestant youth, the historical majority group. The value of this exploratory approach to examining relations between key context and psychological variables for youth in contexts of political tension and violence is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine E. Merrilees
- Psychology Department, State University of New York, Geneseo, NY 14454, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Laura K. Taylor
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland;
| | - Marcie C. Goeke-Morey
- Psychology Department, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA;
| | - Peter Shirlow
- School of Histories, Languages, and Cultures, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK;
| | - E. Mark Cummings
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA;
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O’Neal CR, Tan SC, Parrott JE, Martin SW. Removal of Refugee Protections: Impact on Refugee Education, Mental Health, Coping, and Advocacy. JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/10474412.2022.2086877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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14
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Abu-Ras W, Elzamzamy K, Burghul MM, Al-Merri NH, Alajrad M, Kharbanda VA. Gendered Citizenship, Inequality, and Well-Being: The Experience of Cross-National Families in Qatar during the Gulf Cooperation Council Crisis (2017-2021). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:6638. [PMID: 35682223 PMCID: PMC9180894 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
This study explores the impact of gendered citizenship on the well-being of cross-national families following the political blockade imposed on Qatar in 2017. More specifically, it examines how these families, women, and children face challenges related to their lives, well-being, and rights. Twenty-three face-to-face interviews were conducted with Qatari and non-Qatari women and men married to non-Qatari spouses residing in Qatar. The study's findings revealed that Qatari women with non-Qatari husbands did not enjoy the benefits of full citizenship, further undermining their psychological well-being and their socioeconomic and legal rights. Additionally, children born before or during the blockade have become stateless and undocumented, which jeopardizes their mental and physical well-being and the prospects of their parents' economic advancement. This study contributes to the conceptualization of and debate on gender citizenship rules and policies, which can exclude these women and children and deny them the recognition and rights they deserve. Since ensuring full citizenship rights is crucial for people's well-being, increasing gender equality and reforming Qatar's existing citizenship policies would benefit both groups and provide social justice for all.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wahiba Abu-Ras
- School of Social Work, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY 11530, USA
| | - Khalid Elzamzamy
- Institute of Living/Hartford HealthCare, Hartford, CT 06102, USA;
| | | | | | - Moumena Alajrad
- Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS)—Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Doha P.O. Box 200592, Qatar;
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Cavazzoni F, Fiorini A, Veronese G. Alternative Ways of Capturing the Legacies of Traumatic Events: A Literature Review of Agency of Children Living in Countries Affected by Political Violence and Armed Conflicts. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2022; 23:555-566. [PMID: 33000687 DOI: 10.1177/1524838020961878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been revealed that the construct of agency plays a crucial role in contributing to children's positive functioning and well-being despite their traumatic contexts. Yet there is little agreement within the literature about the definition of agency, how agency is displayed by children, or how it should be investigated. AIMS This study provides a synthetic overview of studies that have analyzed the agency of children living in contexts affected by political violence and armed conflict. In the process, it highlights major theoretical breakthroughs and findings in this area of research. The aim was to review research investigating the different ways in which children's agency manifests itself within their everyday lives, as well as possible policy implications. METHOD We identified published peer-reviewed studies relating to children's agency in conflict-affected environments through a narrative literature review. An ecological framework was used to organize studies according to the different settings (personal, familial, cultural, or contextual) within which the children's agency was displayed. RESULTS Of 682 studies identified from online searches of the literature and the three additional sources gathered through bibliography mining, 63 qualified for full review, with 15 studies included in the final synthesis. Overall, the literature focused mostly on the ways in which children's ability to mobilize resources emerged in order to cope with their challenging contexts. CONCLUSION Scholars advocated for community-oriented and child-centered programs that are aimed not only at promoting recovery from symptoms but also at fostering advocacy and a sense of agency in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Cavazzoni
- Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa," 9305University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
| | - Alec Fiorini
- Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa," 9305University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
| | - Guido Veronese
- Department of Human Sciences for Education "Riccardo Massa," 9305University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
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Well-being and Life Satisfaction in Children Living in Contexts of Political Violence: A Narrative Literature Review. CHILD & YOUTH CARE FORUM 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10566-022-09678-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Children and youth growing up in contexts characterized by political violence are at high risk of developing mental health impairments. In recent years, a growing interest has been directed to the study of children’s well-being after being exposed to political violence in order to develop interventions aimed at preserving and enhancing it.
Objective
This study provides a synthetic overview of studies that have explored or implemented interventions aimed at improving well-being and life satisfaction in conflict-affected children.
Methods
We identified peer-reviewed studies relating to children’s well-being in conflict-affected environments through a narrative literature review. An ecological framework was used to organize the studies in relation to the individual, family, social and community factors playing a role in promoting and preserving participants’ well-being. Implications for practices, policies and research were summarized to highlight areas in which they need strengthening.
Results
Of 1221 unique studies returned from online searches of the literature, 70 qualified for full review, with a total of 22 peer-reviewed studies included in the final synthesis. Results indicate a range of domains and dimensions that mutually interact to either enhance or diminish children’s well-being and life satisfaction. Four studies explicitly focused on assessing the effectiveness of interventions aimed at promoting and assessing children’s well-being and health.
Conclusions
Researchers were able to identify several dimensions that were contributing to the children’s well-being in situations of significant adversity. The concept of well-being emerged as a combination of personal resources and supportive contexts—such as family, peers, and community—that vary over time or across contexts. Well-being and life satisfaction in children living in contexts of political violence: a narrative literature review.
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Levavi K, Yakov P, Pike A, Deater-Deckard K, Hadar A, Bar G, Froimovici M, Atzaba-Poria N. When COVID-19 Met Families Living in Armed-Conflict Zones: The Importance of Maternal Trauma and Child Self-Regulation. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:718455. [PMID: 35360126 PMCID: PMC8964179 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.718455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak began in Israel at the end of February 2020, and on March 17, 2020, a general lockdown was announced. Families were instructed to stay at home and schools and non-essential businesses were closed. Aiming to understand how families who were already living in areas of high exposure to armed conflict would be affected by another external stressful condition, data were collected before and after the outbreak. Mothers and children (aged 10-45 months) were recruited from areas with high (n = 40) and low (n = 78) exposure to armed conflict. Mothers reported on their posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and on their child's effortful control tendencies prior to the outbreak. Toward the end of the first lockdown, mothers were interviewed regarding adverse effects of the outbreak on their family. No group differences were found for maternal perceptions of adverse effects of COVID-19. However, a moderation model was revealed, indicating that maternal PTSS as well as child effortful control predicted adverse effects of COVID-19 only in the high-exposure group. Results are discussed considering cumulative stress and risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinneret Levavi
- Duet Center, Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | - Porat Yakov
- Duet Center, Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | - Alison Pike
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Kirby Deater-Deckard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | | | - Guy Bar
- Fertility and IVF Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Naama Atzaba-Poria
- Duet Center, Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
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Recognizing and Breaking the Cycle of Trauma and Violence Among Resettled Refugees. CURRENT TRAUMA REPORTS 2021; 7:83-91. [PMID: 34804764 PMCID: PMC8590436 DOI: 10.1007/s40719-021-00217-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The number of refugees across the globe continues to grow, leaving a large proportion of the global population in a vulnerable state of health. However, the number of robust clinical interventions has not kept apace. This paper provides a general review of literature on the trauma and violence that refugees face, the impact on health outcomes, and some of the promising models for clinical intervention. Recent Findings Refugees experience a cycle of trauma, violence, and distress that begins before migration and continues during migration and after resettlement. It has been challenging to develop robust clinical interventions due to the cumulative and cyclic effects of trauma, as well as the unique experiences of trauma that each refugee community and each refugee individual faces. Summary Trauma-informed care is a critical component of health care. Developing stronger guidelines for trauma-informed care will help clinicians better provide inclusive and equitable care for refugee patients.
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Slone M, Peer A. Children's Reactions to War, Armed Conflict and Displacement: Resilience in a Social Climate of Support. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2021; 23:76. [PMID: 34613521 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-021-01283-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this review was to unravel recent evidence for children's reactions to war and armed conflict focusing on resilience factors mitigating adverse psychological and psychiatric consequences. RECENT FINDINGS Three categories of mitigating resilience factors emerged from the literature - personal, family, and community factors. In addition, a unifying model of moderating resilience factors emerged, proposing a higher-tier environmental dimension conceptualized here as social climate of support. Wars and armed conflict affect children both by direct exposure to threats, and by disruption of the social fabric supporting development. The notion of producing a climate of social support can direct policy toward service provision and resilience-based programs that both build individual capacities and encompass development of the resources of families, schools, community, and societal structures supportive of children's adjustment and wellbeing. Future research should shift toward systems thinking within a socio-ecological nesting of individual, familial, community, and societal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Slone
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Ayelet Peer
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Wilson N, Turner-Halliday F, Minnis H. Escaping the inescapable: Risk of mental health disorder, somatic symptoms and resilience in Palestinian refugee children. Transcult Psychiatry 2021; 58:307-320. [PMID: 33522455 DOI: 10.1177/1363461520987070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to war, conflict and forced migration puts children at risk of mental health problems. The present study examined the levels of psychological distress and resilience factors among 106 Palestinian refugee children aged 11 to 17 in the West Bank. In a cross-sectional, mixed method design along with qualitative interviews, three questionnaires were administered: the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire-15, assessed the risk of mental health disorders and psychosomatic complaints, and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure assessed the availability of resilience-enhancing factors. Palestinian refugee children were found to be at greater risk for mental disorders and psychosomatic complaints than were children living in non-conflict affected settings. In addition, resilience-enhancing resources were significantly reduced and were negatively correlated with both symptom outcomes. Risk factors identified included poverty, violence and marginalisation. Key protective factors were youth education, supportive relationships and social participation. Our findings support interventions that address the identified protective factors, which may promote the mental health of this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Wilson
- Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | | | - Helen Minnis
- Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
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21
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Post-migration risks, developmental processes, and learning among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2020.101142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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22
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El-Khodary B, Samara M. Effectiveness of a School-Based Intervention on the Students' Mental Health After Exposure to War-Related Trauma. Front Psychiatry 2020; 10:1031. [PMID: 32273852 PMCID: PMC7113368 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.01031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After the war, which was conducted against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among children and adolescents has increased. The counselling department at the Ministry of Education in the Gaza Strip applied a counselling program in schools in order to alleviate the effect of exposure to war. The aim of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of the counselling program after exposure to war-traumatic events among Palestinian children and adolescents in the Gaza Strip. METHODS The sample consists of 572 students aged 12-18 years old. Of them, 331 (57.9%) were female and 241 (42.1%) were male. Traumatic events were measured by War-Traumatic Events Checklist (W-TECh). PTSD was measured by the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders Symptoms Scale (PTSDSS). Anxiety symptoms were adapted from The Anxiety Symptoms Scale, and depression symptoms were measured by Child Depression Inventory. Repeated measures design was employed as the counselling program was applied in all the schools at the same time. Specifically, the data were collected from the participants before the application of the counselling program and 2 months later. RESULTS After applying the school-based counselling program, the prevalence of PTSD (according to DSM-V) decreased from 57.5% to 45.6% among the children and adolescents who were exposed to war-traumatic events. In addition, PTSD symptoms, and emotional, somatic and cognitive functional impairment symptoms has decreased after the implementation of the counselling program especially amongst girls. CONCLUSIONS The school-based counselling program was effective in decreasing the PTSD symptoms among children and adolescents after the exposure to war-traumatic events.
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Hodes M. New developments in the mental health of refugee children and adolescents. EVIDENCE-BASED MENTAL HEALTH 2019; 22:72-76. [PMID: 30944095 PMCID: PMC10270370 DOI: 10.1136/ebmental-2018-300065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The increase in refugees globally since 2010 and the arrival of many into Europe since 2015, around 50% of whom are under 18 years, have been the stimulus to greater investigation and publications regarding their mental health. This clinical review summarises selected themes in the field as described in the published literature since 2016. The themes include refugee statistics, premigration and postmigration experiences, psychopathology focusing on parent-child relationships, unaccompanied refugee minors and associations between resettlement, acculturation and mental health. Some important reviews and studies are discussed that address service and treatment provision. While there has been a recent increase in research in this field, more is needed into the course of psychopathology, protective factors and the promotion of integration into resettlement countries, as well as models of service delivery and treatment effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Hodes
- Department of Medicine, Centre for Psychiatry, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Westminster Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this review was to focus solely on youths' behavioral responses to natural disasters and political conflicts in order to fully understand their impact and scope. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies in the field of trauma have shown that theoretical conceptions have moved away from a narrow focus on the individual and towards wider ecological perspectives and from a narrow focus on negative responses to trauma exposure towards positive prosocial responses. Although there is a distinction between youths' behavioral responses towards natural disasters vs. towards political conflicts, in both of these adverse situations, behavioral responses exist alongside emotional responses. Adolescents exposed to either type of adverse scenario are often able to turn their negative experiences into positive ones, take greater responsibility for themselves and others, contribute to recovery processes, and engage in prosocial behaviors. These responses must be investigated in the context of the trauma field's recent understandings regarding psychological, biological, environmental, and cultural factors.
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25
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Khan NZ, Shilpi AB, Sultana R, Sarker S, Razia S, Roy B, Arif A, Ahmed MU, Saha SC, McConachie H. Displaced Rohingya children at high risk for mental health problems: Findings from refugee camps within Bangladesh. Child Care Health Dev 2019; 45:28-35. [PMID: 30335204 DOI: 10.1111/cch.12623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 2017 political violence against the Rohingya people in the state of Rakhine resulted in a large influx of displaced populations into Bangladesh. Given harsh conditions and experiences in Myanmar, and the harrowing journey to the border, raised levels of child neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and mental health problems were expected. METHODS A team of child development professionals, physicians, psychologists, and developmental therapists screened 622 children in clinics within the refugee camps using the Developmental Screening Questionnaire (DSQ; 0-<2 years), and the Ten Questions Plus (TQP) for NDDs, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; 2-16 years) for mental health problems. Any child positive on the DSQ or the TQP was assessed for NDDs. RESULTS Only 4.8% children aged 0-<2 years and 7.3% children aged >2-16 years screened positive for NDDs, comparable with a local Bangladesh population. However, 52% of children were in the abnormal range for emotional symptoms on the SDQ, and 25% abnormal for peer problems. Significant risk factors were being parentless and having lost one or more family members in the recent crisis. CONCLUSIONS This screening study provides objective evidence of the urgent need for psychosocial support of Rohingya children within camps, with special attention to those without parents, including monitoring of their well-being and counselling of families and other care providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naila Z Khan
- Clinical Neurosciences Unit, Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Asma Begum Shilpi
- Clinical Neurosciences Unit, Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Razia Sultana
- Clinical Neurosciences Unit, Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shaoli Sarker
- Department of Paediatric Neuroscience, Dhaka Shishu (Children's) Hospital, Bangladesh
| | - Sultana Razia
- Department of Paediatric Neuroscience, Dhaka Shishu (Children's) Hospital, Bangladesh
| | - Bipasha Roy
- Department of Paediatric Neuroscience, Dhaka Shishu (Children's) Hospital, Bangladesh
| | - Abu Arif
- Department of Paediatric Neuroscience, Dhaka Shishu (Children's) Hospital, Bangladesh
| | | | - Subas Chandra Saha
- Department of Paediatrics, Cox's Bazar Medical College Hospital, Cox's Bazar,, Bangladesh
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Zamir O, Gewirtz AH, Dekel R, Lavi T, Tangir G. Mothering under political violence: Post-traumatic symptoms, observed maternal parenting practices and child externalising behaviour. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2018; 55:123-132. [PMID: 30537100 DOI: 10.1002/ijop.12557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Using the family stress model as our conceptual framework, we explored whether observed maternal parenting practices (positive and coercive) account for the associations between mothers' post-traumatic stress symptoms and children's externalising behaviours. Mothers' self-reported post-traumatic stress symptoms, observed maternal practices, and reports of children's externalising behaviour were collected from 123 Israeli mothers and their children, who were exposed to ongoing rocket attacks in southern Israel. A structural equation model revealed that mothers' post-traumatic stress symptoms were linked with greater maternal coercive parenting practices, which in turn were associated with more externalising behaviours in children. The study highlights the crucial role of maternal distress and mothers' parenting skills in the development of externalising behaviours in children exposed to chronic political violence. These results suggest that prevention interventions designed to promote parenting skills for mothers exposed to political violence may be beneficial for children's healthy development.
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Veronese G, Pepe A. Psychometric proprieties of the Child Health Questionnaire in an Arabic-speaking context: A multi-trait and multi-sample study. J Child Health Care 2018; 22:503-519. [PMID: 29551084 DOI: 10.1177/1367493518761817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Ongoing research on the assessment of children's health has led to the development of a large number of quantitative tools. The Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form (CHQ-PF) is a set of questionnaires aimed at measuring different facets of children's health as perceived by their parents. The present multi-trait multi-sample study tested the validity and the reliability of the 50-item version of the CHQ with families (N = 1095) living in contexts of low-intensity warfare. The validation procedures implemented (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, and reliability testing) yielded a new, shorter version of the questionnaire (CHQ-PF-25). We discuss the potential of using the CHQ-PF-25 in Arabic-speaking crisis contexts and the limitations of the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Veronese
- "Riccardo Massa" Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Pepe
- "Riccardo Massa" Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
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Saxbe D, Khoddam H, Piero LD, Stoycos SA, Gimbel SI, Margolin G, Kaplan JT. Community violence exposure in early adolescence: Longitudinal associations with hippocampal and amygdala volume and resting state connectivity. Dev Sci 2018; 21:e12686. [PMID: 29890029 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Community violence exposure is a common stressor, known to compromise youth cognitive and emotional development. In a diverse, urban sample of 22 adolescents, participants reported on community violence exposure (witnessing a beating or illegal drug use, hearing gun shots, or other forms of community violence) in early adolescence (average age 12.99), and underwent a neuroimaging scan 3-5 years later (average age 16.92). Community violence exposure in early adolescence predicted smaller manually traced left and right hippocampal and amygdala volumes in a model controlling for age, gender, and concurrent community violence exposure, measured in late adolescence. Community violence continued to predict hippocampus (but not amygdala) volumes after we also controlled for family aggression exposure in early adolescence. Community violence exposure was also associated with stronger resting state connectivity between the right hippocampus (using the manually traced structure as a seed region) and bilateral frontotemporal regions including the superior temporal gyrus and insula. These resting state connectivity results held after controlling for concurrent community violence exposure, SES, and family aggression. Although this is the first study focusing on community violence in conjunction with brain structure and function, these results dovetail with other research linking childhood adversity with smaller subcortical volumes in adolescence and adulthood, and with altered frontolimbic resting state connectivity. Our findings suggest that even community-level exposure to neighborhood violence can have detectable neural correlates in adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darby Saxbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hannah Khoddam
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Sarah A Stoycos
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah I Gimbel
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gayla Margolin
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jonas T Kaplan
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Veronese G, Barola G. Healing stories: An expressive-narrative intervention for strengthening resilience and survival skills in school-aged child victims of war and political violence in the Gaza Strip. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 2018; 23:311-332. [PMID: 29451002 DOI: 10.1177/1359104518755220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Within a preventive framework, we outline a school-based intervention aimed at strengthening skills of survival and psychological functioning in children who have experienced war and political violence in the Gaza Strip. In accordance with a socio-ecological perspective on wellbeing and resilience, the pilot study aimed at evaluating the outcomes of a psychosocial narrative school-based intervention with a group of school-aged children in the aftermath of war. The intervention was oriented at empowering positive emotions, life satisfaction, and optimism in children as protective factors in preventing posttraumatic reactions after war. Findings showed the efficacy of the intervention in favoring life satisfaction in different ecological domains. Children in the intervention group showed greater appreciation for friends, school, family, themselves, and their living environment. At the end of the activity, children were increased the level of positive emotions, but negative feelings were stronger than before the narrative intervention. Clinical implications and future direction or community work are, then, discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Veronese
- Department of Human Sciences "R. Massa," University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
| | - Gianpiero Barola
- Department of Human Sciences "R. Massa," University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
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30
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Berckmoes LH, de Jong JTVM, Reis R. Intergenerational transmission of violence and resilience in conflict-affected Burundi: a qualitative study of why some children thrive despite duress. Glob Ment Health (Camb) 2017; 4:e26. [PMID: 29299333 PMCID: PMC5745362 DOI: 10.1017/gmh.2017.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research suggests that in environments where community conflict and violence are chronic or cyclical, caregiving can impact how children may begin to reproduce violence throughout the various stages of their lives. The aim of this study is to understand how caregiving affects processes of reproducing violence and resilience among children in conflict-affected Burundi. METHODS We combined a socio-ecological model of child development with a child-actor perspective. We operationalized the core concepts 'vulnerable household', 'resilience', and 'caregiving' iteratively in culturally relevant ways, and put children's experiences at the center of the inquiry. We carried out a comparative case study among 74 purposively sampled vulnerable households in six collines in three communes in three provinces in the interior of Burundi. Burundian field researchers conducted three consecutive interviews; with the head of the household, the main caregiver, and a child. RESULTS Our findings reveal a strong congruence between positive caregiving and resilience among children. Negative caregiving was related to negative social behavior among children. Other resources for resilience appeared to be limited. The overall level of household conditions and embedment in communities attested to a generalized fragile ecological environment. CONCLUSIONS In conflict-affected socio-ecological environments, caregiving can impact children's functioning and their role in reproducing violence. Interventions that support caregivers in positive caregiving are promising for breaking cyclical violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. H. Berckmoes
- The Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands
| | - J. T. V. M. de Jong
- Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
| | - R. Reis
- Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands
- Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands
- School of Child and Adolescent Health, The Children's Institute, University of Cape Town, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, South Africa
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How Legacies of Genocide Are Transmitted in the Family Environment: A Qualitative Study of Two Generations in Rwanda. SOCIETIES 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/soc7030024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Promoting children's learning and development in conflict-affected countries: Testing change process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 29:53-67. [PMID: 27866501 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579416001139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Improving children's learning and development in conflict-affected countries is critically important for breaking the intergenerational transmission of violence and poverty. Yet there is currently a stunning lack of rigorous evidence as to whether and how programs to improve learning and development in conflict-affected countries actually work to bolster children's academic learning and socioemotional development. This study tests a theory of change derived from the fields of developmental psychopathology and social ecology about how a school-based universal socioemotional learning program, the International Rescue Committee's Learning to Read in a Healing Classroom (LRHC), impacts children's learning and development. The study was implemented in three conflict-affected provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and employed a cluster-randomized waitlist control design to estimate impact. Using multilevel structural equation modeling techniques, we found support for the central pathways in the LRHC theory of change. Specifically, we found that LRHC differentially impacted dimensions of the quality of the school and classroom environment at the end of the first year of the intervention, and that in turn these dimensions of quality were differentially associated with child academic and socioemotional outcomes. Future implications and directions are discussed.
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