Brymer, Steinberg, Sornborger, Layne, & Pynoos (2008). Acute interventions for refugee children and families. (original) (raw)
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The acts of war and violence are increasingly prevalent in contemporary society. Within the last decade, the use of weapons has become more efficient and powerful resulting in devastation and loss of human life. Globally, people in affected regions usually exhibit residual effects, these effects however tend to be more pronounced in children and young adults. This paper presents concrete research on the effects of war-trauma, migration-trauma and, parental (family) distress of refugee children (RC) with the aim of understanding the deviant behavior of refugee children in reported trauma cases reviewed. This paper established the impact of war-trauma on refugee children. Children with prolonged exposure to war or violence related events stand a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which could result in violent behavior throughout their life time if proper intervention is not administered. Aggravated mental stress disorder could also be experienced due to migration trauma as the RC traverse several regions enroute their new environments; which in turn leads to family distress as separation occurs as well as acculturation issues.
University of Debrecen, 2019
The experience of war and violence have often resulted in various cascade of negative life events including loss of loved ones, displacement, lack of educational structure, and drastic changes in daily routine and community values. Unfortunately, very often times, war-affected children suffer psychological problems such as post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), depression, anger, aggressiveness and long-term problems in coping with future stressful situations. Children that have been exposed to violence in multiple forms frequently develop traumatic stress reactions, therefore utilizing the concept of social, emotional and cognitive developmental patterns, the response of affected children to stress and violence related circumstances can be understood. Children with prolonged exposure to war or violence related events stand a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which could result in violent behavior throughout their life time if proper intervention is not administered. Introduction:
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2022
The infliction of war and military aggression upon children must be considered a violation of their basic human rights and can have a persistent impact on their physical and mental health and well-being, with long-term consequences for their development. Given the recent events in Ukraine with millions on the flight, this scoping policy editorial aims to help guide mental health support for young victims of war through an overview of the direct and indirect burden of war on child mental health. We highlight multilevel, need-oriented, and trauma-informed approaches to regaining and sustaining outer and inner security after exposure to the trauma of war. The impact of war on children is tremendous and pervasive, with multiple implications, including immediate stress-responses, increased risk for specific mental disorders, distress from forced separation from parents, and fear for personal and family’s safety. Thus, the experiences that children have to endure during and as consequence...
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There is an increasing need to deliver effective mental health services to refugee children and adolescents across the United States; however, the evidence base needed to guide the design and delivery of services is nascent. We investigated the trauma history profiles, psychopathology, and associated behavioral and functional indicators among war-affected refugee children presenting for psychological treatment. From the National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s Core Data Set, 60 war-affected refugee children were identified (51.7% males, mean age = 13.1 years, SD = 4.13). Clinical assessments indicated high rates of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (30.4%), generalized anxiety (26.8%), somatization (26.8%), traumatic grief (21.4%), and general behavioral problems (21.4%). Exposure to war or political violence frequently co-occurred with forced displacement; traumatic loss; bereavement or separation; exposure to community violence; and exposure to domestic violence. Academic problems and behavioral difficulties were prevalent (53.6% and 44.6%, respectively); however, criminal activity, alcohol/drug use, and self-harm were rare (all < 5.45%). These findings highlight the complex trauma profiles, comorbid conditions, and functional problems that are important to consider in providing mental health interventions for refugee children and adolescents. Given the difficulties associated with access to mental health services for refugees, both preventive and community-based interventions within family, school, and peer systems hold particular promise.
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This research examines Syrian refugee mothers’ accounts of the physical and mental health of their children being affected by war traumas and displacement challenges. Open-ended audio-recorded interviews were conducted in Arabic with 23 mothers residing in Jordan. Using a narrative approach in the data collection and analysis, five major themes were identified: (1) children were exposed to diverse war traumatic experiences in Syria; (2) the escape journey and refugee camps threatened children’s lives; (3) displacement and family stressors exposed children to poverty, hostility from local peers, educational and recreational challenges, child labor, and domestic violence (these three major themes were considered as trauma related variables); (4) children were not only directly affected physically and mentally by their own traumatic experiences and displacement stressors, but these experiences were mediated and magnified by familial interrelated processes, evidenced in intergenerationa...
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In 2015, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) named Syria as the most dangerous place on earth to be a child (UNICEF, 2). Since the onset of civil war in 2011, nearly 4.8 million Syrians are refugees outside of Syria and approximately 6 million are internally displaced (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 2016). While some refugees have successfully resettled in North American and European nations, many remain in limbo in refugee camps. What is most staggering about the population of affected persons is that nearly half, approximately 6 million, are children (UNICEF, 2016). Nearly all of these children have been subjected to trauma that has manifested in a variety of ways. They have often been subjected to or witnessed violence and have experienced the loss of one or more of their caregivers. Refugees face difficulty accessing psychological and health services and are met with the stigma surrounding mental health in coun...
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Away from home: psychological well-being of Syrian children at Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan, 2017
This study examines the relationship between levels of exposure to war and the psychological symptoms of the well-being of displaced children at Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan. One hundred and thirty-three parents of children aged 0–12 years completed a survey that measures exposure to violence, and the impact of such exposure. The findings indicated that the shock level experienced by the children was high, while the symptoms’ level that followed the shock was moderate. There is a significant difference between males and females in the physical symptoms where females scored higher than males did. There is a significant score gap between children according to age as to the exposure scale, where children aged 7–12 years scored higher. The findings revealed statistically significant relationship between children’s exposure to war and symptoms on their psychological well-being. Recommendations and implications are discussed
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This article describes the exposure of refugees, and particularly refugee children, to trauma, loss, and severe hardship in their countries of origin, while fleeing to their host countries, and after arrival in the host country. It then discusses acute psychosocial interventions for traumatized children and families, in particular the “Psychological First Aid” and “Skills for Psychological Recovery” guidelines developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. It concludes by discussing the need to establish an evidence base for the effectiveness of such interventions.