Social and psychological problems of childhood in the war conditions: challenges and responses
Main Article Content
Abstract
The article's relevance is determined by the severity of the challenges to the socio-psychological state of Ukrainian society, which the full-scale Russian invasion entailed. Children are the social group most vulnerable to wartime risks. Therefore, their psychological well-being and development challenges require special response measures from the psychological community, education management bodies, and the educational community.
The purpose of the article is to propose a set of psychological support measures for Ukrainian children in the conditions of war and post-war reconstruction of the country, based on the classification of challenges to the psychological well-being and development of the child generated by the full-scale Russian invasion.
Methodology. The empirical basis of the article is the data of scientific research, in particular, representative surveys conducted by the Institute of Social and Political Psychology of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary analysis and generalization of these data were carried out from the point of view of the goal formulated above.
Results. The primary and secondary challenges to the child's psychological well-being and development in the conditions of a full-scale invasion are singled out. The challenges caused by the direct physical impact of the war or the perception of its informational image are interpreted as primary and as secondary - those that are mainly of social origin, caused by the rupture and/or deformation of the child's communicative field, violation of the established conditions of functioning and development. It is shown that secondary challenges, which are superimposed on the primary ones or added to them, can have a destabilizing effect on the child no less and sometimes even more.
The practical significance of the article can be seen in the proposed complex of psychologically based measures of the general and special plan, which are considered as a response to the psychological challenges to childhood caused by the war. General plan measures include raising the level of psychological competence of teachers and parents, adapting educational programs and methods to the possible cognitive and psychoemotional consequences of trauma and post-trauma in children of various ages, dramatically increasing the share of synchronous forms of learning within distance education, etc. Special measures mean the construction of a professional vertical to provide Ukrainian children with psychological support. The proposed organizational structure and functions of the National System of Psychological Support for Children in the conditions of war and post-war reconstruction of Ukraine are described.
Downloads
Article Details
References
Calder, M. (2022). Five surprising ways war can harm children. Retrieved from https://www.wvi.org/opinion/view/five-surprising-ways-war-can-harm-children (in English)
Hubeladze, I. H. (2022). Psykholohichna pidtrymka ditei v umovakh viiny: tekhniky ztsilennia [Children psychology assistance in war condition: healing techniques]. Viiskova psykholohiia u vymirakh viiny i myru: problemy, dosvid, perspektyvy: materialy VII Mizhnarodnoi naukovo-praktychnoi konferentsii «Viiskova psykholohiia u vymirakh viiny i myru: problemy, dosvid, perspektyvy» (23-24 veresnіa, 2022 r.) (рр. 41–44). Kyiv: Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University. (in Ukrainian)
Institute for social and political psychology NAES Ukraine (2021). Ponad polovynu hromadіan vvazhaiut, shcho dystantsiine navchannia ruinuie psykhiku i sotsialni navychky ditei: presreliz za rezultatamy opytuvannia [More than half of citizens believe that distance learning destroys the psyche and social skills of children: press release based on the results of the survey]. Retrieved from https://ispp.org.ua/2021/10/28/pres-reliz-ponad-polovinu-gromadyan-vvazhayut-shho-distancijne-navchannya-rujnuye-psixiku-i-socialni-navichki-ditej/ (in Ukrainian)
Institute for social and political psychology NAES Ukraine (2022). Kruhlyi stil «Psykholohiia rosiysko-ukrainskoi viiny: vnutrishnii pohliad» 7 kvitnia 2022 r.: postreliz [Round table "Psychology of the Russian-Ukrainian war: an inside view" April 7, 2022: post-release]. Retrieved from https://ispp.org.ua/2022/05/10/post-reliz-kruglij-stil-psixologiya-rosijsko-ukraiinskoii-vijni-vnutrishnij-poglyad-7-kvitnya-2022-r/ (in Ukrainian)
Kabantseva, A. V., & Selivanova, K. H. (2022). Interaktyvni metody medyko-psykholohichnoi reabilitatsii ditei, yaki zaznaly vplyvu voiennykh dii [Interactive methods of medical and psychological rehabilitation of children affected by war]. IV Mizhnarodna naukovo-praktychna konferentsiia «Informatsiini systemy ta tekhnolohii v medytsyni» (ISM–2021) (Natsionalnyi aerokosmichnyi universytet imeni M. Ye. Zhukovskoho «Kharkivskyi aviatsiinyi instytut») (рр. 84–85). Kharkiv. (in Ukrainian)
Keller, C. (2011). The Impact of Emotional and Physical Violence During Pregnancy on Maternal and Child Health at One Year Post-partum by Sarah McMahon, Chien-Chung Huang, Paul Boxer, Judy L. Postmus. Embryo Project Encyclopedia (2020-06-30). Retrieved from http://embryo.asu.edu/handle/10776/13157 (in English)
Kobchenko, S. R. (2022). Trudnoshchi komunikatsii ditei z intelektualnymy porushennіamy v period voiennoho chasu [Communication difficulties of children with intellectual disabilities during wartime] In Yu. D. Boichuk (Ed.), Aktualni pytannia spetsialnoi, inkliuzyvnoi i zdoroviazberezhuvalnoi osvity (рр. 64–70). Kharkiv. (in Ukrainian)
Krasnokutskyi, M. I., & Ovsiannikova, Ya. O. (2018). Psykhotravmuyuchyi dosvid ditei: osnovni etapy nadannia psykholohichnoi dopomohy [Children psychotraumatic experiences: the main stages of providing psychological assistance]. Naukovyi visnyk Khersonskoho derzhavnoho universytetu. Seriia «Psykholohichni nauky», 2(1), 56–61. (in Ukrainian)
Krešić Ćorić, M., Klarić, M., Petrov, B., & Mihić, N. (2016). Psychological and behavioral problems in children of war veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The European Journal of Psychiatry, 30(3), 219–230. Retrieved from http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0213-61632016000300006&lng=es&tlng=en (in English)
Lee, C., Nguyen, A. J., Russell, T. et al. (2018). Mental health and psychosocial problems among conflict-affected children in Kachin State, Myanmar: a qualitative study. Confl Health, 12, 39. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-018-0175-8 (in English)
Luhova, M. S. (2022). Viina ochyma ditei doshkilnoho viku: shliakhy zberezhennia psykhichnoho zdorovia v umovakh stresu [War through the eyes of preschool children: ways to preserve mental health in stressful conditions]. In Yu. D. Boichuk (Ed.), Aktualni pytannia spetsialnoi, inkliuzyvnoi i zdoroviazberezhuvalnoi osvity (рр. 111–114). Kharkiv. (in Ukrainian)
Medvedieva, O. V. (2022). Osoblyvosti pervynnoi psykholohichnoi dopomohy ditiam pid chas voiennykh dii [Peculiarities of primary children psychological assistance during hostilities]. Problemy suchasnoi politseistyky: tezy dopovidi naukovo-praktychnoi konferentsii (Kharkiv, 20 kvitnia 2022 r.) (рр. 196–200). Kharkiv. (in Ukrainian)
Murthy, R. S., & Lakshminarayana, R. (2006). Mental health consequences of war: a brief review of research findings. World psychiatry: official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 5 (1), 25–30. (in English)
Naidonova, L. A. (2022). Mediapsykholohia viiny yak osnova kontseptualnykh transformatsii mediaosvity: vid mediatravmy do travmainformovanykh praktyk [Media psychology of war as the basis of media education conceptual transformations: from media trauma to trauma-informed practices]. Problems of Political Psychology, 12 (26). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.33120/popp-Vol26-Year2022-109 (in Ukrainian)
Naidonova, L. A., Voznesenska, O. L., & Savinov, V. V. (Eds.) (2018). Robota z travmamy viiny [Work with war traumas: Ukrainian experience]. Ukrainskyi dosvid: materialy Pershoi vseukrainskoi naukovo-praktychnoi konferentsii (Kyiv, 28-31 bereznia 2018 r.). Kyiv: Zoloti vorota. (in Ukrainian)
Romanovska, D. D. (2022). Psykholohichna dopomoha u zakladakh osvity v period viiny: zapyty, metodyky, alhorytmy dii [Psychological assistance in educational institutions during the war: requests, methods, action algorithms]. Naukovyi visnyk Uzhhorodskoho natsionalnoho universytetu. Seriia: Psykholohiia, (1), 148–152. (in Ukrainian)
Santa Barbara, J. (2006). Impact of war on children and imperative to end war. Croatian medical journal, 47(6), 891–894. (in English)
Slyusarevskyy, M. M. (2022). Sotsialno-psykholohichnyi stan ukrayinskoho suspilstva v umovakh povnomasshtabnoho rosiiskoho vtorhnennia: nahalni vyklyky i vidpovidi. Naukova dopovid na zasidanni Prezydii NAPN Ukrainy 21 kvitnia 2022 r. [The socio-psychological state of Ukrainian society in the conditions of a full-scale Russian invasion: urgent challenges and responses. Scientific report at the meeting of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine on April 21, 2022]. Visnyk Natsionalnoi akademii pedahohichnykh nauk Ukrainy, 4 (1). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.37472/v.naes.2022.4124 (in Ukrainian)
Slyusarevskyy, M. M., & Blynova. O. Ye. (2018). Psykholohiia mihratsii [Psychology of migration]. (The second edition, revised and supplemented). Kyiv: Talkom. (in Ukrainian)
Slyusarevskyy, M. M., Chunikhina, S. L.,& Naidonova, L. A. (Eds.) (2022). Psykholohia rosiisko-ukrainskoi viiny: vnutrishnii pohliad: мaterialy Vseukrainskoho kruhloho stolu (7 kvitnia 2022 r.) [The psychology of the Russian-Ukrainian war: an internal view: materials of the All-Ukrainian round table on April 7, 2022]. Kyiv. Retrieved from https://ispp.org.ua/2022/10/12/materiali-vseukra%d1%97nskogo-kruglogo-stolu-psixologiya-rosijsko-ukra%d1%97nsko%d1%97-vijni-vnutrishnij-poglyad/ (in Ukrainian)
Smith, D. (2001, September 1). Children in the heat of war. Monitor on Psychology, 32(8). Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/sep01/childwar (in English)
Tytarenko, T. M., Zlobina, O. G., & Dvornyk, M. S. (Eds.) (2021). Porodzheni viinoiu spilnoty yak sotsialni donory i retsypiienty [War-born communities as social donors and recipients], Materialy mizhdystsyplinarnoho naukovoho seminaru (IS NAN Ukrainy, ISPP NAPN Ukrainy, Kyiv, 25 bereznia 2021 r.). Kyiv. (in Ukrainian)
Umerenkova, N. F. (2021). Sotsialno-psykholohichnyi suprovid chleniv simei viiskovosluzhbovtsiv v Ukraini: nablyzhennia do standartiv NATO [Socio-psychological support of family members of militaries in Ukraine: approximation to NATO standards]. Viіskova psykholohiia u vymirakh viiny i myru: problemy, dosvid perspektyvy: materialy VI Mizhnarodnoi naukovo-praktychnoi konferentsii (рр. 144–149). Kyiv. (in Ukrainian)
Yatsyna, O. F. (2022). Vplyv viiny na psykhichne zdorovia: oznaky travmatyzatsii psykhiky ditei ta pidlitkiv [The impact of war on mental health: signs of children and adolescents psychological traumatization]. Perspektyvy ta innovatsii nauky (Seriia «Pedahohika», Seriia «Psykholohia», Seriia «Medytsyna»), 7 (25), 554–567. (in Ukrainian)
Zhuravlіova, N. Yu. (2015). Osoblyvosti psykholohichnoi dopomohy simiam demobilizovanykh viiskovosluzhbovtsiv [Peculiarities of psychological assistance to families of demobilized militaries]. Aktualni problemy psykholohii. Vol 3: Konsultatyvna psykholohiia i psykhoterapiia, 11, 95–117. (in Ukrainian)