This page aims to foster a constructive inter and intra-disciplinary dialogue on relevant psychosocial issues in the area of children and armed conflict.
We present original contributions from leading experts in the field who provide current perspectives on a number of relevant themes. We also, with publishers’ permission, reproduce studies published in professional and academic journals so as to widen practitioner access to papers of interest.
Children and war: Risk, resilience, and recovery.
Werner, W.
Werner, W. (2012). Children and war: Risk, resilience, and recovery. Development and Psychopathology, 24, 553-558.
In our 24th edition, we are privileged to reproduce the above 2012 article by Professor Emmy Werner. It is worth noting that the ‘risk, resilience and recovery’ framework used by this highly distinguished researcher in her analysis of the impact of war upon children in fact derives originally from her own ground breaking 40 year longitudinal study on the Hawaiian island of Kauai . In that seminal study, Professor Werner and colleagues followed up a cohort of children born in 1955 from birth to the age of 40 years. The study confirmed prior research showing that early environmental ‘risk’ factors such as trauma, parental mental illness, alcoholism or criminality, were associated with negative developmental outcomes in children such as persisting emotional and behavioural disorders.
Importantly, the Kauai study went further to reveal factors that seemed to protect children from the negative effects of ‘risk’ factors. One-third of that sample appeared to be resilient, i.e. they grew up to be ‘competent, confident and caring adults’ . Further, even in adulthood certain experiences could play an important role in facilitating social and psychological ‘recovery’ in those who had previously shown poor childhood outcomes. The recent research focus on resilience and recovery in children affected by war and armed conflict owes much to Professor Werner’s early work, and her subsequent studies of how war can impact upon children’s developmental trajectories.
Professor Werner’s 2012 review article that we publish today is wide ranging, covering studies of children who survived World War II as well as research examining the impact of more recent wars upon children in Europe, Asia and Africa. Of particular interest to readers of our own psychosocial website, is her analysis of how certain child soldier experiences, such as killing others or the experience of rape, can have ‘particular toxic’ effects (p554). Professor Werner identifies risk factors for children in war situations (e.g. the age of the child) and protective factors (e.g. social support from peers and teachers), some of which resonate with those also important for children more generally. The utility of interventions using existing social structures, such as schools, is highlighted, and finally Professor Werner considers where research needs to go next if we are to fully understand the nature of risk and resilience trajectories in war affected children.
Dr Linda Dowdney
Editor
April 2013