Psychosocial Impact of War on Children

Over the weekend, National Public Radio interviewed Iraq's mental health adviser on the results of a survey that was conducted to assess the effects of the war on the mental health of Iraqi children. USA Today reported earlier on the findings, noting that "[a]bout 70% of primary school students in a Baghdad neighborhood suffer symptoms of trauma-related stress... ." The study will become available next month.

Following up on my earlier post on the mental health aspects of forced migration, here are several additional resources to consult to learn more about the impact of war on children and recommended approaches for assistance :

Psychosocial - Care & Protection of Children in Emergencies: A Field Guide (Save the Children, 2004) [text]

Psychosocial Concepts in Humanitarian Work with Children: A Review of the Concepts and Related Literature (National Academies Press, 2003) [text]

"Psychosocial interventions for children in war-affected areas: the state of the art," Intervention: International Journal of Mental Health, Psychosocial Work and Counselling in Areas of Armed Conflict, vol. 5, no. 1 (March 2007) [summary]
- Full-text not available online. Contact the publisher for more information.

Working with children in unstable situations: A guiding manual for psychosocial interventions (RSC and UNICEF, 2002) [text]

More information can be found via FMO's digital library, the Health and Human Rights Info database, and PubMed.

Posted in Publications.