Psychosocial impact of war on the social and emotional development of young learners - An integrative review of literature

• Published in: Perspectives in education Vol. 43; no. 2; pp. 5 - 19
• Main Authors: Aloka, Peter JO, Ajayi, Oluwakemi, Zindoga, Lilian, Mnyamana, Nzukiso
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bloemfontein University of the Free State, Faculty of Education 01.01.2025
• Subjects: Adolescent Development; Child Development; Child Health; Children; Children & youth; Cognitive Development; Cultural Differences; Developed Nations; Developmental Delays; Educational Facilities Improvement; Educational Resources; Emotional development; Family (Sociological Unit); Family system perspective; Foreign Nationals; Grounded Theory; Holistic approach; International organizations; Interpersonal Relationship; Language Acquisition; Literature reviews; Mental health; Parent Caregiver Relationship; Perspective Taking; Post traumatic stress disorder; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Preschool education; Private Agencies; Program Implementation; Psychological trauma; Psychosocial factors; Relocation; Resilience; Resilience (Psychology); Social behavior; Social development; Social interaction; Social Problems; Teenagers; War; Well being; Middle East; United States > US; Ukraine; North Africa
• ISSN: 0258-2236; 2519-593X
• DOI: 10.38140/piev43i2.8282

The psychological impacts of war on young learners' social and emotional development are examined in this integrated review. Not only can war and armed conflict have a profound influence on individual children, but they also negatively affect the entire family system. The difficulties associated with relocation, migration, and a to new conditions exacerbate the repercussions of war. Instead of growing and developing in a safe, predictable, emotionally and physically healthy environment, children are faced with war. Children who have witnessed or experienced conflict are more likely to face psychosocial difficulties, which could seriously jeopardise their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth. By combining the results of a wide range of studies, the review demonstrates how exposure to armed conflict significantly alters children's and teenagers' developmental trajectories. The results show that trauma-related problems are common, social behaviours have changed, and the foundations of education are being undermined. The review emphasises the necessity for targeted policies and practices that address the unique needs of war-affected youth, advocating for a holistic approach to foster resilience and recovery. Furthermore, the review underscores the importance of creating social interaction and collaborating with international organisations to offer peace education as a subject to bring social cohesiveness to a warring nation.