Effects on mental well-being of children facing armed conflict: A systemic review

Pages: 147-150
Masrat Wani and Poonam Phogat (Department of Psychology, Gargi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi)

All over the armed conflicts are on the rise and the majority of the sufferers of these conflicts are children. The present paper aims to present a review of literature on the effects of armed conflict on the mental well-being of children who are caught in them and also highlight the changing trends of research in this direction. To provide a comprehensive review, data was collected from PubMed, PILOTS and WILEY to estimate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and psychosis suffered by children exposed to armed conflict. Data was also collected on positive functioning of children in armed conflict. This review though suggesting that the prevalence of mental disorders in children exposed to armed conflict is far greater than the general population also lays stress on the agency of the children to have the capacity to overcome the negative impact on provision of protective factors.