Oleksandr Chernenko – Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Psychology of Activity in Special Conditions, National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine.
ORCID 0000-0002-8621-3175
Kyrylo Pasynchuk – Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Advanced Training and Specialized Education, National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine.
ORCID 0000-0002-6007-834X
Iryna Filchuk – Lecturer of the Department of Psychology of Activity in Special Conditions, National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine.
ORCID 0009-0008-2228-0425
Alina Kolomoiets – Lecturer of the Department of Psychology of Activity in Special Conditions, National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine.
ORCID 0009-0008-6073-466X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52363/dcpp-2026.1.18
Keywords: children, war, mental health, psychological trauma, stress, post-traumatic reactions, psychosocial support, rehabilitation, educational environment, resilience.
The article provides a theoretical understanding of the psychological consequences of war for children as one of the most vulnerable social groups. It is determined that war is among the most destructive factors that destabilize a child’s mental development, disrupt the natural process of personality formation, and negatively affect the emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social spheres of development. The study characterizes the key risks to children’s mental health under conditions of military actions, forced displacement, loss of loved ones, destruction of the familiar living environment, prolonged exposure to danger, and excessive informational pressure [2; 3; 5]. It is demonstrated that living under constant threat, the disruption of social ties, destabilization of the family and educational environment, distance learning, and prolonged stress significantly increase the risk of psycho-emotional disorders in children of different age groups.
The main manifestations of psychological traumatization are summarized, including anxiety, depressive states, intrusive memories, sleep disturbances, emotional instability, aggressiveness, difficulties with concentration, reduced learning motivation, social isolation, and adaptation disorders. The specifics of primary and secondary challenges to children’s psychological well-being are revealed, where primary challenges are associated with the direct experience of danger, loss, shelling, and destruction, while secondary challenges involve the deformation of the developmental environment, weakening of support systems, deterioration of parents’ psycho-emotional state, difficulties of distance learning, and disruption of everyday stability [3; 7].
It is substantiated that war affects not only the emotional state of the child but also the formation of perceptions of safety, trust, self-worth, and the future. Therefore, its consequences are long-term in nature and may manifest even after the end of hostilities [7; 8]. Particular attention is paid to the role of the family, educational environment, psychological services, as well as national and international support programs for children experiencing war-related trauma. Contemporary approaches to psychological assistance and psychosocial support for children are analyzed, including crisis counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, art therapy, animal-assisted therapy, group support practices, and psychological rehabilitation programs.
The necessity of interdisciplinary cooperation among educational institutions, healthcare systems, social protection services, and public initiatives in creating a comprehensive system of assistance for children during wartime and the post-war period is emphasized. It is concluded that effective support for children should combine crisis intervention, resilience development, parental support, adaptation of the educational environment, and long-term psychosocial support aimed at restoring children’s adaptive resources and ensuring conditions for their полноценного personal development.
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Date of first submission of the article to the journal: 20.04.2026
Date of acceptance for publication after peer review: 18.05.2026
Date of publication of the article: 31.05.2026
Publisher National University of Civil Protection of Ukraine, 2026
This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode.en
How to cite: Chernenko O., Pasynchuk K., Filchuk I., Kolomoiets, A. Children and War: Psychological Consequences. Problems of Extreme and Crisis Psychology, 1(11), 2026. 229–238. https://doi.org/10.52363/dcpp-2026.1.18
