Volume 13 - Issue 74
/ February 2024
361
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.74.02.30
How to Cite:
Dichek, N., & Kravchenko, O. (2024). Social and psychological assistance to children under martial law. Amazonia
Investiga, 13(74), 361-372. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2024.74.02.30
Social and psychological assistance to children under martial law
Соціально-психологічна допомога дітям в умовах воєнного стану
Received: January 5, 2024 Accepted: February 25, 2024
Written by:
Nataliia Dichek1
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2185-3630
Oksana Kravchenko2
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9732-6546
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to identify the main
psycho-emotional states and factors affecting the
physical and mental well-being of
schoolchildren, including during distance
learning and in relationships with family
members, as well as to develop areas of
psychosocial assistance to children under martial
law. To achieve the research purpose, an
appropriate questionnaire was developed with
multiple-choice questions about: dominant
emotions and feelings, attitudes towards distance
learning, reactions to external stimuli, the impact
of martial law on the comfort of life,
relationships with peers and parents, etc. A
survey was conducted among 1303
schoolchildren aged 6–17, including 515 boys
and 788 girls, 11 of whom live outside Ukraine.
The survey found that the physical and psycho-
emotional well-being of Ukrainian
schoolchildren was characterised by sleep
disturbances, agitation, fear, rapid mood
changes, severe fatigue, sadness, longing,
indignation, irritation, anger, increased conflicts
(especially with parents), etc. An additional
factor in the increased level of anxiety under
martial law was distance learning, which makes
it difficult for students to concentrate due to the
difficulty of communication, shifted daily
routines, worries about family and friends,
changes in responsibilities and other distractions.
The main directions of psycho-correctional work
and recommendations for the use of psychosocial
1
Doctor of Sciences (Pedagogy), Head of the Department of History and Philosophy. Education of Institute of Pedagogy. Education
Institute of Pedagogy of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID:
AAC-9193-2022
2
Doctor of Sciences (Pedagogy), Professor at the Department of Social Education and Social Work, Dean of the Faculty of Social
Work and Psychological Education. Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID:
AAS-4767-2021
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assistance technologies have been developed,
which will allow children to assess their current
life situation, identify their strengths (resources),
which will ensure their self-healing and increase
their resilience.
Keywords: schoolchildren, emotions and
feelings, traumatic experience, distance learning,
resource, coping strategies.
Introduction
In the context of the new socio-political realities
caused by the outbreak of a large-scale war in
Ukraine, the most vulnerable categories of
citizens, including children, need special support.
It is believed that the sooner children are helped
to cope with the consequences of a traumatic
event, the lower the risk of future problems. A
traumatic event is defined as an unexpected,
unexpected, overwhelming event that goes
beyond the normal human experience (Prorok
(ed.), 2018, p. 24).
Thus, the primary task is to provide
comprehensive psychological assistance to
children, especially those who have experienced
violence (against themselves and/or other
people), loss (directly/indirectly), direct
hostilities (explosions, fires, sirens), etc.
The purpose of the study is to identify the key
psycho-emotional states and factors that affect
the physical and mental health of schoolchildren,
in particular in the context of distance learning,
in interaction with family members, during a full-
scale invasion. In addition, the purpose of the
article is to develop strategies for psychosocial
support for children under martial law.
To achieve this goal, the following tasks were
solved:
‒ questionnaires were developed to identify
the main psycho-emotional states and
factors influencing the physical and mental
well-being of schoolchildren;
‒ a survey of selected respondents was
conducted on the questions of the developed
questionnaire;
‒ collecting, processing and grouping of
respondents' answers, drawing conclusions;
‒ taking into account the results of the survey,
recommendations were developed on the use
of psychosocial assistance technology for
psychologists working with children who
have experienced traumatic experiences as a
result of military operations.
Literature review
The study of the basics of psychological
assistance in the conditions of military conflict
was carried out by leading scientists, including
K. Miller, & A. Rasmussen (2010),
J. Cuartas Ricaurte, L. Karim,
M. Martínez Botero, & P. Hessel (2019).
N. Singh et al. (2021), N. Jain et al. (2022). An
in-depth study of the phenomenon of personal
psychotrauma, its nature and consequences of
exposure is covered in the works of I. Keynan
(2015), T. Molendijk, E. Kramer, & D. Verweij
(2016), Z. Kisarchuk (ed.) (2020), B. Palamar et
al. (2023). They systematized the latest
experience in overcoming the consequences of
psychotrauma, studied the phenomenon of post-
traumatic stress disorder in the national context,
taking into account the age, psychological, social
and socio-cultural characteristics of victims and
the characteristics of specialists and the specifics
of their practice (Kisarchuk (ed.), 2020, p. 6).
M. Costello, L. Phelps, & F. Wilczenski (1994),
M. Wessells (1998), T. Betancourt, & K. Khan
(2008), L. Meiqari, M. Hoetjes, L. Baxter, &
A. Lenglet (2017), A. Kadir, S. Shenoda,
J. Goldhagen, & S. Pitterman, (2018),
J. Michalek et al. (2022), T. Kostenko,
K. Dovhopola, O. Nabochenko, V. Kurinna, &
V. Mykhaylyuk (2022), and others studied the
peculiarities of post-crisis psychological
diagnosis and rehabilitation of children.
The general conditions for social and
psychological assistance to children under
martial law, proposed by the above-mentioned
authors, are: creating a safe environment for
children at home and in educational institutions;
communication, discussion of problems and
expression of support; openness and honesty in
communication with children about war and its
threats; mandatory family support; psychological
assistance, both group and individual, as well as
social protection of children affected by war.
The main limitations of using the results of these
studies in practice are their focus on specific
Dichek, N., Kravchenko, O. / Volume 13 - Issue 74: 361-372 / February, 2024
Volume 13 - Issue 74
/ February 2024
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cases, which take into account the factors and
circumstances of the analysed military conflicts
only. That is why they need to be adapted to the
realities of the Russian-Ukrainian full-scale war,
and not used as a basis for use. And such
adaptation is impossible without taking into
account the contexts, specifics and consequences
of military threats on the mental health of
Ukrainian children.
Despite the fundamental works of these
researchers, the issue of rehabilitation of
schoolchildren under martial law has received
extremely little attention. Given the specifics of
the problem, as well as its focus on the most
vulnerable category of the population, this topic
requires going beyond previous studies.
Methodology
A questionnaire has been developed that
combines the following information:
demographic indicators, place of residence
before the outbreak of hostilities, leading
activities under martial law, dominant emotions
and feelings, attitude to distance learning, the
impact of the consequences of an unfavorable
socio-political situation on the relationship
between students and their peers, resource
potential of the individual, the most common
coping strategies of students and their parents.
Respondents: Schoolchildren aged 6–17. Below
is a Figure 1 that provides a general idea of the
ratio of the number of survey participants by age.
Fig. 1. Age of respondents.
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
The gender distribution (Figure 2) of the survey participants was as follows: female (60.5%) and male
(39.5%).
Fig. 2. Gender of survey participants.
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
The survey found that most of the respondents
lived in Uman (84.04%) and Uman district
(5.6%) before the hostilities. The survey was
conducted among schoolchildren in Kyiv and its
region, as well as in Kirovohrad, Kharkiv,
Luhansk, Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Chernihiv,
Zaporizhzhia, and Zakarpattia regions (Figure 3).
1
5
15
32
131
212
205
194
171
166
92
60
19
050 100 150 200 250
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Not specified
Age
39,5
60,5
010 20 30 40 50 60 70
Male
Female
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Fig. 3. Place of residence before military actions.
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
Results and discussion
In his work “Psychological War Trauma and
Society: Like a Hidden Wound”, the Israeli
scientist I. Keynan emphasizes that symptoms of
post-traumatic stress disorder can be expressed
even in people who were not in the immediate
vicinity of the place of a terrorist attack or
military operations (Keynan, 2015, p. 161).
Thus, a large number of people, including
children, can be traumatized regardless of their
location.
The question “What is the most uncomfortable
thing about martial law?” provides information
on what factors contribute to the deterioration of
children’s psycho-emotional state and increase
their experience of crisis situations (Figure 4).
Fig. 4. What is the most uncomfortable under martial law?
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
The most uncomfortable things about martial
law, according to students, are “sleep
disturbances” (48.4%), “distance learning”
(44.3%), “monotony, boredom” (42.2%), “shots,
other sharp sounds” (40.8%).
Obviously, under martial law, physical and
mental well-being is affected by any situation of
uncertainty and risk, when special responsibility
is required in relation to one’s own life, decision-
making in stressful situations, and management
of one’s own emotions and feelings. An
additional factor in increasing anxiety during this
period is distance learning, in which students
cannot concentrate due to:
• difficulties in connecting (Internet speed,
availability of appropriate equipment);
• shifted daily routine (sleep disturbance,
appetite, increased fatigue), which depends
on the situation in a particular region (which
leads to interruption or postponement of the
lesson(s) to another day, a large amount of
material for independent study);
• worrying about family, friends and relatives;
• changes in responsibilities (helping parents,
volunteering, territorial defense);
84,04
5,6
2,15
1,3
0,31
0,31
0,23
0,23
0,23
0,23
0,15
0,15
0,15
0,08
020 40 60 80 100
Uman
Cherkasy
Not specified
Kyiv
Refused to provide information
Kirovohrad region
Abroad
Kharkiv
Luhansk
Vinnytsia
Donetsk
Chernihiv
Zaporizhzhia
Uzhhorod
48,4
44,3
42,2
40,8
37,4
35,1
26,6
21,5
0,46
0,46
0,23
010 20 30 40 50 60
Sleep disturbance
Distance Learning
Loneliness, boredom
Shots, other sharp sounds
Temporary change of residence
Changing the regime (routine) of the day
Lack of necessary (desired) goods
Permanent stay in storage
Nothing
Air alarm
I miss home, relatives, friends
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• other distractions (the atmosphere at home,
thoughts and feelings about the current
situation) (Bezliudniy et al., 2022;
Kravchenko et al., 2022).
It is noteworthy that 0.23% of students chose
their own option, stating that they “miss home,
family and friends.” Most of these children were
forced to leave for a safer place for a while. The
total number of displaced students is 37.4%.
It was found that the most uncomfortable
options, in the opinion of children, were mostly
those that most clearly illustrate the violation of
certain needs that are crucial (Kravchenko,
Koliada, Isachenko, & Honchar, 2021):
physiological needs (sleep, necessary goods),
safety needs (sharp sounds, including shots,
explosions, air raid sirens, uncertainty), social
needs, as well as the need for recognition (change
of residence, distance learning), the need for self-
expression and self-realization (constant stay in a
shelter (or at home in a safe place), monotony).
The question “What did you do during the air
raid?” is driven by the need to determine the level
of awareness of children about the seriousness of
the situation, as well as to identify activities that
help relieve excessive tension in stressful
conditions (Figure 5).
Fig. 5. What did you do during the air raid?
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
Let’s identify the types of activities that serve as
a distraction for children when they feel inner
tension during air rage: “watching videos and
movies” (29.4%), “doing homework” (25.7%),
“listening to music, audiobooks” (24.3%), and
“extra hours of sleep” (20.3%).
It is worth emphasizing that 56.6% of
schoolchildren “hide in a shelter,” which
indicates a high level of parental awareness of
life safety, and this, in turn, shapes the child’s
attitude. Air raid alerts are ignored by 27.6% of
students, which suggests that they have a low
level of awareness of the situation in the country
and an indifferent attitude to their own safety.
The number of respondents currently live outside
of Ukraine is 0.84%.
The question “What emotions and feelings
prevail?” allows us to determine the presence of
dominant emotions and diagnose the psycho-
emotional state of a person (Figure 6).
The dominant emotions can be conditionally
divided into two types: positively and negatively
tinged. The first option includes the following
answers: “excitement” (54.2%), “fear” (40%),
“fast mood changes” (36.7%), “feeling very
tired” (33.3%), “trembling, especially from loud
sounds” (29.2%), “sadness, longing” (28%),
“indignation irritation” (23.9%), “anger”
(22.6%), “terrible dreams (nightmares)” (18%),
“indifference, lack of interest in what I used to
like” (16.6%), uncertainty (16.5%), “feeling of
loneliness” (15.1%), “resentment” (12.9%),
“indifference” (0.69%), “aggression” (0.31%).
Let’s contrast the above with positively tinged
emotions and feelings, which include the
following: “hope that it will end quickly”
(67.2%), “compassion” (20.3%), “love of life”
(17.2%), “pity” (10.3%).
56,6
29,4
27,6
25,7
24,3
20,3
17,3
11,4
10,4
2,1
0,84
010 20 30 40 50 60
I'm hiding in the shelter
I watch videos or movies
I don't pay attention
I do my homework
I listen to music, audio books
I'm sleeping
look after my sister (brother)
I play board games
I'm panicking
walking the dog
Outside Ukraine
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Fig. 6. What emotions and feelings prevail?
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
Although the largest number of options belong to
negatively directed emotions and feelings, in
terms of percentage, it is the positive ones that
cover a significant majority of students – 67.2%.
In addition, given the situation of uncertainty and
risk, any of these options are quite natural and
even predictable.
Under martial law, distance learning has become
one of the main ways for teachers and students to
interact. The question “What is most annoying
about distance learning?” allows us to determine
the attitude of students to the educational process
under martial law (Figure 7).
Fig. 7. What is most annoying about distance learning?
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
Distance learning is a relatively new trend that
enables students to realize their constitutional
right to education. However, difficulties in
organizing system and technical support, lack of
resources for children to fully implement
distance learning are the reasons why children
find it difficult to learn the material (53.4%).
Martial law education contributes to the
suppression of students’ cognitive activity. The
main reasons for this phenomenon, according to
students, are “unstable connection” (51%),
“uneven workload” (36.6%), “interruption of the
lesson” (26%), “shifting classes one to two hours
ahead” (16.6%), “canceling classes” (7.8%),
“postponing classes to the next day” (6.9%).
Fully satisfied with the quality of distance
learning are 2.7% of respondents, while 0.77%
do not understand the need for distance learning.
67,2
54,2
40
36,7
33,3
29,2
28
23,9
22,6
20,3
18
17,2
16,6
16,5
15,1
12,9
10,3
0,69
0,38
0,31
010 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
hope it ends soon
emotion
fear
rapid mood swings
feeling very tired
tremors, especially from loud sounds
sadness, longing
indignation, irritation
malice
compassion
nightmares
animal spirits
indifference, lack of interest in what used to be liked
uncertainty
a feeling of loneliness
insult
pity
indifference
nothing
aggression
53,4
51
36,61
26
16,6
7,8
6,9
2,69
0,77
0,77
010 20 30 40 50 60
difficulties with learning the educational material;
unstable connection;
uneven load;
interrupting the lesson;
shift of classes an hour or two hours ahead;
cancellation of classes;
postponement of classes to the next day;
nothing annoying
a large number of lessons
its presence
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This suggests that most students consciously
attend classes, understand the need to launch
distance learning in Ukraine, but have comments
and recommendations to improve students’
learning of the curriculum.
The question “Do you observe any changes in
communication with your friends?” allows us to
determine the impact of the effects of martial law
on students’ relationships with their peers and
changes in values and priorities at the social level
(Figure 8).
Fig. 8. Do you observe any changes in communication with your friends?
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
Communication is a necessary component of
mental health. During the period of martial law,
a large number of children faced certain
problems related to personal communication.
Under such conditions, students “write and/or
talk on the phone more often” (58.2%), complain
that “most of their friends have left the city
(village)” (52.8%), and do not find “time for
friendship” (42%). An important ability is the
ability to establish connections with other peers
(13.6%). It was found that children who
interacted on social media with Russian friends
lost their endurance to engage in conflictual
discussions and stopped communicating
altogether.
Some students (1.53%) concluded that in
stressful, non-standard conditions, those traits or
behaviors that make it impossible to continue
communicating with former friends are best
noticed. Children note that they no longer
understand those whom they used to consider
close, and interpersonal communication with
them has come to naught. However, on the other
hand, the current situation allows them to
identify those in their immediate environment
who value them, are sincerely interested in their
lives, and deserve to be trusted. Thus, students
are more conscious about choosing people who
will have a significant impact on their future
development.
It is interesting that a condition for the emergence
of friendly sympathy is territorial proximity,
which makes it more accessible to establish and
maintain contact with a person. That is why
various situations of uncertainty and risk
contributed to the emergence of opportunities for
students to “meet (make friends) with other
peers” (13.6%). Sharing traumatic experiences
allows children to feel kinship and mutual
understanding, which can increase stress
resistance and the ability to effectively regulate
their emotions.
Thus, in addition to the difficult social, economic
and political situation in the country, children
face interpersonal problems, the solution of
which allows them to increase reflexivity, critical
thinking, independence, and resistance to
manipulation. Identifying the factors of
emotional discomfort that a child experiences
when interacting with his or her immediate
environment allows them to analyze the causes
and consequences of interpersonal dependence,
which thereby serves as a resource for redirecting
internal tension, uncertainty, and fear of making
a mistake to increase their own importance and
self-worth.
The question “For what reason did you most
often have quarrels with your parents?” allows us
to study the peculiarities of child-parent relations
under martial law (Figure 9).
Conflicts are an integral part of our lives. During
martial law, a significant number of the country’s
population is under stress. As it accumulates,
stress seeks a way out of the body, which leads to
increased levels of aggression, hostility,
frustration, anxiety, etc. Accordingly, we can see
an increase in the frequency of conflicts
(especially family conflicts) (Kravchenko,
2021).
58,2
52,8
42
13,6
1,8
1,53
1
0,84
010 20 30 40 50 60 70
we correspond more often and / or talk on the phone
most friends left the city (village)
very little time for friendship
met (made friends) with other peers
we meet only during an air raid in the shelter
especially no friends or stopped communicating
there are no changes
we walk together
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Fig. 9. For what reason did you most often have quarrels with your parents?
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
It was determined that most conflicts occurred
“because of frequent use of the phone” (43.7%),
“because I did not want to do what was required
of me” (35.5%), “because of academic
performance” (22.6%), “because of prohibitions
and restrictions imposed by adults” (17%),
because of violation of ethics of relationships
(14.7%), and because of non-compliance with
discipline rules (9.7%). Only 8% of pupils did
not have quarrels with their parents.
Thus, in the context of martial law, conflicts are
an additional factor in the deterioration of general
well-being, disharmonization of the interaction
of the individual with himself or herself and
others.
The question “What helped me the most to
survive this time?” allows us to determine the
range of different types of activities aimed at
meeting the basic needs of the individual, to get
to know the specifics of how students fill their
free time (Figure 10).
Fig. 10. What helped me the most to survive this time?
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
According to children, the best anti-stress factors
are “support from family and friends” (57.9%),
“nice little things” (51%), “my hobby” (43.6%),
“communication with others” (40.8%),
“movement and physical activity” (31.9%).
According to students, in difficult life conditions,
“a telephone and/or computer” (1.7%), helping
others (12.8%), “healthy sleep and healthy
eating” (18.2%), and discussing the situation
(25.6%) help to relieve psychological stress. The
survey results show that children successfully
realize themselves in sports, creative, and
volunteer activities, take care of their health and
well-being, and establish positive social
interaction.
With the question “What did I do most often
during martial law?” we can explore the resource
potential of the individual, which will help
optimize the adaptive capabilities of
schoolchildren (Figure 11).
43,7
35,5
22,6
17
14,7
9,7
7,98
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
due to frequent use of the phone
because I didn't want to do what was asked of me
about academic success
because of prohibitions and restrictions that adults…
due to violation of the ethics of relationships…
due to non-compliance with the rules of discipline
there were no quarrels
57,9
51
43,6
40,8
31,9
25,6
18,2
12,8
1,69
1
010 20 30 40 50 60 70
support of relatives and friends
nice little things (candy, new game)
my hobby
communication with others
movement and physical activity
discussion of the situation
healthy sleep and proper nutrition
helping others
phone and/or computer
nothing
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Fig. 11. What did I do most often during martial law?
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
The internal resource of adults that helps them
successfully cope with life’s difficulties is
associated with flexibility of thinking, behavior,
and emotional response. As for children, the
importance of external factors in coping with
stress is greater than internal ones. For example,
it was found that most children tend to “distract”
from the problem (63.6%) and “fantasize about
how things could be or will be in the future”
(52.4%), which indicates an avoidance
orientation. A somewhat smaller number of
students believe that the best ways to cope with
stress are “sleeping if possible” (35.1%),
“crying” (23.5%), “being alone with oneself,
avoiding interaction” (20.3%).
It is worth noting that there are ways to respond
to a traumatic situation by showing aggression
(17.2%) and remaining completely indifferent to
everything (15.8%). The most optimal coping
strategies used by children are developing the
habit of “thinking about what I am doing and
why” (20.1%) and “getting support from others”
(18%).
It should be noted that the coping strategies used
by children develop in the family and depend on
the coping behavior of their parents or other
significant and close people. Thus, according to
the survey results, a significant majority of
children were able to actualize certain internal
resources to cope with stressors.
The question “What did close people (parents,
other relatives) do when you were particularly
anxious (scared)?” allows us to identify the most
common coping strategies of parents, as they
affect the psycho-emotional state of their
children (Figure 12).
Fig. 12. What did loved ones do when you were especially disturbing (scary)
Source: Results of a survey conducted by the authors.
According to the survey, parents most often used
the following coping strategies: “promising that
everything will be fine” (66%), “explaining why
there is no need to be afraid or what to do”
(59.1%), “hugging” (49%), which indicates their
high level of self-control and self-control, ability
to demonstrate courage, willpower, and
optimism.
17,2 63,6
52,4
23,5
20,1 35,1
20,3
15,8
18
0,92
0,31
0,23
010 20 30 40 50 60 70
showed anger, aggression
I tried to distract myself
I fantasized a lot about how everything could be…
cried
I tried to think about what I was doing and why
if possible, slept
I felt that I wanted to be alone, avoided…
seemed indifferent
tried to find support from others
played on computer and/or phone
all do hobbies
I'm doing my homework
66
59,1
49
16,7
14,2
13,2
6,3
6,1
3,9
2,84
2,2
0,84
010 20 30 40 50 60 70
They promised that everything would be fine
They explained why there is no need to be afraid or…
hugged
offered a game
read a book, told interesting stories, anecdotes
were given a certain task or involved in a joint activity
they made remarks, ordered not to cry
turned off the music or encouraged to sing along
shouted
was not alarming or scary
left to "think about their behavior"
nothing was done
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Some less popular strategies can be noted, but
they are based on imagination, creativity, humor,
and joint activities: “suggesting a game”
(16.7%), “reading a book, telling interesting
stories, jokes” (14.2%), “giving a certain task or
involving in joint activities” (13.2%), “playing
music or encouraging singing together” (6.1%).
Some parents use ineffective coping strategies:
“shouting” (3.9%), “making remarks, telling
them not to cry” (6.3%), or “doing nothing”
(0.84%).
Thus, it is especially important for a child to feel
that close people (parents, other family members)
support and ensure psychological security and
well-being, especially in martial law. The ability
to create a favorable psychological atmosphere
reduces anxiety, helps to dispel irrational fears,
improves the quality of interaction, maintains
and strengthens enthusiasm and optimistic
perception of reality, despite the difficult living
conditions.
Specialists working with children who have had
traumatic experiences as a result of military
operations are offered the following psychosocial
assistance technologies (group work) (Kisarchuk
(ed.), 2020):
• debunking the myth of the “unique
situation” (involves each participant
realizing that the vast majority of those
present during the training are facing a
similar situation or similar obstacles);
• application of art therapy techniques (sand
work, fairy tale therapy, theatricalization,
color therapy, isotherapy) and MAC
(metaphorical association cards);
• animal-assisted therapy (equine-assisted
therapy, canine-assisted therapy);
• “Sandwich Plus-Minus-Plus” technique (a
technique for providing feedback that allows
you to focus on a new manifestation of
constructive behavior);
• BASIC PH model (identification of the
dominant channel of overcoming the
consequences of psychotrauma) (World
Health Organization, 2020);
• grounding and unhooking technique (to help
participants “get involved” in life, start
moving towards their own values, achieve a
high level of concentration and awareness)
(World Health Organization, 2020);
• “Wheel of Life” methodology (identifying
problematic areas of life, searching for
internal and external resources to improve
the situation) (Korniienko, Lisovetska,
Lutsenko, & Romanovska, 2017, p. 146);
• modified technique of analysis of available
individual and group resources
(identification of existing internal and
external resources that a person can use for
normal life) (Pank, & Tkachuk, 2021,
p. 22-23);
• methods of working with images (framing,
positive counter-images, switching off)
(Smith et al., 1999, p. 19–20);
• double focus techniques (replacing a
negative image with a positive one) (Smith
et al., 1999, p. 22–24);
• use of a Fear Thermometer (tracking own
reactions related to fear) (Smith et al., 1999,
p. 34–35);
• role-playing games (allow to identify one’s
own attitude to the problem, develop new
behavioral strategies and test their
effectiveness);
• methods of psychological self-regulation
(breathing exercises; active inclusion of
imagery).
The results of the study allowed us to identify the
peculiarities of the functioning of children aged
6–17 during martial law. The fact that most
children do not abuse indicates a high level of
parental awareness of life safety, which in turn
shapes the child’s position.
It has been determined that the physical and
mental well-being of schoolchildren depends
primarily on the influence of a combination of
factors, including sleep disturbances, distance
learning, monotony, as well as gunshots and
other sharp sounds. An additional factor in the
increased level of anxiety during this period is
distance learning, in which students cannot
concentrate due to certain difficulties in
connecting, a shifted daily routine that depends
on the situation in a particular region, worries
about family and friends, changes in
responsibilities, and other distractions.
Conclusions
Under martial law, distance learning has become
one of the main ways for teachers and students to
interact. According to the students, conducting
classes in a remote format is complicated by
unstable connection, uneven workload,
interruptions, shifting classes an hour or two
ahead, canceling classes, and postponing classes
to the next day. These problematic situations
increase the amount of mental, emotional, and
physical stress on students, and increase the level
of anxiety when assessing knowledge, skills, and
abilities.
Volume 13 - Issue 74
/ February 2024
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We consider hope, compassion, and love of life
to be the leading emotions and feelings that have
a positive impact on the formation of a child’s
personality in war. The dominant negative
emotions are excitement, fear, rapid mood
changes, extreme fatigue, trembling (from loud
sounds), sadness, longing, indignation, irritation,
and anger.
A large number of children faced certain
problems related to personal communication, but
going through a common traumatic experience
allows children to feel kinship and mutual
understanding, which can increase stress
resistance and the ability to effectively regulate
their minds.
There has been a noticeable increase in the
frequency of conflicts (especially between
children and parents) due to frequent use of the
phone, refusal to do what adults demand,
academic performance, and prohibitions and
restrictions. Parents demonstrate a high level
self-control, the ability to demonstrate courage,
fortitude, and optimism. The coping strategies
they choose are based on imagination, creativity,
humor, and joint activities with their children.
The results of the study show that children
successfully realize themselves in sports,
creative, and volunteer activities, take care of
their health and well-being, and establish positive
social interaction. However, at this stage, it is
extremely important to minimize the number of
negative environmental factors, ensure that basic
needs (including basic emotional needs) are met,
and increase the number of adaptive coping
strategies to activate additional resources of the
individual.
The following factors should be taken into
account when organizing group work with
children who have had traumatic experiences as
a result of military operations: age, degree of
traumatic experience, nosology, level of stress
resistance, etc. Thus, specialists form
homogeneous (homogeneous) groups based on
certain characteristics in order to provide deeper
psycho-correctional work.
Psychosocial assistance technologies include the
use of art therapy techniques and MACs
(metaphorical association cards), animal-assisted
therapy, the “Sandwich Plus-Minus-Plus”
technique, the BASIC PH model, the “Wheel of
Life” technique, grounding and unhooking
techniques, the Fear Thermometer, a modified
technique for analyzing available individual and
group resources, methods of working with
images, dual focus techniques, role-playing
games, and methods of psychological self-
regulation. This system of methods and
techniques allows the child to explore his or her
own life situation, identify strengths (resources),
which will contribute to the process of self-
healing and increase the person’s resilience.
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