Political Violence and Religious Extremism: What Can Be Done to Help Children in Need?

Objectives: Increased numbers of children have been caught up in larger geopolitical turmoil in recent decades. Kids and families get exposed to horrific situations as a consequence of such turmoil-sometimes as direct participants, at other times, as secondary or tertiary victims. All are victims, w...

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Veröffentlicht in:Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 2016-10, Vol.55 (10), p.S4-S4
Hauptverfasser: Muntasser, Siham, MD, Mian, Ayesha I., MD, Chenven, Mark, MD
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Objectives: Increased numbers of children have been caught up in larger geopolitical turmoil in recent decades. Kids and families get exposed to horrific situations as a consequence of such turmoil-sometimes as direct participants, at other times, as secondary or tertiary victims. All are victims, whether they are directly or indirectly involved in the chaos. Gaining a better understanding of the impact of political violence on kids and families is important in efforts to improve the lives of victims who are directly and/or indirectly exposed to political violence. Methods: Topics discussed are as follows: 1) Egyptian Revolution and Political Violence as Perceived by Primary School Children (Dr. Suaad Mousa); 2) School Terror Attacks in Pakistan (Dr. Ayesha Mian); 3) Intergenerational Trauma in Child Soldiers (Dr. Suzan Song); 4) Violent Islamic Radicalization and Support for It Among Today's Young: A Transcultural Qualitative Study in France (Dr. Marie Rose Moro); and 5) Evidence Base of Resilience in War- Affected Youth: Syrian Refugee Adolescents. (Dr. Suzan Song). Results: As child psychiatrists, we are trained and have expertise to deal at the micro level with the individual and the family; as a rule, we do not address the larger causes and movements of world history. The mental health dimensions of ideological radicalism, refugee status, armed conflict exposure, and living in an age of political upheaval present challenges to children growing up and to professionals concerned with their health and development. Conclusions: These presentations highlight the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to monitor and address the mental health and psychosocial risk factors that can add to youth violence. To develop stronger protocols and interventions, we would need to be better informed on the importance of family-centered programs, comprehensive and coordinated evidence-based services, outreach to vulnerable at risk populations, and a tired systems of care.
ISSN:0890-8567
1527-5418
DOI:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.07.448