Healing in Transit: A Review of Mental Health Interventions for Refugee Youth in Conflict Zones
1
Department of Psychiatry, Bronx Care Health System, New York, United States
2
Department of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3
Department of Psychiatry, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, India
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Youth affected by armed conflict experience severe psychological and developmental disruptions. Loss of safety, education, and healthcare places them at high risk for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. With more than 473 million children living in conflict zones, violence, displacement, and loss of support systems create lasting impacts on their well-being and development.
OBJECTIVES:
This study aims to assess the mental health impact of armed conflict on refugee youth and to review the effectiveness of interventions for trauma-related disorders within this population.
METHODS:
This narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar, covering peer-reviewed studies published in English. Inclusion criteria targeted children and adolescents (≤18 years) affected by war, displacement, or refugee status, with a focus on interventions addressing mental health outcomes. Search terms included “trauma,” “war,” “refugee children,” “CBT,” “resilience,” and “psychosocial support.” Studies included randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, and qualitative assessments. Key findings were extracted on intervention types, population characteristics, and measured outcomes.
RESULTS:
Children exposed to armed conflict face multifaceted psychological risks due to violence, displacement, and loss of family structure. Evidence-based interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), and school-based psychosocial programs significantly reduced trauma symptoms in several contexts. Structured group therapies and resilience-building models improved emotional regulation and reduced PTSD and anxiety symptoms. Despite positive findings, access to culturally sensitive, scalable mental health interventions remains limited, particularly in underserved or remote settings. Studies reported moderate to large effect sizes for CBT-based interventions and reduced symptom scores with p-values <0.05 in most trials.
CONCLUSIONS:
Youth exposed to conflict face serious mental health challenges. Scalable, trauma-informed, and culturally adapted supports across mental health, education, and community settings are needed to promote recovery and resilience. Continued research and policy action are essential to close service gaps.
Youth affected by armed conflict experience severe psychological and developmental disruptions. Loss of safety, education, and healthcare places them at high risk for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. With more than 473 million children living in conflict zones, violence, displacement, and loss of support systems create lasting impacts on their well-being and development.
OBJECTIVES:
This study aims to assess the mental health impact of armed conflict on refugee youth and to review the effectiveness of interventions for trauma-related disorders within this population.
METHODS:
This narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar, covering peer-reviewed studies published in English. Inclusion criteria targeted children and adolescents (≤18 years) affected by war, displacement, or refugee status, with a focus on interventions addressing mental health outcomes. Search terms included “trauma,” “war,” “refugee children,” “CBT,” “resilience,” and “psychosocial support.” Studies included randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, and qualitative assessments. Key findings were extracted on intervention types, population characteristics, and measured outcomes.
RESULTS:
Children exposed to armed conflict face multifaceted psychological risks due to violence, displacement, and loss of family structure. Evidence-based interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), and school-based psychosocial programs significantly reduced trauma symptoms in several contexts. Structured group therapies and resilience-building models improved emotional regulation and reduced PTSD and anxiety symptoms. Despite positive findings, access to culturally sensitive, scalable mental health interventions remains limited, particularly in underserved or remote settings. Studies reported moderate to large effect sizes for CBT-based interventions and reduced symptom scores with p-values <0.05 in most trials.
CONCLUSIONS:
Youth exposed to conflict face serious mental health challenges. Scalable, trauma-informed, and culturally adapted supports across mental health, education, and community settings are needed to promote recovery and resilience. Continued research and policy action are essential to close service gaps.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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