Wietse A. Tol|Suzan J. Song|Mark J. D. Jordans
Annual Research Review: Resilience and mental health in children and adolescents living in areas of armed conflict – a systematic review of findings in low? and middle?income countries
Johns Hopkins University|HealthNet TPO|The Center for Victims of Torture|HealthNet TPO|London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
background researchers focused mental health conflictaffected children increasingly interested concept resilience knowledge resilience may assist developing interventions aimed improving positive outcomes reducing negative outcomes termed promotive protective interventions methods performed systematic review peerreviewed qualitative quantitative studies focused resilience mental health children adolescents affected armed conflict low middleincome countries results altogether 53 studies identified 15 qualitative mixed methods studies 38 quantitative mostly crosssectional studies focused schoolaged children adolescents qualitative studies identified variation across sociocultural settings relevant resilience outcomes report contextually unique processes contributing outcomes quantitative studies focused promotive protective factors different socioecological levels individual family peer school communitylevels generally promotive protective factors showed gender symptom phase conflictspecific effects mental health outcomes conclusions although limited predominantly crosssectional nature focus protective outcomes body knowledge supports perspective resilience complex dynamic process driven time contextdependent variables rather balance risk protective factors known impacts mental health given complexity findings population conclude resiliencefocused interventions need highly tailored specific contexts rather application universal model may expected similar effects mental health across contexts