Features of adaptation of preschoolers who survived the consequences of hostilities
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Abstract
Background. The study of the adaptation of preschool children who have experienced the consequences of hostilities, taking into account the psychotraumatic impact of an extreme situation, is due to the increased vulnerability of the psyche and the lack of development of constructive coping and adaptation mechanisms in children of this age.
Objectives. To analyze theoretical and empirical studies/approaches devoted to assessing the impact of traumatic events on the psychoemotional development of preschool children.
Sample. The theoretical analysis involved analyzing 55 sources, including 38 domestic and 17 foreign, published between 1977 and 2025. The chronological coverage is as follows: contemporary research (2021–2025) — 38%, research from the last 10 years (2016–2025) — 55%. The selection of sources was based on the scientific significance of the publications, their methodological validity, and the relevance of the problem being studied for this study.
Methods. A retrospective and contextual analysis of foreign and domestic studies devoted to the problem of adaptation of preschoolers who survived the consequences of hostilities.
Results. The article presents a study of the impact of traumatic events associated with the consequences of military operations, leading to adaptation disorders in preschool children. The consequences of the effects of hostilities on preschool children have been identified, which include acute stress, fear, attachment to a significant adult, regressive phenomena, and psychosomatic disorders. The specifics of adaptation processes under conditions of extreme influences on the preschool child’s psyche are characterized by the need for a deep transformation of previously formed behavioral patterns. This transformation becomes possible only within the framework of psychological and pedagogical support, taking into account the individual psychophysiological characteristics of children, their current state of mental health, and the specifics of traumatic experience.
Conclusions. The study revealed the significant impact of the effects of military conflict on the psyche of preschoolers, leading to adaptation disorders and the development of traumatic experiences. Effective adaptation of these children requires comprehensive psychological and pedagogical support, including remedial work with both the preschoolers themselves and significant adults. The effectiveness of support is enhanced by the systematic use of forms and methods, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed by experimental studies in working with children who have experienced the effects of military conflict.
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