Evidence Aid Bulletin: 12 March 2024
Welcome to everyone taking the time to read our March 2024 bulletin. This month’s edition focuses on the experiences of children, adolescents, and parents in humanitarian crises.
The global rise in children affected by humanitarian crises has shed light on the critical necessity of protecting them during conflicts, disasters and medical emergencies. Given their vulnerability to losing vital aspects of their well-being, such as health, education, family and innocence, protecting children in humanitarian action is a global pressing imperative. To ensure the well-being of children during humanitarian crises, it is essential to grasp their diverse needs and adopt evidence-based tools and approaches for their recovery. As such, the summaries we have highlighted below cover a range of topics such as experiences of children and adolescents with disabilities, coping strategies and effective parental education programs tailored for parents.
We hope this month’s bulletin will be an interesting and enjoyable read. Once again, we extend our gratitude for your ongoing support and readership. To receive notifications about the bulletin and/or newsletter releases, kindly reach out to Jane Copsey at info@evidenceaid.org. Additionally, if you value our work and believe in its significance, please consider donating here.
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In this scoping review, the authors investigated the impact of disaster, terrorism and the COVID-19 pandemic on children with disabilities, finding a heightened risk of adverse physical and mental health outcomes, but noting the potential for planning and societal factors to mitigate these effects. They highlighted the importance of this work due to the heightened vulnerability of children and adolescents to humanitarian events stemming from climate change, while emphasizing the necessity of further exploration through investigating a diverse range of disabilities, assessing disaster preparedness at different levels, and assessing the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and families.
Citation: Mann M, et al. Children and adolescents with disabilities and exposure to disasters, terrorism, and the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Scoping Review. Current Psychiatry Reports. 2021:23;80.
Read the full summary in our evidence collections: Resilient Health Systems, Humanitarian Impact of Climate Change, Managing Mental Injuries in Disasters or Coronavirus (COVID-19).
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Coping strategies for children and adolescents after disasters caused by natural hazards
In this meta-analysis, the authors assessed coping strategies and maladjustment/adjustment indicators for individuals under 18 years following disasters caused by natural hazards. They found that coping adjustments included submission, problem-solving and social support; maladjustments included escapism, isolation, submission, and opposition. The authors noted the effectiveness of coping strategies was influenced by age, disaster type and geography. The authors emphasized the potential of coping strategies to aid children and adolescents in post-disaster recovery.
Citation: Raccanello D, et al. Coping strategies and psychological maladjustment/adjustment: a meta-analytic approach with children and adolescents exposed to natural disasters. Child & Youth Care Forum. 2023;52:25–63.
Read the full summary in our evidence collections: Earthquakes and Windstorms.
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Parenting education programmes for refugee and migrant parents
The authors of this systematic review investigated the impact of direct parenting education programmes (PEPs) compared to indirect education methods on parenting attitudes of migrant and socioeconomically vulnerable refugees. PEPs showed an improvement in parent efficacy, positive behaviours, relationships with children and stress, with effectiveness influenced by maternal involvement, child participation, program duration and the design of the study. These findings suggest a promising approach to help children adapt to new environments and foster their development.
Citation: Lee I-S, et al. Effects of parenting education programs for refugee and migrant parents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Child Health Nursing Research. 2022;28(1):23–40.
Read the full summary in our evidence collection: Health of Refugees and Asylum Seekers.
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Thank you for taking the time to review this month’s bulletin. We hope that our summaries provide evidence-based perspectives that help bring attention to important issues such as the experiences of young people and parents during crisis. For a deeper look into our resources and further insights, explore our various collections here.
With best wishes,
Your Evidence Aid team