Department of Philosophy and Islamic Wisdom, Faculty of Theology, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (17 Views)
Objective: War conditions may affect young children's experiences across emotional, cognitive, and behavioral domains. Despite the importance of this issue, direct research on parents'experiences of emotional and behavioral changes in children under six years of age during wartime remains limited. The present study aimed to understand parents' lived experiences of the emotional and behavioral states of children under six years of age in the context of war-related tension and crisis and to identify the dimensions of this experience.
Method: This study was conducted using a descriptive phenomenological approach. Participants were 16 parents of children under six years of age who had experienced the war-related crisis and were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological analysis method.
Results: Analysis of parents' lived experiences indicated that young children's experiences of war-related tension and crisis were multidimensional and were reflected in emotional, cognitive, and behavioral domains. The core theme was identified as “Consequences and the Process of Adaptation to War Crisis in Children.” This core theme comprised seven main themes: “the context in which the child's experience is formed,” “emotional arousal and insecurity,” “the child's efforts to seek security,” “the reflection of war in children's cognition and meaning-making,” “the reflection of war in children's behavior and play,” “the influence of parents' responses on the child's experience,”and “adaptation and return to normalcy.” Overall, one core theme, seven main themes, and 21 subthemes were identified.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that young children's experience of war crisis is a multidimensional process that begins with their exposure to the consequences of war and is manifested through fear and worry, sensitivity to sounds, feelings of danger and threat, increased need for parental presence, questions about war and death, changes in sleep and daily activities, and changes in play.
Method: This study was conducted using a descriptive phenomenological approach. Participants were 16 parents of children under six years of age who had experienced the war-related crisis and were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological analysis method.
Results: Analysis of parents' lived experiences indicated that young children's experiences of war-related tension and crisis were multidimensional and were reflected in emotional, cognitive, and behavioral domains. The core theme was identified as “Consequences and the Process of Adaptation to War Crisis in Children.” This core theme comprised seven main themes: “the context in which the child's experience is formed,” “emotional arousal and insecurity,” “the child's efforts to seek security,” “the reflection of war in children's cognition and meaning-making,” “the reflection of war in children's behavior and play,” “the influence of parents' responses on the child's experience,”and “adaptation and return to normalcy.” Overall, one core theme, seven main themes, and 21 subthemes were identified.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that young children's experience of war crisis is a multidimensional process that begins with their exposure to the consequences of war and is manifested through fear and worry, sensitivity to sounds, feelings of danger and threat, increased need for parental presence, questions about war and death, changes in sleep and daily activities, and changes in play.
Keywords: Parental Experience, Children Under Six Years, War, Phenomenology, Child Mental Health, Emotion Regulation, Attachment
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