The war in Ukraine has disrupted the lives of millions of adolescents, many of whom live under constant threat in close proximity to the frontline. How does this prolonged crisis affect their everyday emotions, sense of safety, and social relationships? Answers are provided by a study co-authored by INPSY members Karel Rečka a Anna Ševčíková, alongside Oleksandra Loshenko and Ivan Danyliuk from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
In the autumn of 2023 (approximately a year and a half after the start of the full-scale war), the research team surveyed 259 parents and 79 of their children aged 9 to 17 from the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Donetsk regions—areas most heavily affected by the war. Using two separate questionnaires—one for parents and another for adolescents (or children aged 9–17)—the authors were able to compare how the same reality is perceived by an adolescent versus their parent.
Impaired Emotional Regulation, Prolonged Fear, and Coping with Stress
Living under the threat of shelling and continuous air raid alerts leaves profound marks on children's mental health. More than half of parents reported that their child has difficulty managing their emotions at least occasionally, with a marked worsening since the beginning of the invasion. According to parents, tension most frequently manifested as increased irritability, as well as anxiety, hostility, or anger.
Adolescents themselves confirm a similar picture: more than six out of ten respondents reported experiencing fear or anxiety—identifying the war as the cause without exception. To calm down, they find it most helpful to have someone to talk to or to listen to music; some also turn to deep breathing or immerse themselves in a hobby. Interestingly, the two groups diverge considerably on what they believe helps: parents tend to perceive fewer active coping strategies in their children than the adolescents themselves report using.
A Discrepancy in the Sense of Safety: Diverging Perceptions Between Children and Parents
One of the study's key findings highlights a gap between how children and their parents perceive safety. While most children stated that they feel safe, a substantial proportion of parents pointed out their anxiety during air raid alerts. According to the research team, this reveals a communication gap regarding fear and anxiety between parents and their children.
Adolescents also reported that the war has disrupted their social circles: nearly a third feel they have lost some of the people they could rely on since the outbreak of the war—typically due to displacement or severed ties. According to parents, mothers remain the primary source of support; fathers appear as a source of support far less frequently, which the authors link to their enlistment in the armed forces.
Stress Manifesting in the Body
Prolonged psychological strain in children from frontline regions also manifests physically. Most children experience physical pain associated with emotional distress at least occasionally, and roughly a third of parents have noticed changes in their child's appetite (most commonly a decrease). Paradoxically, most children fare somewhat better regarding sleep than might be expected under such strain—they rate their sleep quality as good to very good, and only a small fraction wake up every night. Nevertheless, even these occasional sleep disruptions, along with appetite changes and physical pain, illustrate how war-related stress and anxiety can manifest through somatic symptoms.
The authors conclude that supporting children and adolescents in war zones requires a holistic approach to their mental and physical health. It is therefore vital to strengthen their peer and family relationships, support parents in discussing fear with their children, and provide youth with accessible, concrete coping strategies. The discrepancy between how children and parents perceive safety underscores that interventions must involve both sides simultaneously—not just the adolescent, but the family as a whole.
Recommended citation:
Rečka, K., Ševčíková, A., Loshenko, O., & Danyliuk, I. (2025). Challenges of adolescents in war: A report from Ukraine's frontline territories. Insight: The Psychological Dimensions of Society, 13, 408–430. https://doi.org/10.32999/2663-970X/2025-13-17
