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Strategies for Enhancing Children’s Resilience during Wartime Crises: A Qualitative Study Comparing the Perspectives of Mothers and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Nurses
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ATEFEH SHAMSI    , Narges Hashemi * |
| , setare137030@gmail.com |
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Abstract: (85 Views) |
Background & aim: Children facing war and humanitarian crises are exposed to various psychological and social stressors that can adversely affect their mental health and development. Despite such adversity, many children maintain adaptive capacity and psychological recovery. This phenomenon, known as resilience, is shaped by a combination of individual, familial, and social factors. This study aimed to explore and compare strategies for enhancing children's resilience during wartime crises from the perspectives of mothers and PICU nurses.
Methods: This qualitative conventional content analysis study was conducted in 2026, at Imam Hussein Children’s Hospital in Isfahan, Iran. Participants included 20 mothers and 15 pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurses, selected through purposive sampling with maximum variation. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analysed using Graneheim and Lundman approach until data saturation was reached.
Results: Analysis identified several main themes. The most significant themes included relational resilience and emotional co-regulation, cognitive and spiritual resilience, child agency and voice, play and creativity as trauma processing tools, social and institutional support, convergence and divergence of mothers’ and nurses’ perspectives, and ultimately, the overarching concept of “resilience as negotiated co-regulation.” Findings indicated that children’s resilience develops within the context of interactions among the child, family, and social support networks, representing a dynamic and multi-level process.
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that enhancing children’s resilience in crises necessitate a comprehensive multilevel approach that simultaneously considers family relationships, social resources, and professional interventions. The concept of negotiated co-regulation can provide a conceptual framework for designing effective supportive interventions in the field of child mental health in crisis contexts. |
Article number: 5 |
| Keywords: Resilience, Child, War, Crisis, Mother, Nurse |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/05/17 | Accepted: 2026/06/27 | Published: 2026/07/11
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