Children’s Resilience in Conflict Zones: A Storying-Restorying Study of Mediating Strategies, Consequences, and Challenges

• In Event: Honoring Childhood: Centering Young Children's Perspectives, Questions, and Concerns

Abstract

This narrative study explores the mediating strategies contributing to a process-based understanding of children's resilience in chronic conflict zones such as Palestine and Iraq. The study aims to fathom how these strategies impact children's resilience development and identify the challenges parents encounter when utilizing these strategies. Using thematic analysis, a storying-restorying approach was deployed with parents (n=8) from both regions. The primary theme is that conflict zones instigate the development of parents and children, where parents use mediating strategies to nurture resilience in their children. Additionally, conflict zones can lead to various outcomes that reflect resilience. The findings provide valuable insights into the epistemological implications and suggest further exploring children's resilience model in diverse contexts.

Authors

• Maha Alhabbash, United Arab Emirates University

• Najah Al Mohammedi, United Arab Emirates University

• Emma Pearson, Maynooth University

• Negmeldin Omer Alsheikh, United Arab Emirates University