Healing Amid War: Thematic Analysis of Counseling Outcomes for Children Treated at Psychological Rehabilitation Camps

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 11:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Healing and Empowerment in Counseling

Abstract

We conducted a thematic analysis of trauma and mental health outcomes for 49 war-affected children who lost a parent/guardian during the Russian-Ukrainian war and attended a Gen.Ukrainian rehabilitation camp in Summer 2024. The camp’s five-stage residential model integrated trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and catathymic-imaginative psychotherapy. De-identified intake and exit reports from camp psychologists were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) method. Four intake themes (trauma experiences, coping strategies, goal setting, and emotional reactivity) and five exit themes (relaxation, socialization, self-regulation, post-traumatic growth, and future goal) illustrated a therapeutic shift from distress to resilience. This study offers rare empirical data from an active war zone and contributes to the understanding of trauma recovery interventions for children affected by armed conflict.

Authors

• Aaron Albright, Old Dominion University

• Lauren Robins, Old Dominion University

• Shana L. Pribesh, Old Dominion University

• Busra Vurkun, Old Dominion University

• Tammi Dice, Old Dominion University

• Emily C. Goodman-Scott, Old Dominion University