A digital intervention to help caregivers in Ukraine support mental health of their children during the war
A research group from the Research Center for Child Psychiatry at the University of Turku, Finland, has developed a universal digital intervention to help caregivers in Ukraine to support their children in distressing situations. The internet-based program is available in Ukrainian and includes psychoeducational materials in text and video format.
The Let's Cope Together digital intervention is based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and positive parenting. It is available online, which makes it accessible to families in frontline or occupied areas who lack access to support. The program equips caregivers with practical strategies to manage distress in both caregivers and children during the war.
A pilot study is currently underway to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the program for Ukrainian families, using a mixed-method design with pre- and post-surveys and qualitative interviews. Around 30 participants will be recruited for the three-week intervention program, during which they will complete pre- and post-surveys, and a sub-sample of the participants will be interviewed.
"Feedback from participants will help to ensure that the program is understandable, user-friendly and applicable in distressing situations, thus improving the effectiveness of the program," says Development Manager Terja Ristkari from the University of Turku.
After the research phase, the program will be offered to all families living in Ukraine and to families who have fled the war.
War causes traumatic experiences
As Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine enters its fourth year, following ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the country since 2014, its impact on the mental health of Ukrainians is profound.
"The war causes traumatic experiences, chronic stress, fear, and uncertainty. Many families have faced displacement, loss of loved ones and financial hardship. Frequent airstrikes cause lack of safety. These conditions weigh particularly heavily on children and adolescents.
"Ukrainian parents face immense challenges in managing their own anxiety and stress while providing emotional support and promoting their children's well-being," says Professor Olga Osokina, who works in the University of Turku, Finland, and Donetsk National Medical University, Ukraine.
"Living in a war zone weakens parents' ability to provide a safe, stable, and growth-promoting environment, which is essential for a child's healthy development. Many parents need information to help their children cope with everyday life in wartime," says Professor of Child Psychiatry Andre Sourander from the University of Turku.
The program aimed for Ukrainians builds on the original "Let's Cope Together" website, which was created by the Research Center for Child Psychiatry at the start of the pandemic. Research showed that parents gained valuable skills from the intervention to help themselves and their children manage stress. This experience served as the foundation for the development of the parenting intervention aimed for Ukrainian parents during the war.
The Research Center for Child Psychiatry is part of the Research Council of Finland's INVEST Research Flagship Center, which studies inequality, interventions, and the future welfare state. The joint Flagship of the University of Turku and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) aims to provide Finland and other societies with a more equal and economically, demographically, and socially sustainable welfare state model.
Provided by University of Turku
