Conflict-driven social change: the case of Syrian children and youth

For Syrian children, the civil war which emerged as a consequence of the Arab Spring has driven massive social change both at the structural level of legal, socioeconomic, educational and health systems, and at the intimate heart of everyday family life. This paper reviews recent research to understand the nature and impact of conflict-driven social change on children's lives. Research from the region and Western resettlement contexts indicates that Syrian refugee children have experienced high levels of exposure to conflict-related traumatic events and elevated rates of mental health difficulties, with evidence to suggest that adolescent girls in the region exhibit poorer well-being than boys. The research captures the social destruction experienced by children and families, and the adaptations forced by survival and protection needs to pre-conflict age, gender and family role norms.