Schoolchildren suffer from the trauma of war

Children who experience violence, murder, war and conflict often struggle with high levels of anxiety and stress. Many have post-traumatic nightmares, have trouble sleeping and can’t concentrate in school. The worst thing is that they keep everything to themselves.

“It becomes a vicious circle,” says Jon-Håkon Schultz, Professor of Educational Psychology at UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

What is it like to be a school child during war? In Gaza? In Syria? In Afghanistan? And what about Yemen?

What is it like to see or hear that people in your neighbourhood, or at your school, are being injured or killed?

What does it do to you?

“You can compare it to anxiety in a bubble. If you don’t puncture that bubble, the post-traumatic nightmares live their own lives and steal your energy,” says Schultz.

To help children struggling with stress and trauma, Schultz and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) have developed the Better Learning Programme (BLP) – a psychosocial programme for schools. The object is for the children to find their way back to the energy they need to be able to retain what they learn at school.

Schultz has been on many trips to Gaza and other parts of the Middle East in connection with his work. He believes the Better Learning Programme and NRC’s school building initiatives give cause for hope.

“By giving displaced people structure in life, you build something that helps them survive. But without structure, they become vulnerable – much, much more vulnerable. When your family is crumbling and you can’t function at school, you have nothing. Structure is what makes the big difference.”

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When school becomes a lifeline

School is the most important investment we can make for displaced children.

“The Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all children have the right to attend school and receive education. But for children who have experienced war and displacement, school is not just a place for learning. It’s just as much about the healing factors: the things that will help them return to a life without trauma,” says Schultz.

A good school helps children get over their trauma. Then, the school becomes a lifeline.

NRC teaches the children various simple relaxation techniques, so that they can learn to regulate overwhelming emotions. Breathing exercises are one such technique.

“There is a lot of research on this. It is as simple as: when you take eight to ten deep breaths, you signal to the brain that it is okay to relax. We explain this to the children,” says Schultz.

“We say that YOU can do something about this. So when we talk about efficacy and method, the belief and certainty that I can influence my own situation is very important. In addition, it is important to understand that the people around you can also help: your school counsellor, your teacher, your parents. You can talk to them,” Schultz continues.

“And there is another important factor: normalisation. It is quite touching when we see the children in the group ask each other: ‘Do you have nightmares, too?’”

Schultz says that there tends to be good unity in the group:

“They meet four times. But then they know about each other. Often they are in the same class or parallel class, and can talk to each other: ‘How are you doing? Have you had nightmares? Do you do those exercises?’”

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Tablet devices to the rescue

Ezzeldeen, 11, and his family fled from Syria to Jordan in 2012. His father, Mohammed, explains:

“Our hometown Daraa was ravaged by violence, so we went to Jordan to find safety. Life here in Zaatari refugee camp is difficult. I have not found work. The pandemic has made the situation even worse.”

“It is extremely important that children learn to read and write. They need access to knowledge so that no-one can cheat or exploit them,” says Mohammed.

He looks at his son, Ezzeldeen, before continuing:

“My children’s schooling has been chaotic. In such an uncertain life situation, they lose out on education, and it also makes it difficult for them to concentrate. But now they are able to continue their education – thanks to tablet devices from NRC.”

Ezzeldeen is a shy boy. But when he talks about school, he lights up:

"The Better Learning exercises helps me relax. Then I can also do schoolwork," he says.

"I like the online learning lessons, because they help me make up for what I have missed. I have decided to become a paediatrician when I grow up."

The pandemic is causing children even more stress
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to additional stress for children who are already struggling with experiences of war and displacement. Watch NRC's award-winning film "Stressed" – which also features Jon-Håkon Schultz:

Buried with their dreams

The Gaza region has been left in ruins several times, most recently between 10 and 21 May 2021. Then, 260 Palestinians were killed as a result of Israeli bombing. Israeli authorities say 12 civilians were killed by Palestinian rockets in Israel.

More than half of the children in Gaza have post-traumatic nightmares
A study conducted by Jon-Håkon Schultz and his research colleagues in Gaza in 2020 revealed that the children often had nightmares. 56 per cent of the 300 schoolchildren aged 10 to 12 in the study reported recurrent nightmares, with an average frequency of 4.2 nights per week.

Similarly, the 1,093 pupils aged between 6 and 17 who har sought help for nightmares and sleep disorders, reported recurrent traumatic nightmares averaging 4.57 nights per week.

Watch NRC's award-winning film about drawing nightmares. The film was made using drawings by children in Palestine.

No longer alone

Through discussions in school in the Better Learning Programme, children feel greatly relieved when they discover that their classmates are also struggling with stress and nightmares.

They no longer feel alone.

For instance, they learn to talk about post-traumatic reactions and how they can control their anxiety through breathing exercises. The results have been astonishingly positive. For children who had an average of five nightmares a week, 70 per cent no longer have nightmares or they have been reduced to just one a week.

But how long can post-traumatic nightmares last if you don't receive help?

“A long time. One study shows that people in Norway who had experienced World War Two had nightmares regularly for 40 years. For example, everyone who has had a wartime sailor in their family knows that they often had nightmares. The way people processed this in the past was to try to ignore it. You just accepted it and tried to live with it as best you could. And you organised your daily life accordingly. If, for example, a woman became tired of her husband waking up and screaming at night, they would move into separate bedrooms,” says Schultz.

Invest in ME – and the future

Children who have lived with war and conflict have experienced horrific events, which torment them in their daily lives.

"For some, the trauma will disappear on its own over time. But for many others, that is not the case. These children need help to get rid of the symptoms. If they don't receive help, they may be tormented by trauma throughout thei lives," says Schultz.

He adds:

"My hope is that NRC can ensure that as many children as possible receive and education.

"We know that is helps."

Education changes lives. You can be a part of that change by becoming a regular donor.