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Published on: September 19, 2019
Helping Parents Explain War to Children: Simplification and Modulated Disclosure
1Department of Communication, Sapir Academic College, Hof Ashkelon , Hof Ashkelon , 7915600, Israel. ellabenasher@gmail.com.
Child Psychiatry and Human Development
|June 8, 2026
Summary
Parents struggle to explain war to children. A new dictionary tool for war situations has gaps in addressing trauma, highlighting the need for better communication strategies to protect child security during conflict.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Conflict Studies
- Trauma-Informed Care
Background:
- Armed conflict necessitates parental mediation between truth-telling and emotional protection for child security.
- The 2023 Israel-Hamas war highlighted the need for resources to help parents navigate complex realities with children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of the "Children's Dictionary for War Situations" tool.
- To identify gaps and age-appropriateness issues in the tool for mediating war-related realities to children.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach was employed.
- Surveyed 81 parents of children aged 4-16 on the tool's effectiveness, missing concepts, and age suitability.
Main Results:
- Significant gaps were found in addressing highly charged traumatic concepts like "kidnapped" and "hostage".
- Parents reported challenges with "modulated disclosure", balancing accurate information with emotional shielding.
- Parental mediation is crucial for buffering trauma.
Conclusions:
- The "Children's Dictionary for War Situations" requires refinement to address critical traumatic concepts.
- Clinically informed, developmentally appropriate communication tools are essential for supporting children's resilience during military crises.
- Parental guidance strategies need enhancement for effective trauma buffering in conflict zones.
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