Author(s) :

Daniel Guo.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

One widely popular topic of research for many adolescent psychologists is examining the field of war trauma in adolescents in nations in active conflict, and the effects of war on the psychological and developmental welfare of adolescents in different contexts. The aim of this synthesized, narrative review is to analyze studies of war-related stressors on adolescents’ psychological health in the Ukrainian and Syrian contexts to map the pathways from how structural collapse, environmental trauma, and social stressors contribute to certain mental health outcomes. In this sense, the paper aims to make a further contribution to the array of studies comparing the adolescents’ welfare from different psychological factors, while also addressing an underexplored intersection by maintaining an exclusive focus on comparing the mental welfare of adolescents in the Ukrainian and Syrian contexts. I conclude that war profoundly disrupts adolescence for Ukrainian and Syrian youth by dismantling essential developmental and social support structures; however, addressing trauma requires more than clinical treatment alone. Therefore, comprehensive interventions that rebuild educational, social, and psychological structures are crucial to fostering resilience and supporting healthy transitions to adulthood.