Mental health of preadolescents in western Ukraine: feasibility and acceptability of a school-based psychosocial intervention during war
Oleksandr Avramchuk, Olha Germanovych, Olha Ivanenko, Olga Uralova, Marina Lisenberg, Olena Mukha, Yuliya Stadnytska, Richard J. Davidson, Perla Kaliman
PsyArXiv October 9, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/q38hg_v3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Feasibility study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 81 |
| Population | Children aged 10–12 years from schools in Lviv, Ukraine |
| Interventions | self-compassion social connection sense of purpose and trauma processing |
| Measures | Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale CRIES-8, quality of life, self-compassion, mindfulness traits |
| Key points | 42% of children reported four or more ACEs and 39.5% exceeded the clinical cutoff for probable PTSD on the CRIES-8, with differences between boys and girls. Higher self-compassion and mindfulness were associated with lower PTSD symptoms. Children, families, and school staff reported improvements in well-being, emotion regulation, and social functioning after the intervention, which the authors present as preliminary evidence of feasibility and acceptability. |
Abstract
Background: Children living in conflict zones experience high levels of psychological distress. Schools can provide an accessible setting for support, yet evidence on the effectiveness of school-based interventions in active war contexts remains limited.
Objectives: To evaluate children’s well-being and internal coping resources during the war in Ukraine and to examine the feasibility of a school-based program designed to enhance psychological well-being in preadolescents.Participants and
Setting: The study involved 81 children aged 10–12 years from schools in Lviv, Ukraine.
Methods: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, quality of life, self-compassion, and mindfulness traits were assessed using standard questionnaires and validated psychometric scales. The intervention program, delivered at school, focused on mindfulness, self-compassion, social connection, sense of purpose, and trauma processing. Acceptability and perceived impact were explored post-intervention among children, families, and school staff.
Results: 42% of children reported four or more ACEs. 39.5% of children exceeded the clinical cutoff for probable PTSD on the Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale CRIES-8, with differences observed between boys and girls. Higher levels of self-compassion and mindfulness were associated with lower PTSD symptoms. Children, families, and school staff reported improvements in children’s well-being, emotion regulation, and social functioning after the intervention.
Conclusions: Our work provides preliminary evidence of the feasibility and acceptability of a school-based intervention designed to promote children’s psychological well-being and mental health during ongoing war, with positive perceived impacts reported by children, families, and school staff. Interventions incorporating mindfulness and self-compassion training may represent promising approaches for reducing trauma-related symptoms in children exposed to adversity. Larger controlled studies using standardized measures are needed to assess effectiveness before broader dissemination can be considered.