Supporting Children and Adolescents Facing Crises in Their Home Country

Table of Contents

The Impact of Home Country Crises on Immigrant Children and Adolescents
Warning Signs; How Do We Know Our Child Is in Distress?
Scientific Strategies for Supporting Children and Adolescents
The Role of Parents and Caregivers in Creating Psychological Safety
When Do We Need Professional Help?
Conclusion

1. The Impact of Home Country Crises on Immigrant Children and Adolescents

Iranian immigrant children and adolescents, due to their particular situation—living in a new country while simultaneously having deep emotional ties to their homeland—are especially vulnerable to crises in their home country. Unlike adults who may have a greater ability to separate their emotions from the news, children often receive information in fragments and without the ability to fully process it. They may see distressing images, hear worried conversations between parents, or sense the anxiety and fear in the faces and behavior of surrounding adults. But due to cognitive immaturity and insufficient life experience, they cannot transform these fragments into a meaningful and manageable picture.

Research shows that exposure to war trauma and chronic crises has profound effects on the mental health of children and adolescents. A study on Palestinian children and adolescents displaced by war found that 70.9% experienced clinical anxiety symptoms and 46% experienced depression symptoms. Additionally, specialized reports indicate that up to 30% of people involved in crises may develop mental disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety, with children and adolescents considered especially vulnerable groups.

For Iranian immigrant children, these effects can be intensified by additional factors. They may worry about family and loved ones living in Iran who are at risk. They may feel guilty that they are safe while their loved ones are in danger. And they may face questions for which there are no clear answers: "Why is there a war?", "Will something happen to grandma?", "Are we in danger too?" These questions, often asked out of genuine love and concern, can also place parents in a difficult position.

2. Warning Signs; How Do We Know Our Child Is in Distress?

Children and adolescents, depending on their age and personality, express psychological distress in different ways. Recognizing these signs is the first step for timely intervention and effective support. Some of the most common warning signs include:

Emotional and Behavioral Signs: Persistent fear and anxiety, excessive clinging to parents, fear of being alone or separated from parents (separation anxiety), irritability and moodiness, aggression or sudden anger outbursts, frequent crying without a clear reason, social withdrawal and loss of interest in playing with friends, and regressive behaviors such as bedwetting or thumb-sucking in older children. A counselor in a UNICEF support program in Tehran notes: "At first, I thought these children would have a hard time recovering. But after one or two weeks, I saw how much better they became. They learned to understand their emotions and gained the confidence needed to connect with each other and their families."

Physical Signs: Sleep disorders (insomnia, frequent nightmares, nighttime awakenings), decreased or increased appetite, frequent headaches, stomachaches and digestive problems, extreme fatigue, and physical complaints without a clear medical cause.

Cognitive Signs: Difficulty concentrating and paying attention, academic decline, frequent and worrying questions about the future and safety, rumination about catastrophic scenarios, and reduced ability to complete school assignments.

Signs Related to Play and Drawing: Children often express their feelings through play and drawing. If your child frequently draws scenes of war, destruction, or violence, or repeats crisis-related scenarios in their play, this can be a sign of their attempt to process distressing experiences. Experts recommend that if children want to "play war" or draw, parents should not forbid them, as this is a natural mechanism for processing emotions.

Signs in Adolescents: Adolescents may express their distress differently. They may distance themselves from family, close themselves in their room, or turn to high-risk behaviors such as substance or alcohol use. They may worry about their future and their family's future and feel guilty that they are safe. Adolescents may also ask deeper questions about the nature of war, politics, and justice, which require patience and honesty to answer.

3. Scientific Strategies for Supporting Children and Adolescents

Fortunately, parents and caregivers can play a vital role in helping children and adolescents navigate this difficult period. The following strategies, based on recommendations from experts and international organizations like UNICEF, can help reduce children's distress and strengthen their resilience.

1. Honest and Age-Appropriate Dialogue

The first and most important step is talking with your child. Experts recommend that parents first ask what the child knows and how they feel. This helps you identify and correct any misinformation or exaggerated worries they may have. Choose a calm time and place—such as during a family meal—and avoid talking right before bedtime.

Age-Appropriate Language: Use language appropriate to the child's age and level of understanding. For younger children, simple and short explanations suffice. For older children and adolescents, you can provide more information and discuss more complex topics. The important thing is to be honest, but present information in a way that doesn't frighten the child. Mohammad Hassan Ebrahimi, a father from Tehran who talked with his two daughters during the recent conflicts, says: "We didn't hide the reality, but we presented it wrapped in care."

Answering Difficult Questions: If your child asks a question you don't know the answer to, that's okay. You can say you need to look into it, or use it as an opportunity to search for answers together. If a question seems exaggerated to you—like "Are we all going to die?"—reassure them that this won't happen, but also try to understand what they've heard and why they're worried. If you understand the source of the worry, you can better calm them.

2. Validating Feelings and Creating an Emotionally Safe Space

Children need their feelings to be acknowledged. If your child says "I'm scared," instead of saying "Don't be scared, there's nothing to worry about," say: "I understand you're scared. That's completely natural when things like this happen. I'm here and I'll take care of you." This validation of feelings shows the child that their inner world is valid and acceptable and that they can express their true feelings without fear or judgment.

Active Listening: When your child speaks, give them your full attention. Show with eye contact, nodding, and facial expressions that you're listening. Avoid judgment and premature responding. This type of listening conveys the message of "being heard" and "mattering" to the child.

Accepting Play and Drawing: If your child wants to play about war or draw, don't forbid them. These are natural mechanisms for processing emotions. You can use this opportunity to ask how they feel about their drawing or what the story is.

3. Maintaining Daily Routines and Creating a Sense of Normalcy

One of the most effective ways to reduce children's anxiety in critical conditions is maintaining daily routines. Research shows that routine restores a sense of control and safety to children. Try to keep bedtime, mealtimes, and daily schedules as consistent as possible. Even if circumstances are critical, you can create new routines that give the child a sense of security and predictability.

The Ebrahimi family in Tehran, during the conflicts, tried to maintain normal life as much as possible. Mohammad Hassan says: "The first and most important thing was to talk with the kids. Other activities that helped a lot were involving them in daily household tasks, cooking their favorite foods, playing together, regulating emotions and maintaining calm, listening to music and watching movies—and lots of hugging." They also, when the security situation allowed, took their daughters to safe parks or outside Tehran to distance them from the chaos and disturbing sounds.

Creating Moments of Joy: Even amid anxiety and fear, creating moments of joy and connection can help the child. Mohammad Hassan recounts a memory: "The day the explosions started, when I saw their escalating anxiety, we decided to distance ourselves from bad news and TV. We took the kids to a white mulberry garden near Tehran to pick mulberries. This showed that even in the middle of an anxious and frightening situation, there are ways to keep children alive and happy—just by being together."

4. Managing Exposure to News and Information

Children, even if they don't directly follow the news, are exposed to distressing information through television, the internet, friends, or adult conversations. Experts recommend that parents:

Keep children away from adult news images. Distressing images can have a profound impact on children and frighten them.
Watch news cautiously in the presence of children. If older children follow the news, it's better to accompany them and talk about what they see.
Activate child safety settings on shared devices. This helps limit distressing search results.
Correct misinformation. Children may receive inaccurate or exaggerated information from friends or online spaces. Calmly and honestly provide them with accurate information.

5. Helping Children Feel Useful and Hopeful

One of the most effective ways to reduce feelings of helplessness in children is engaging them in positive actions. Research shows that doing something—however small—can restore a sense of control and hope to children. You can ask your child if they'd like to draw for peace, write a message to family in Iran, or participate in a small charitable activity. Even simple tasks like organizing their room or helping with household chores can give the child a sense of usefulness and efficacy.

Also, reminding them of helpers is important. Tell children that many individuals and organizations around the world are working to help affected people and establish peace. This message that "good forces" exist helps children feel more secure and hopeful.

4. The Role of Parents and Caregivers in Creating Psychological Safety

Parents and caregivers, in critical conditions, play a central role in creating psychological safety for children. Children, especially during crises, look to their parents for a sense of safety and calm. Therefore, parents' own psychological state has a direct impact on the child. If parents are anxious and worried, the child absorbs this anxiety. In contrast, if parents can maintain relative calm, this calm is transmitted to the child.

Self-Care: Experts emphasize that parents must also take care of themselves to effectively help their children. This care includes: attention to physical needs such as adequate sleep, proper nutrition, and exercise; attention to emotional needs such as talking with friends, spouse, or a counselor; and attention to psychological needs such as practicing mindfulness or receiving professional support when needed. If parents feel anxious or upset, they can dedicate time for themselves and talk about their worries with trusted individuals.

Modeling for Children: Children learn from their parents' behavior. If parents can maintain relative calm when facing a crisis, face their emotions constructively, and use healthy coping mechanisms, children will also learn these skills. Conversely, if parents frequently talk about catastrophes in front of children, yell, or cannot manage their emotions, children will internalize these patterns.

Hugging and Physical Connection: In critical conditions, physical connection—such as hugging, caressing, or even sitting together—can have a deeply calming effect. Mohammad Hassan Ebrahimi, a father from Tehran, says that "lots of hugging" was one of the most important things that helped his daughters. This physical connection conveys to the child a message of safety, love, and the parent's presence.

5. When Do We Need Professional Help?

Although self-help strategies and parental support can be effective in many cases, sometimes a child's distress reaches a point requiring specialized intervention. Recognizing when we need professional help can be a vital step in maintaining a child's mental health.

Warning signs that suggest the necessity of receiving professional help include: Persistence of symptoms for more than a few weeks without spontaneous improvement; impact on daily functioning such that the child cannot go to school, complete assignments, or maintain social relationships; emergence of persistent physical symptoms such as chronic headaches, digestive problems, or sleep disorders that do not improve with usual strategies; thoughts of self-harm or suicide requiring immediate and emergency intervention; severe aggressive behaviors that harm self or others; and persistent feelings of helplessness and hopelessness that do not improve despite multiple efforts.

In all these cases, consulting a child and adolescent psychologist or counselor can help you and your child. Research shows that psychological screening of children and adolescents in schools and early interventions can significantly prevent the worsening of psychological problems. Also, trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and if necessary medication are effective approaches in treating children and adolescents affected by crises.

For Iranian parents abroad, access to Persian-speaking counselors familiar with their specific culture and challenges is especially important. Online counseling platforms like therapyta provide specialized psychological and psychiatric services online with experienced Persian-speaking counselors, making it possible for Iranian parents to access psychological support for themselves and their children from anywhere at any time. All counselors active on therapyta hold official licenses from the Psychological System Organization, and their credentials are thoroughly verified before collaboration, ensuring users can benefit from their expertise with complete confidence. Remember that seeking help to support your child is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of love, responsibility, and commitment to their health and future.

6. Conclusion

Iranian immigrant children and adolescents, when facing crises in their home country, encounter unique psychological challenges. They absorb their parents' anxiety and fear, may see distressing images and news, and due to cognitive immaturity, cannot properly process these experiences. Research shows that exposure to war trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety in children and adolescents. However, parents and caregivers can play a vital role in reducing children's distress and strengthening their resilience.

Through honest and age-appropriate dialogue, validating feelings, maintaining daily routines, managing news exposure, helping children feel useful, and self-care, parents can create a safe and supportive space for their children. And when a child's distress goes beyond control, seeking specialized counseling from child and adolescent psychologists, including through online platforms like therapyta, can play a vital role in returning to psychological balance. Remember that children are inherently resilient, and with loving and informed parental support, they can navigate this difficult period and even emerge stronger than before. And this journey is achievable with awareness, patience, and love.