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Resilience in Orphans of War in Sri Lanka

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Abstract

Research literature on children of war reflects the challenges of studying both the losses associated with war and how to promote psychosocial well-being in children, despite these experiences. Ideally, such studies should include culturally situated and meaningful ways to help children maintain psychosocial well-being in light of wartime experiences—in other words, to help them be resilient. A culturally sensitive and comprehensive picture must account for both psychological and sociocultural aspects of resilience that maintain or restore psychosocial well-being: The sociocultural aspect requires assessing social institutions and cultural meaning systems within which people orient their lives; the psychological aspect requires assessing both externalising and internalising concerns that influence resilience.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    1 Similar results were found at a Christian orphanage, not considered in this chapter (see Fernando, 2006; Fernando & Ferrari, 2011).

  2. 2.

    2  For findings about developmental aspects of this study, including the comparison-groups children, see Fernando (2000, 2006) and Fernando and Ferrari (2011).

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Fernando, C., Ferrari, M. (2013). Resilience in Orphans of War in Sri Lanka. In: Fernando, C., Ferrari, M. (eds) Handbook of Resilience in Children of War. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6375-7_10

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