The Expressed Worries of Ukrainian Adolescents: A Quantitative Analysis of Chat Conversations During Active War

: Peltonen, Kirsi; Hakala, Venla; Laajasalo, Taina; Stenvall, Elina; Mielityinen, Laura; Ellonen, Noora

Publisher: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD

: LONDON

: 2024

: Young

: YOUNG

: 17

: 1103-3088

: 1741-3222

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/11033088241282882

: https://doi.org/10.1177/11033088241282882

: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/477923182

Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to warfare and military violence. In this study, we aim to shed light on adolescents' experiences during times of war in a natural help-seeking environment. We use survey data obtained from two real-time online chat services designed for Ukrainian-speaking children and adolescents and explore young people's (n = 1,471) personal experiences during Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. It was found that the most common topic that the adolescents wanted to talk about was mental well-being (30%), followed by the topic of personal relationships (29%) and home and family (22%). It is alarming that over 130 adolescents in our sample talked about self-harming or suicidality, and over a hundred expressed an unwillingness to live. As the war continues effective ways to support the mental well-being of young people and to treat mental health problems should be sought.

peltonen-et-al-2024-the-expressed-worries-of-ukrainian-adolescents-a-quantitative-analysis-of-chat-conversations-during.pdf

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The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: ACElife project is funded by the Strategic Research Council (SRC) established within the Academy of Finland (352543).