Neuropsychologically oriented psychosocial rehabilitation program for adolescents with war trauma: a quasi-experimental study with effect replication
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17721/BPSY.2026.1(23).7Keywords:
continuous traumatic stress, neuroplasticity, emotional regulation, multimodal intervention, group psychotherapy, post-traumatic growth, quasi-experimental design, adolescenceAbstract
Background. The full-scale war in Ukraine (since February 2022) has created serious challenges for mental health, especially among adolescents, who frequently exhibit symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Continuous traumatic stress leads to neurobiological disturbances and increases the risk of complex mental disorders. At the same time, adolescent neuroplasticity provides opportunities for effective psychosocial rehabilitation when interventions are properly designed.
Methods. A quasi-experimental pre-post design with three cohorts was conducted at a residential rehabilitation camp in Spain, organised by the Cultura Contra Balas foundation. Participants were 96 adolescents aged 14–18 who had experienced war-related traumatic events. The 14-day programme included group psychotherapy sessions, physical activity, original psychotherapeutic techniques, body-oriented and art therapy practices, and three-month online follow-up. Outcomes were assessed using GAD-7, PCL-5, CD-RISC-10, PSQI, Rosenberg SES, and thematic interviews.
Results. The programme significantly reduced anxiety levels (from 12.4 to 7.8 points, −37.1%, Cohen's d = 1.91) and improved key psycho-emotional indicators: reduced PTSD symptoms, increased resilience, improved sleep quality and self-esteem, and enhanced social interaction, confirmed both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Conclusions. The results suggest the potential effectiveness of a neuropsychologically oriented multimodal rehabilitation programme, with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.91), comparable or potentially higher than that of individual short-term interventions. Effectiveness is explained by the combination of somatic, emotional, cognitive and social interventions and their impact on neurobiological stress regulation mechanisms.
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