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Factors Associated with Resilience in Children During a Disaster: A Scoping Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 March 2025

Roxanna Shabahang ,
Ana-Sofia Arena ,
Irene Navis ,
Deborah Kuhls ,
Christopher Newton  and
Rita V. Burke
Roxanna Shabahang
Affiliation:
Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Ana-Sofia Arena
Affiliation:
Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Irene Navis
Affiliation:
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
Deborah Kuhls
Affiliation:
Division of Acute Care Surgery, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
Christopher Newton
Affiliation:
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, CA, USA
Rita V. Burke*
Affiliation:
Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
*
Corresponding author: Rita V. Burke; Email: rita.burke@med.usc.edu
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Abstract

Objective

This scoping review maps and assesses the literature on resilience in children affected by disasters, identifying critical factors that contribute to resilience, including social support, mental health, family function, and socioeconomic status.

Methods

A literature search was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Scopus for studies published between 2002 and 2023, focusing on children and adolescents (ages 0-18) affected by natural or man-made disasters. Studies on adults, PTSD, or adverse childhood experiences were excluded. Data extraction was thematically synthesized to examine resilience factors.

Results

Of 244 articles, 16 met the inclusion criteria. Social support emerged as a key resilience factor in 8 studies, and 6 linked higher resilience to fewer mental health symptoms. Five studies during COVID-19 highlighted adaptive behaviors, while family dynamics and community support were critical in 5 studies. Socioeconomic status, explored in 4 studies, revealed complex influences.

Conclusions

Social and emotional support are crucial for resilience in children after disasters. Targeted interventions could significantly improve outcomes. Limitations include few child-focused studies and uncontrolled confounders. Future research should focus on resilience interventions, especially for lower socioeconomic populations.

Keywords

childrendisasteremergenciesresiliencereview
Type
Review Article
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 19 , 2025 , e52
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

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