Exploring coping strategies among adolescents during COVID-19 and war displacement: A qualitative analysis comparing two crisis settings.

ABSTRACT: Adolescence is a critical period for developing coping capacities, yet global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and war displacement impose unprecedented stressors that can overwhelm existing resources. This study qualitatively explored and compared how adolescents in Germany (N = 20 experiencing pandemic lockdown, aged 11-16; N = 25 Ukrainian refugees experiencing displacement, aged 12-18) coped with these distinct adversities. Drawing on an integrated theoretical framework (combining the transactional model of stress and coping with a risk and resilience framework), we analyzed semi-structured interviews using reflexive thematic analysis to explore the connections among contextual stressors, their impact on resources, and reported coping strategies. Findings revealed that while both cris

SUBMITTER: Chabursky S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12906691 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature