The question
What helps people remain resilient when their social environment is disrupted by conflict? Two distinct research strands explore psychosocial adaptability among adolescents and the relationship between inclusion and resilience in wartime society.
The UNICEF report published in 2019 drew on 3,331 adolescents in 48 schools in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. It examined capacities and relationships at home and school as possible protective factors. This school-based sample is distinct from the adult SCORE datasets used in the later chapter.
Research approach
Field missions and institutional engagement with UNICEF, UNDP, USAID, and its Office of Transition Initiatives connected quantitative findings with partnersโ programming priorities.
The 2026 Palgrave/Springer chapter compares Ukraine SCORE data from 2021 and 2023 to investigate social inclusion, exclusion, and their relationship with resilience. It distinguishes the periods before and during the full-scale invasion rather than treating them as interchangeable.
What the research brings into view
Supportive school relationships were associated with better adolescent wellbeing, learning, and safety outcomes. The later research shows that exclusion from community life is closely related to resilience and institutional trust. Across these strands, protection is relational as well as material.
The studies concern different populations and periods. They identify associations and possible policy entry points, not the causal impact of a school or inclusion programme. The UNICEF report is publicly available; the book chapter requires publisher or institutional access.