Understanding How Interpersonal Relationships and Social Support During War Promote Resilience and Recovery

War disrupts more than physical safety. It destabilizes the relational systems that anchor daily life—peer friendships, romantic partnerships, parent–child communication, and connections with teachers and community members. For adolescents and young adults, whose developmental tasks center on identity formation and belonging, sustained threat can magnify even minor relational ruptures, increasing risk for anxiety, depression, and substance use. At the same time, supportive relationships may function as protective psychological infrastructure, promoting adaptation under prolonged stress.

In the MRI-funded project Understanding How Interpersonal Relationships and Social Support During War Promote Resilience and Recovery, Dr. Ann Skinner (Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University) examines these dynamics among Ukrainian adolescents and young adults living through the ongoing invasion. The study builds on an initial wave of data from 1785 youth ages 17–25 across five regions of Ukraine, along with survey data from a subset of parents. This foundation enables examination of coping skills, conflict resolution strategies, and perceived support from peers and parents in relation to mental health outcomes.

The design integrates multiple levels of measurement. In addition to survey assessments of well-being and relational processes, the team collected hair samples to index cortisol as a biological marker of chronic stress. Participant locations are paired with administrative records of air alarms and explosions, allowing for more precise modeling of exposure to war-related events. This multimethod approach strengthens inference regarding how interpersonal processes interact with objective threat.

The project’s second phase extends the study longitudinally, adding a new wave of data collection and expanding data collection into 2 new regions in Ukraine.

By identifying which relational processes protect mental health—and for whom those processes weaken under sustained crisis—the project advances a social-ecological model of resilience in wartime. Findings are positioned to inform trauma-informed, relationship-centered interventions for practitioners, schools, and community organizations working with youth during active conflict and in the aftermath of war.