Features of development of emotional-volitional functions of children depending on the type of feeding in terms of military conflict

Abstract

The aim of the research is to study the state of emotional-volitional function in infants, who were born and living in Lugansk and Donetsk during the military conflict. A dynamic clinical examination was made with the assessment of the rate of emotional-volitional development in 68 children in the area of military conflict. Among them 32 children were breast-fed, forming Ia (the main) group of children, and 36 children were bottle-fed, forming Ib (the comparison group). The second (control) group of our study consisted of 88 children, who were outside the area of military conflict. Among them there were 47 children, who were breast-fed (IIa group), and 41 children, who were bottle-fed (IIb group). The assessment of the level of emotional-volitional development in children was carried out using a standardized clinical-psychological technique called “Gnome”. Results: The level of development of emotional-volitional function in children depends on the type of feeding and the environment. Despite the stressful situation the mother’s milk and physical contact with the mother contributed to higher levels of emotional and volitional development compared to the comparison group of children. But the stress of the war still promoted inhibition of emotional and volitional development, compared with children, who had similar feeding, staying in a peaceful environment.