A group of 4–7-year-old war orphans were examined for the first time while living in an
institution (the Solomuna Orphanage) during a protracted war between Eritrea and
Ethiopia. At that time, they were compared to a group of refugee children living in a nearby
camp with one or both parents. The orphans exhibited significantly more behavioral
symptoms than the refugee children, but performed the cognitive tests at a more advanced
level. Five years later, the orphans were re-examined; and they were compared to
unaccompanied 9–12-year-children living in one of two residential settings that differed
qualitatively in their social climate, principles of child care, and patterns of staff–child
interactions. Although the severity of their behavioral symptoms had diminished, the
orphans still exhibited many symptoms of emotional distress. On the other hand, they
performed the cognitive measures as well as, or better than, unaccompanied children who
had been protected from the terrors of war. The cross-sectional comparisons indicated that
a residential setting that respects the individuality of children and promotes their close
personal ties with at least one staff member can ameliorate many of the more serious
psychological sequelae of having lost both parents and being exposed to the physical dangers
of the war. The implications for war orphans in other Third World countries are discussed.