Effect of a Neuropsychological Intervention Program on Executive Functions and Social Cognition in Select Child Witnesses in the Colombian Armed Conflict

Chronic exposure to stress from adverse early experiences such as armed conflict can generate long-term changes in various neurotransmitter systems and cortical structures involved in the individual's ability to respond appropriately to the social context. Child victims of armed conflict show difficulties in executive functioning and social cognition that impact adaptability. The objective of this exploratory study was to evaluate the efficacy of a sociocognitive intervention on the executive behaviors, including executive functioning and social cognition, of children who are victims of conflict. The sample consisted of 26 children aged between 6 and 11 years (M = 8.58, SD = 1.65) and was divided into two equal groups. The treatment condition (N = 13) received 16 sessions of the sociocognitive intervention. Compared to the standard treatment group, the intervention group had large posttreatment effect sizes (Cohen's d > 0.8) on variables of executive functioning, social cognition, and executive behaviors. The results obtained reveal the importance of intervening cognition and behavior in unfavorable social contexts and in early stages of development.