Presents the results of a follow-up study of 4- to 7-year-old Eritrean children, known as the Solomuna orphans, who lived in a large orphanage during the prolonged war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. The follow-up study of the now 9- to 12-year-old children examined the efficacy of programs created to help the orphans overcome major behavioral disorders and developmental delays. The orphanage itself had been transformed from an impersonal bureaucratic institution to a child-centered residential setting. Results from the follow-up study suggested that: residential settings that encourage cooperative peer interactions and close ties between staff and children can go a long way in mitigating the traumatic effects of violence and personal loss; these settings also may reduce the risk of serious psychiatric illness in later life; and the patterns of child care and the supportive social environment in the orphanage may have mitigated many of the emotional and cognitive disorders that would have emerged and persisted in a less supportive social setting. Further longitudinal studies should examine the long-term mental health of the Solomuna orphans.
