Neuroeducational Model for Children Exposed to Chronic Violence Derived from Contexts of Israel and Brazil

Ingrid Vils Warshawski; Maria Fernanda Celli de Oliveira

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202602999

Article derived from a Final Course Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by the Pecege Institute for textual synthesis and organization.

Abstract

The exposure of children to chronic violence represents a significant risk factor for cognitive and socioemotional development, directly impacting learning processes. The study aimed to analyze neuroeducational strategies for children exposed to chronic violence, based on a documentary and comparative approach between war contexts in Israel and urban violence in Brazil, and to systematize a structured neuroeducational model. The methodology consisted of analyzing scientific documents from developmental neuroscience and institutional documents related to educational policies and practices, organized through thematic content analysis procedures. The results indicated that, in the Israeli context, a higher level of systematization of educational responses was observed, with integration between pedagogical practices, emotional regulation, and institutional organization. In Brazil, less articulation was identified between scientific evidence and structured educational practices, despite relevant guidelines. As a main contribution, the study systematized a structured neuroeducational model, of an applied nature, aimed at action in school contexts located in vulnerable territories. It was concluded that the central challenge lies in the articulation between scientific knowledge and its translation into systematized neuroeducational practices, highlighting the need for organizing models that integrate neuroscience and education in contexts of chronic violence.

Keywords: Toxic stress; Executive functions; Neuroeducation; Emotional regulation; Social vulnerability.

1. Introduction

Childhood represents a period of remarkable brain plasticity, in which environmental experiences interact in a structuring way with biological predispositions. This interaction directly influences the development of cognition, language, memory, and emotional regulation. Human development is a dynamic process that articulates biological, emotional, and contextual factors. Adverse experiences, when prolonged and intense, can compromise adaptive trajectories and impact cognitive and socioemotional functioning (Shonkoff and Phillips, 2000). Thus, environmental conditions play a central role in the consolidation of executive functions and essential competencies for formal learning.

Among the risk factors, chronic violence stands out due to repetitive and prolonged exposure to threatening situations that exceed a child’s adaptive capacity. The persistent activation of stress response systems, particularly the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, is associated with the continuous release of cortisol, which interferes with the functional maturation of brain structures such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex (Perry and Szalavitz, 2020; Siegel, 2024). This process can culminate in a state of toxic stress, characterized by prolonged activation of stress systems and their impacts on child development (Shonkoff, 2012). Such alterations compromise cognitive and emotional functioning, with significant repercussions on school performance and engagement in learning activities.

In the educational field, studies indicate that learning is intrinsically linked to conditions of predictability, relational security, and structural organization. In contexts marked by violence, these conditions tend to be weakened, which contributes to cognitive overload and reduced school engagement (Jensen, 2009). Exposure to violence, from this perspective, is associated with difficulties in concentration, emotional instability, and an increased risk of dropout. From the perspective of cognitive functioning, such conditions impact essential learning processes, such as attention and information processing (Dehaene, 2011). However, studies on resilience point out that the presence of stable bonds and structured contexts can act as a protective factor, favoring processes of adaptive reorganization even in the face of adversity (Cyrulnik, 2023). In this scenario, the school assumes a strategic role not only as a learning space but as a potentially regulatory environment, capable of mitigating the effects of chronic stress on child development.

International organizations emphasize the need for resilient educational systems in crisis contexts, highlighting the importance of institutional predictability, psychosocial support, and teacher training for action in adverse situations (UNESCO, 2026; UNICEF Brazil; Cidade Escola Aprendiz, 2019). Within the scope of Brazilian educational policies, the National Common Curricular Base (Ministry of Education, 2018) recognizes the centrality of socioemotional skills development and integral formation, although there is still a need for greater articulation between these guidelines and the neuroscientific foundations applied to pedagogical practice. The Israeli context, in turn, presents a higher level of systematization of educational responses in crisis situations, with structured protocols, continuous professional training, and intersectoral integration between schools, psychosocial support services, and health (Israel Trauma Coalition, 2026; Ministry of Education, 2026; Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, 2026). This consistent articulation demonstrates the incorporation of knowledge about the impacts of stress on child development and its relationship with learning processes in the school environment. In Brazil, children in urban violence territories live with recurrent situations of insecurity, but there is a lower degree of articulation between educational policies, mental health, and neuroscientific foundations applied to school practice. Despite geopolitical differences, both contexts converge in the finding that exposure to chronic violence compromises neurobiological processes essential for learning and demands evidence-based educational responses.

Given this panorama, a gap is evident in Brazil between scientific knowledge about the impacts of chronic violence on child development and the systematization of neuroeducational strategies aimed at the school context. This gap does not refer to the absence of theoretical or normative production, but to the limited articulation between scientific evidence, institutional guidelines, and structured and sustained educational practices. The comparative analysis between Israel and Brazil therefore allows us to examine how different contexts organize their educational responses and how such experiences can support the construction of models applicable to the Brazilian reality, justifying the relevance of this study.

Thus, the present study aimed to systematically and comparatively analyze the research corpus, focusing on the identification of neuroeducational strategies aimed at the development and learning of children exposed to chronic violence, and, as an applied objective, sought to systematize the findings in a Structured Neuroeducational Model for Chronic Violence Contexts, of an applied nature and conceived as a support framework for educational practice and the performance of educators and managers in school contexts marked by chronic violence.

2. Material and Methods

The research was characterized by a qualitative approach, of an applied nature, structured from bibliographic and documentary research conducted jointly and integrated. The applied nature of the study was materialized in the elaboration of a technical-scientific product, the Structured Neuroeducational Model for Contexts of Chronic Violence, conceived as a reference to support educational practice.

The methodological design was based on the Comparative Method, developed through a systematic, comparative, and cross-sectional analysis of the bibliographic and documentary corpus. As a data analysis technique, Thematic Content Analysis was adopted, according to Bardin (2011), operationalized in its three classic phases: pre-analysis, material exploration, and data processing.

The entire analytical process used a Documentary Analysis Matrix as a recording instrument. This instrument acted as a guarantee of traceability and scientific rigor in the treatment of secondary data, ensuring the auditability of the research process.

The first phase of the methodological path consisted of the constitution, preparation, and ordering of the universe of analysis. This process resulted in the delimitation of a definitive corpus of 14 documents, obtained through three sequential and interdependent selection procedures.

Initially, the material survey was subjected to eligibility filters, by applying previously defined inclusion criteria. Thematic relevance to the areas of developmental neuroscience and education, geopolitical alignment with the contexts of Brazil, Israel, and international organizations, reliability of sources (academic and official materials), and public domain availability were established as inclusion criteria.

As exclusion criteria, materials focused exclusively on clinical or psychiatric interventions, journalistic or opinion content, and materials involving primary data were discarded. The application of these criteria resulted in the selection of 14 documents consisting exclusively of secondary and publicly accessible data.

After defining the corpus, a systematic cataloging of the documents was carried out through metadata analysis. This technical procedure of external organization of the material was performed before the analytical immersion in its textual content. Each of the 14 documents was cataloged according to four structuring metadata: year of publication, nature of the document, geopolitical context of reference, and predominant thematic focus.

From the mapping produced by the metadata, the documents were organized into four analytical data groups. This organization aimed to order the corpus according to its nature and function in the investigative process, enabling subsequent comparative and cross-sectional analysis.

The first group consisted of seven seminal scientific works in the area of developmental neuroscience and learning, including studies on toxic stress, executive functions, resilience, and emotional regulation (Cyrulnik, 2023; Dehaene, 2011; Jensen, 2009; Perry and Szalavitz, 2020; Shonkoff, 2012; Shonkoff and Phillips, 2000; Siegel, 2024).

The second group gathered sets of international reports and guidelines related to education in crisis and emergency contexts, including institutional materials from the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC, 2026), UNESCO (2026), and UNICEF (2019). The third group comprised institutional documents related to educational policies and practices in the Israeli context, such as guidelines from the Ministry of Education (Israel, 2026), Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education (Israel, 2026), and technical materials from the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC, 2026).

The fourth group brought together two institutional documents and educational references from the Brazilian context, including the National Common Curricular Base (Ministry of Education, 2018) and material produced by the Ayrton Senna Institute (IAS, 2021), aimed at developing socio-emotional skills. The structuring of the groups enabled a comparative analysis between different types of sources and institutional contexts.

The second phase of the methodological path consisted of microanalytical and in-depth work on the texts contained in each of the four organized groups. This phase was operationalized through successive levels of thematic analysis, starting with coding.

At the Coding level, each document was read to identify the Units of Record, characterized as sentences, paragraphs, or significant textual segments correlated with the research objectives. Each extracted Unit of Record was assigned an initial Thematic Code that synthesized its core meaning.

At the General Categorization level, through the criterion of semantic affinity and transversal recurrence, the initial thematic codes were grouped, giving rise to Intermediate Analytical Categories. Subsequently, these categories were progressively condensed and narrowed down until the consolidation of three Main Thematic Axes: (i) Neurocognitive impacts of chronic violence on development and learning; (ii) Emotional regulation processes as mediators of learning; and (iii) Trauma-sensitive educational practices and promotion of resilience.

This entire microanalytical path was recorded in the Documentary Analysis Matrix. As readings were performed, the exact textual units of record, mapped by source document, were inserted into the matrix alongside their respective codes and categories, ensuring the empirical rigor of the method.

The third phase comprised the interpretative synthesis, the analytical cross-referencing, and the methodological closure of the investigation, structured in three articulated moments. The Matrix Cross-referencing, using the Documentary Analysis Matrix as an operational base, was carried out through a comparative and relational articulation of the three Main Thematic Axes with the four Analytical Data Groups.

The investigation of transversal recurrences and divergences allowed the structuring of the applied model, which was organized into four Structuring Dimensions: Regulation and Predictability; Bonds and Resilience; Executive Functions and Pedagogical Mediation; and Institutional Continuity. These dimensions, along with their respective General Neuroeducational Strategies, formed the central structure of the model.

In the Satellite Components Extraction stage, the dimensions and strategies generated by the cross-cutting approach were delimited. A targeted analysis was carried out on the secondary data corpus, extracting the other operational components that filled the internal architecture of the model: the Neuroeducational Mechanisms involved in each action, the forms of Practical Operationalization in the School Context, and the intended Neuroeducational Implications.

Finally, in the Systematization in the Final Model, all validated data were transposed, unifying the findings into a logical, integrated, and interconnected structure. This process culminated in the generation of the applied research product: the Structured Neuroeducational Model for Chronic Violence Contexts.

The resulting model configures a technical-scientific product of an applied nature, systematized from a qualitative approach, with a comparative method and thematic content analysis, according to Bardin (2011). It was conceived as a reference to support educational practices and the performance of educators and managers in school contexts marked by chronic violence, with its architecture built based on data recorded and tracked in the Documentary Analysis Matrix.

3. Results and Discussion

The comparative documentary analysis revealed consistent patterns regarding the impacts of chronic violence on child development and educational strategies to mitigate these effects. A convergence was observed between scientific literature and institutional documents, indicating that prolonged stress leads to impairments in cognitive functioning and behavioral regulation, directly affecting executive functions (Jensen, 2009; Shonkoff, 2012; Siegel, 2024). School learning, according to the documents, depends on predictable, safe, and organized environments. In contexts of violence, the absence of these elements leads to cognitive overload and reduced academic engagement (Jensen, 2009; UNICEF, 2019), suggesting that learning difficulties are not merely individual deficits but reflections of adverse environmental conditions that impact neurocognitive and socioemotional functioning.

The comparative analysis between the contexts of Israel and Brazil evidenced, however, significant differences in the systematization of educational responses. In the Israeli scenario, a higher degree of organization was identified, with structured protocols, continuous professional training, and intersectoral integration between school, psychosocial support services, and health (Israel Trauma Coalition [ITC], 2026; Ministry of Education [Israel], 2026; Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education [Israel], 2026). This consistent articulation demonstrates the direct incorporation of knowledge about trauma and emotional regulation into educational practices. In Brazil, although normative documents such as the National Common Curricular Base (Ministry of Education [MEC], 2018) and materials from the Ayrton Senna Institute (IAS, 2021) recognize the importance of socioemotional development and integral formation, the articulation between these guidelines and the systematic application of scientific evidence in school practice is still limited, with a lower degree of operationalization of strategies.

The persistent activation of stress response systems, according to the analyzed registry units, is associated with changes in processes crucial for executive functions, such as working memory, inhibitory control, and emotional regulation (Perry and Szalavitz, 2020; Shonkoff and Phillips, 2000; Shonkoff, 2012). These changes directly impact school performance, especially in tasks that require planning, sustained attention, and cognitive flexibility. Formal learning, therefore, is intrinsically linked to environmental conditions of predictability, relational stability, and emotional security (Siegel, 2024). In environments of instability and threat, these requirements are compromised, resulting in cognitive overload and decreased academic engagement (Jensen, 2009). Chronic violence, therefore, is not just a backdrop, but a factor that concretely affects the child’s developmental and learning conditions, requiring educational practices that explicitly consider its neurocognitive effects.

From the thematic organization of the data, four structuring dimensions were identified that integrate the Structured Neuroeducational Model, representing an advance from description to the construction of an applied framework. These dimensions are: Neurophysiological Regulation and Environmental Predictability; Promotion of Resilience Through Stable Bonds and Socioemotional Support; Development of Executive Functions through Structured Pedagogical Mediation; and Institutional Continuity of Care. The articulation between these dimensions is fundamental for the effectiveness of neuroeducational strategies, as they act on complementary and interdependent levels of development and learning in contexts of chronic violence. Next, each of these dimensions is detailed, according to the structure of the proposed model.

Neurophysiological Regulation and Environmental Predictability

The first structuring dimension, named Neurophysiological Regulation and Environmental Predictability, focuses on modulating stress response systems through the organization of the school environment. Environmental predictability is crucial for stabilizing emotional and cognitive functioning, reducing the hyperactivation of neurobiological threat systems. Prolonged exposure to violence persistently activates the amygdala and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, continuously releasing cortisol (Shonkoff, 2012; Siegel, 2024). This state of chronic alert compromises emotional regulation and prefrontal cortex functionality, impacting attention, working memory, and inhibitory control. Environmental unpredictability exacerbates this vigilance, hindering the reorganization of regulatory systems.

Documentary analysis revealed that neurophysiological regulation is promoted by the construction of predictable environments, the presence of regulated adults, and the organization of experiences that minimize sensory overload. These elements form an integrated regulatory system, composed of three interdependent analytical cores: emotional safety and co-regulation; environmental predictability and routine organization; and sensory and bodily regulation (bottom-up). The restoration of emotional safety is a fundamental condition for reducing stress hyperactivation, as children in contexts of violence do not have full self-regulation capacity, depending on adult mediation to organize their emotional responses. The teacher, in this co-regulatory role, offers stability, predictability, and emotional containment, aligning with the neurosequential model of development (Perry and Szalavitz, 2020).

Environmental predictability, as a second core, acts as an indirect mechanism of neurophysiological regulation. The organization of structured routines, anticipation of activities, and consistency in school interactions reduce uncertainty and the activation of threat systems. Strategies such as fixed schedules, visual sequences, and anticipation of changes are recurrent in crisis situations, organizing the child’s temporal experience, reducing cognitive overload, and expanding the sense of control. Predictability stabilizes regulatory systems and favors executive functions, especially where chronic stress compromises planning and organization. The third core, sensory and bodily regulation (bottom-up), uses bodily and sensory strategies for direct access to the regulation of the nervous system. Under high stress, cognitive interventions are less effective, requiring approaches that act directly on physiological systems. Practices such as guided breathing, rhythmic movements, music, stretching, and motor play modulate the state of physiological activation, based on bottom-up processes that reorganize neural functioning.

The comparative analysis demonstrated that these three cores converge in the documents, being particularly systematized in the Israeli context. There, operational guidelines guide the organization of predictable environments, the adult’s performance as a prepared regulator, and the use of sensory strategies in crises (Ministry of Education [Israel], 2026; Israel Trauma Coalition [ITC], 2026). In Brazil, although normative documents emphasize the importance of welcoming environments and socio-emotional development (Instituto Ayrton Senna [IAS], 2021; Ministério da Educação [MEC], 2018), there is less detail on operational strategies for neurophysiological regulation in contexts of violence. The findings indicate that the organization of the school environment, relational mediation, and the use of sensory strategies are neurobiological regulatory mechanisms, and environmental predictability and emotional security are basal conditions for the other dimensions. However, neurophysiological regulation, although fundamental, is not sufficient in isolation to promote learning, depending on the articulation with stable bonds, structured pedagogical mediation, and institutional continuity of care. This understanding aligns with the recommendations of the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC, 2026), which reinforce the stabilization of the nervous system as essential for learning.

Promotion of Resilience Through Stable Bonds and Socioemotional Support

The second structuring dimension, Promotion of Resilience Through Stable Bonds and Socioemotional Support, highlights the central role of relationships in mediating the effects of chronic violence on child development. Unlike the previous dimension, which focuses on neurophysiological regulation, this one emphasizes how stable bonds and socioemotional support sustain the processes of adaptation and emotional reorganization in adverse contexts. Resilience is understood as a dynamic and relational process, built through the child’s interaction with their environment. Literature points to consistent, responsive, and emotionally available bonds as crucial protective factors against toxic stress (Cyrulnik, 2023; Shonkoff and Phillips, 2000).

In contexts of violence, the recurrent activation of threat systems compromises the sense of security and the capacity for self-regulation, demanding external mediators to organize emotional responses. The bond with reference adults becomes structuring, serving as a basis for building coping strategies and expanding adaptive capacity. Data analysis indicates that the promotion of resilience in the educational environment can be organized into four interdependent analytical cores: co-regulation and bond with adults; structured emotional expression; coping strategies; and strengthening of belonging. The first core, bond with adults, refers to the adult’s role as a mediator of emotional regulation, offering containment, predictability, and emotional validation. Practices such as qualified listening and consistent responses build secure bonds, reducing emotional reactivity and promoting the internalization of self-regulation, according to the neurosequential model of development (Perry and Szalavitz, 2020).

The second core, structured emotional expression, emphasizes the creation of safe conditions for the child to express their emotions, essential for processing adverse experiences. In contexts of violence, the lack of expression channels intensifies tension and hinders emotional processing. Practices such as drawing, storytelling, role-playing, and speaking spaces are relevant strategies for externalizing and organizing emotions, allowing the child to attribute meaning to experiences and reducing emotional overload. It is crucial that emotional expression is not forced, respecting the child’s timing and readiness, and that the environment is safe and welcoming. The third core, coping strategies, refers to the development of cognitive and behavioral mechanisms to deal with stress, both in problem-solving and emotional regulation. Analyzed documents indicate that teaching breathing techniques, identifying trusted adults, developing safety plans, and encouraging seeking support are relevant strategies for strengthening adaptive capacity, representing an advancement from co-regulation to a more active management of emotional responses by the child.

The fourth core area, strengthening belonging and peer support, addresses the importance of the feeling of belonging to a group as a protective factor in contexts of adversity, reducing isolation and strengthening identity. Collective activities, group work, and cooperation encourage the construction of horizontal bonds among children, expanding emotional support and creating a more protective social environment. The comparative analysis revealed that these core areas are convergent in the documents, being particularly systematized in the Israeli context, where practices of co-regulation, emotional expression, and strengthening of belonging are integrated into school routines (Israel Trauma Coalition [ITC], 2026; Ministry of Education [Israel], 2026). In Brazil, although there is a normative emphasis on socio-emotional development and integral formation (Instituto Ayrton Senna [IAS], 2021; Ministério da Educação [MEC], 2018), there is less detail on operational strategies to promote resilience in contexts of violence. The findings indicate that stable bonds and socio-emotional support are central mediators between neurophysiological regulation and cognitive development, and resilience is a relational process that depends on prior conditions of neurophysiological stabilization and environmental organization, articulating with pedagogical mediation and the institutional continuity of care.

Development of Executive Functions through Structured Pedagogical Mediation

The third structuring dimension, Development of Executive Functions through Structured Pedagogical Mediation, focuses on pedagogical strategies aimed at enabling learning in contexts of chronic violence, considering the cognitive limitations imposed by prolonged stress. Unlike the previous dimensions, which focus on neurophysiological regulation and relational support, this dimension directly impacts the organization of the teaching process. From a neurobiological point of view, persistent activation of stress response systems compromises the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, essential for executive functions such as working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility (Shonkoff, 2012; Jensen, 2009). This compromise reduces the capacity for planning, attention, impulse inhibition, and information organization, directly affecting school learning. Under these conditions, demanding high academic performance without pedagogical adaptation can intensify cognitive overload and hinder engagement.

The data indicate that structured pedagogical mediation can be understood from three interdependent analytical cores: reduction of cognitive load; structuring and sequencing of tasks; and progressive support for autonomy. The first core, reduction of cognitive load, refers to the adaptation of cognitive demand in contexts of high stress, where attentional and executive resources are partially compromised. This requires simplifying tasks and prioritizing essential content. The analyzed documents point out that reducing the complexity of activities, using clear instructions, and fragmenting content are fundamental strategies to avoid cognitive overload and maintain focus on learning. This approach recognizes that the brain in a state of stress does not operate with the same efficiency in tasks that demand a high level of cognitive processing, making it necessary to adjust the demand to the student’s actual operating conditions.

The second core, structuring and sequencing of tasks, focuses on the pedagogical organization of activities, with an emphasis on fragmentation and sequencing. In contexts of executive function impairment, complex and unstructured tasks can generate cognitive disorganization and frustration. It was observed that dividing activities into smaller steps, using step-by-step instructions, and clarifying objectives favor the organization of thought and task execution, compensating for difficulties in planning and working memory. The third core, progressive support for autonomy (scaffolding), refers to gradual support in task execution, with progressive withdrawal of help as the child develops greater organizational and control capacity. This process, often described as scaffolding, allows for the assisted construction of autonomy. The documents indicate that close teacher monitoring, offering cues, and continuous mediation support task execution. As the child internalizes these strategies, support can be reduced, favoring the development of cognitive autonomy. Scaffolding, therefore, is a central strategy for strengthening executive functions and enabling learning progress under adverse conditions. The comparative analysis shows that these cores converge in the documents, being systematized into guidelines that orient the adaptation of pedagogical practices to students’ cognitive conditions in crisis contexts (Jensen, 2009).

In the Israeli context, greater integration is observed between knowledge about the effects of stress and the organization of pedagogical practices, with clear guidelines for adjusting cognitive load and reorganizing school activities in emergencies. In Brazil, although the impacts of vulnerability on learning are recognized, less detail is found in structured pedagogical strategies to compensate for difficulties in executive functions. The findings indicate that structured pedagogical mediation is not limited to didactic organization but acts as a compensatory mechanism for cognitive limitations imposed by chronic stress. The adaptation of pedagogical practices is, therefore, an essential condition for ensuring access to learning in contexts of vulnerability. However, the effectiveness of these strategies depends on their articulation with previous dimensions, especially neurophysiological regulation and relational support, highlighting the interdependent nature of the structuring dimensions.

Institutional Continuity of Care

The fourth structuring dimension, Institutional Continuity of Care, addresses the organizational level, emphasizing the role of institutions in maintaining consistent, predictable, and integrated responses over time in contexts of chronic violence. Unlike the previous dimensions, which focus on the immediate environment, relationships, and pedagogical practices, this dimension shifts the analysis to the systemic sustainability of interventions. Comparative analysis showed that exposure to violence, in the contexts investigated, is not a punctual event, but a recurrent environmental condition that continuously reactivates stress response systems (Shonkoff, 2012). In this scenario, isolated interventions tend to have limited effects, and critical episodes without consistent institutional responses can reintroduce states of insecurity and disorganization.

The continuity of care involves the existence of clear action protocols, the definition of referral flows, and the articulation between different sectors, including education, health, and psychosocial assistance. These elements reduce the need for improvised responses in crisis situations and contribute to maintaining stable institutional functioning patterns. The institutionalization of practices and procedures allows not only for immediate response to critical events but also for the sustenance of regulatory, relational, and pedagogical strategies in daily school life. Institutional continuity acts as an amplified factor of predictability, ensuring that interventions are not interrupted or disorganized in the face of adverse events. Institutional continuity of care can be understood from three interdependent analytical cores: organization of protocols and emergency preparedness; training and support for school teams; and intersectoral articulation and continuous monitoring.

The first core area, organization of protocols and emergency preparedness, refers to the definition of institutional protocols and emergency preparedness. In contexts of violence, the predictability of institutional actions is central to reducing the sense of lack of control and organizing individual and collective responses. The analyzed documents indicate that practices such as simulations, definition of security routines, and clear communication of procedures are fundamental strategies for preparing students and school teams. These practices allow for faster, more organized, and less reactive responses in critical situations. Emergency preparedness is not limited to physical safety but also acts as an indirect mechanism for emotional regulation, reducing unpredictability and increasing the sense of control in the face of threats. The second core area, training and support for school teams, highlights the importance of preparation and emotional regulation for education professionals. The literature indicates that a school’s capacity in crisis contexts is directly related to the preparation of its professionals. Strategies such as trauma training, emotional support, and listening spaces for teachers are essential to sustain educational practices, as emotionally overwhelmed teachers tend to have more difficulty regulating and mediating, compromising the quality of pedagogical interactions. Therefore, care for the school team is a structuring condition for the effectiveness of educational interventions.

The third core, intersectoral articulation and continuous monitoring, refers to the integration between different sectors and the continuity of child monitoring over time. In contexts of chronic violence, children’s demands exceed the educational scope, requiring the integration between public policies and specialized services. The analyzed documents indicate that articulated networks between school, health, and social assistance favor the early identification of needs, adequate referral, and continuous monitoring of children, reducing the fragmentation of care. Intersectoral articulation is central to consolidating consistent institutional responses, capable of dealing with the complexity of violence contexts. The comparative analysis showed that these cores are more systematized in the Israeli context, with clear protocols, periodic training, and integration between school and psychosocial support services (Ministry of Education [Israel], 2026; Israel Trauma Coalition [ITC], 2026). This institutional organization favors the continuity of interventions and the maintenance of regulatory environments even in crisis scenarios.

In the Brazilian context, although there is normative recognition of integral protection and the need for articulation between public policies (Ministry of Education [MEC], 2018), there is less institutionalization of protocols and integrated networks to ensure continuous monitoring in territories marked by recurrent violence. This gap results in discontinuity of actions and fragility in the sustainability of educational strategies. The findings indicate that the institutional continuity of care is not restricted to administrative organization, but constitutes a structuring component of the intervention model. By ensuring stability, predictability, and integration between actions, this dimension sustains the other identified strategies, preventing advances achieved at the pedagogical, relational, or regulatory level from being compromised by institutional discontinuities. This understanding converges with the guidelines of the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC, 2026), which emphasize institutional preparation, continuous team training, and the organization of systematic responses as central elements for action in crisis contexts.

The analysis of the four structuring dimensions shows that educational intervention in contexts of chronic violence cannot be fragmented, but must be understood as an integrated system of action. Neurophysiological regulation, relational support, pedagogical mediation, and institutional organization constitute interdependent levels, whose articulation is a condition for the effectiveness of neuroeducational strategies. The convergence of these elements made it possible to move from data analysis to the construction of an applied model, oriented towards the systematization of educational practices based on neuroscience in contexts of vulnerability. The organization of the dimensions shows convergence with the neurosequential model of development, prioritizing interventions that begin with the regulation of neurophysiological systems, advance to relational support, and subsequently to cognitive mediation. Such organization highlights the need to respect the functional hierarchy of the brain in contexts of chronic stress, insofar as emotional stabilization constitutes a basal condition for the functioning of executive functions and, consequently, for learning.

The comparative analysis between the investigated contexts, synthesized in

, evidenced conceptual convergence regarding the centrality of emotional regulation, bonds, and environmental predictability as essential factors for learning in adverse situations. However, relevant differences were identified in the degree of systematization of educational practices. In the Israeli context, a high degree of systematization of institutional educational responses was observed, with structured and operationalized protocols, while in Brazil, the degree is low to moderate, with general guidelines and a lower level of operationalization. Emergency and crisis response protocols are present, institutionalized, and integrated into daily school life in Israel, but in Brazil, they are present sporadically or poorly systematized in the educational context. Teacher training for acting in crisis contexts is continuous, structured, and aligned with institutional practices in Israel, but limited and unsystematic in Brazil. Intersectoral integration (education, health, and social assistance) is consolidated and functionally integrated in Israel, and fragmented with irregular articulation in Brazil. Emotional regulation strategies in the school context are systematized, operational, and integrated into the educational routine in Israel, but recognized at a conceptual level, though poorly operationalized in the Brazilian context. Environmental predictability and school routine organization are highly structured and institutionalized in Israel, and variable, with a lower degree of formalization in Brazil. Institutional support for schools and teams is structured, continuous, and with specialized technical support in Israel, but irregular and with less structured technical support in Brazil. The translation of scientific knowledge into educational practices is direct, applied, and integrated into educational practices in Israel, but partial, with a disconnect between scientific evidence and educational practice in Brazil. The existence of a systematized neuroeducational intervention model is inferred from the convergence between educational practices, institutional protocols, and integration with trauma approaches in Israel, while in Brazil, it is not identified in a systematized and institutionally consolidated manner, although conceptually educational.

The identification of a neuroeducational intervention model in the Israeli context does not stem from its conceptual formalization, but from the inference resulting from the systematic convergence between neuroscientific evidence, institutional organization, and operationalized educational practices. In the Brazilian context, although relevant elements are identified at the conceptual and normative levels, such as guidelines for socioemotional development and integral protection, this convergence is not observed in a systematized and operationalized manner. This gap does not refer to the non-existence of knowledge about the impacts of violence on child development, but to the absence of structured articulation between this knowledge and its translation into organized, continuous, and institutionally sustained neuroeducational practices. The main challenge, therefore, lies not in knowledge production, but in its translation into systematized and institutionally sustained neuroeducational strategies. This finding reinforces the relevance of constructing organizing models that enable the articulation between scientific evidence and educational intervention. In this context, the Structured Neuroeducational Model proposed in this study is configured as a response to this gap, by systematically integrating strategies based on developmental neuroscience and oriented towards action in contexts of chronic violence, offering a framework applicable to educational practice in vulnerable territories.

The Structured Neuroeducational Model, presented in

, articulates the structuring dimensions, the neuroeducational mechanisms, the neuroeducational and institutional strategies, the operationalization in the school context, and its implications for educational practice. The Regulation and Predictability dimension, for example, modulates the activation of stress systems (amygdala and HPA axis) by reducing environmental unpredictability and sensory overload. Its strategies include the organization of predictable environments, stable routines, and the use of sensory and bodily strategies, operationalized through visual sequences, anticipation of changes, and rhythmic activities, implying a reduction in emotional hyperactivation and favoring a return to the window of tolerance. The Bonds and Resilience dimension modulates stress through secure relationships and social belonging, with strategies for strengthening the adult-child bond and encouraging peer support, operationalized through discussion circles and collective projects, acting as a protective factor and reducing isolation. The Executive Functions and Pedagogical Mediation dimension reduces cognitive overload associated with stress by simplifying tasks and prioritizing content, operationalized by dividing activities into stages and clear instructions, improving attention and working memory. Finally, Institutional Continuity reduces unpredictability through institutional organization, with strategies for structuring school protocols and continuous teacher training, operationalized through simulations and support meetings, reducing loss of control and increasing collective safety. The proposed model, therefore, is not configured as a rigid protocol of action, but as a structured framework that guides educational practice in contexts of vulnerability. Its application presupposes adaptation to the specificities of each school reality, and may, in future developments, support the construction of contextualized institutional protocols. The consolidation of the structured neuroeducational model represents the main applied contribution of this study, by offering an operational synthesis of the analyzed evidence and an applied framework to support the work of educators and managers in contexts of chronic violence, articulating neuroscientific foundations, institutional guidelines, and pedagogical practices.

4. Conclusion

The present study aimed to analyze neuroeducational strategies for children exposed to chronic and systematic violence and to systematize a structured neuroeducational model. It was found that continuous exposure to violence directly impacted emotional regulation, executive functions, and the capacity for school engagement, highlighting the need for specific and structured educational responses. The comparative analysis between the contexts of Israel and Brazil revealed a greater systematization of educational responses in the Israeli scenario, with structured protocols and intersectoral integration, in contrast to the lesser articulation between scientific evidence and structured practices observed in Brazil. It was identified that effective educational intervention in such contexts requires an integrated system, organized into four interdependent dimensions: neurophysiological regulation and environmental predictability; promotion of resilience through stable bonds and socio-emotional support; development of executive functions through structured pedagogical mediation; and institutional continuity of care. These dimensions, which prioritize emotional stabilization as a basis for cognitive functioning and learning, demonstrated the complexity and interdependence of the factors involved.

The main contribution of this study lies in the systematization of the Structured Neuroeducational Model for Chronic Violence Contexts. This applied model offers an integrated framework that articulates neuroscientific foundations, institutional guidelines, and pedagogical practices, aiming to support educators and managers in vulnerable territories. Its proposition addresses the identified gap in the Brazilian context, where the central challenge is not limited to knowledge production, but to its translation into organized and institutionally sustained neuroeducational strategies. Although the model is not configured as a rigid protocol, its application presupposes adaptation to the specificities of each school reality, and may, in future developments, subsidize the construction of contextualized institutional protocols. Thus, the study reinforces the importance of frameworks that integrate neuroscience and education to strengthen school performance in chronic violence environments.

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