The psychological impact of impending forced settler disengagement in Gaza: trauma and posttraumatic growth (original) (raw)

The psychological impact of impending forced settler disengagement in …

Journal of traumatic …, 2008

The Israeli government's decision to remove settlers in the Gaza Strip forcibly produced a situation of traumatic stress, resulting from confrontation and conflict for settlers. The authors examined the effects of the Gaza disengagement, that occurred following prolonged terrorist exposure, on rates of probable major depressive disorder (MDD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis in a representative sample of Gaza settlers (N = 190). Predictors of probable MDD in multivariate models were being female, and experiencing greater economic and psychosocial resource loss. Predictors of probable PTSD were being older and experiencing greater psychosocial resource loss. Posttraumatic growth was significantly related to a reduction in the odds of having probable PTSD. This latter finding is interpreted within our conceptualization of action-focused growth.

A Longitudinal Investigation of the Relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth in a Cohort of Israeli Jews and Palestinians during Ongoing Violence

Objectives Meta-analytic evidence based on cross-sectional investigations between posttraumatic growth (PTG) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) demonstrates that the two concepts are positively related and that ethnic minorities report greater PTG. Few longitudinal studies have quantified this relationship so the evidence is limited regarding the potential benefit PTG may have on post-traumatic adjustment and whether differences between ethnic groups exist. Methods The current study attempts to fill a substantial gap in the literature by exploring the relationship between PTG and PTSD symptom clusters longitudinally using a nationally representative cohort of 1613 Israelis and Palestinian Citizens of Israel (PCI) interviewed via telephone on three measurement occasions during one year. Latent cross-lagged structural models estimated the relationship between PTG and each PTSD symptom cluster, derived from confir-matory factor analysis, representing latent and statistically invariant PTSD symptom factors, best representing PTSD for both ethnic groups. Results PTG was not associated with less PTSD symptom severity in any of the four PTSD clusters, for Jews and PCI. In contrast, PTSD symptom severity assessed earlier was related to later reported PTG in both groups.

Exposure to prolonged socio-political conflict and the risk of PTSD and depression among Palestinians

Psychiatry, 2010

Little is known about the impact of traumatic experiences and stressful life conditions on people in low-income countries who live in conditions of ongoing political violence. In order to determine the prevalence and predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression (MD) among Palestinians subjected to chronic political violence and upheaval, we used a stratified multi-stage cluster random sampling strategy to interview a representative sample of 1,200 Palestinian adults living in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Prevalence of PTSD/MD for men living in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem was 25.4%/29.9%, 11.6%IT7.6%, and 16.1%/16.1%, respectively. For women, the prevalence of PTSD/MD was 23.8%/29.0%, 23.9%/28.9%, and 19.7%/27.6%. Among men, PTSD was significantly positively associated with age group, two or more incidences of political violence (compared to none), greater intrapersonal resource loss, and loss of faith in government. MD was positively associated with experiencing exposure to one, or two or more, incidences of political violence (compared to none), and greater interpersonal and intrapersonal resource loss. Among women, PTSD was positively associated with greater interpersonal and intrapersonal resource loss, and MD was positively associated with death of a loved one, two or more socio-political Stressors (compared to none) previous to . the past year, one or more socio-political Stressors (compared to none) in the past year, and greater interpersonal and intrapersonal resource loss. Interpersonal and intrapersonal resource losses were consistently associated with PTSD and MD, suggesting potential targets for intervention and prevention efforts and thus provide important keys to treatment in areas of ongoing conflict.

The experience and prevalence of PTSD in Palestinian adults living in the Gaza Strip

2017

Objective: This study aims to explore the traumatic experiences and to estimate prevalence and predictor factors for PTSD, depression and general psychiatric morbidity amongst Palestinian adults living in the Gaza Strip. Method: A total of 500 Palestinian adults were recruited from four areas of the Gaza Strip using a snowball sampling. The same sample was used for both quantitative studies. Four scales were employed to identify predictors for trauma, PTSD, depression and general mental health. Participants were divided into three age groups: young adults (18 to 25 years), adults (26 to 49 years) and older adults (50 to 65 years). The third qualitative study was aimed at exploring the traumatic experiences of adults living in the Gaza Strip to expand upon the outcomes from the quantitative studies. Results: For Studies 1 and 2, the prevalence rate of PTSD symptoms was 90% and 36.7% met the criteria of DSM-IV for PTSD. Study 2 found depression was 38.4%, and general mental health com...

Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety among Gaza Strip adolescents in the wake of the second Uprising (Intifada)

Child Abuse & Neglect, 2007

‫ﺍﻟﻤﻠﺨﺹ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻨﻔﺴ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﻤﺭﺍﺽ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺼﺎﺩﻤﺔ‬ ‫ﻟﻠﻤﻭﺍﻗﻑ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﻁﻔﺎل‬ ‫ﺘﻌﺭﺽ‬ ‫ﺘﻠﻲ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻲ‬ ‫ﻴﺔ‬ ) ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﻁﻔﺎل‬ ‫ﻟﺩﻯ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻘﻠﻕ‬ ‫ﺍﻻﻜﺘﺌﺎﺏ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻨﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻻﻨﺘﻔﺎﻀﺔ‬ ( ‫ﻤﻥ‬ ‫ﻤﻜﻭﻨﺔ‬ ‫ﻋﻴﻨﺔ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺔ‬ ‫ﻫﺫﻩ‬ ‫ﺃﺠﺭﻴﺕ‬ 229 ‫ﻗﻁـﺎﻉ‬ ‫ﻓـﻲ‬ ‫ﻴﻌﻴﺸﻭﻥ‬ ‫ﻓﻠﺴﻁﻴﻨﻲ‬ ‫ﻁﻔل‬ ‫ﻏﺯﺓ‬ ‫ﺘﻠـﻲ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘـﻲ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻨﻔـﺴﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻻﻀﻁﺭﺍﺒﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﺍﻨﺘﺸﺎﺭ‬ ‫ﺤﺠﻡ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺭﻑ‬ ‫ﻫﻭ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺔ‬ ‫ﻤﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻬﺩﻑ‬ ‫ﻭﻜﺎﻥ‬ ، ‫ﻟﺼﺩﻤﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻁﻔل‬ ‫ﺘﻌﺭﺽ‬ ‫ﻟﻘﻴﺎﺱ‬ ‫ﻭﺍﻷﺩﻭﺍﺕ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻘﺎﻴﻴﺱ‬ ‫ﺒﻌﺽ‬ ‫ﺍﺴﺘﺨﺩﻤﺕ‬ ‫ﻭﻗﺩ‬ ‫ﺼﺎﺩﻤﺔ،‬ ‫ﻜﻤﻭﺍﻗﻑ‬ ‫ﺃﻭ‬ ‫ﻨﻔﺴﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻌـﺭﺽ‬ ‫ﺘﻠـﻲ‬ ‫ﻨﻔﺴﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺃﻤﺭﺍﺽ‬ ‫ﻭﺠﻭﺩ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺭﺽ‬ ‫ﻫﺫﺍ‬ ‫ﻭﺘﺄﺜﻴﺭ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺼﺎﺩﻤﺔ‬ ‫ﻟﻠﻤﻭﺍﻗﻑ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺭﺽ‬ ‫ﻤﺩﻯ‬ ‫ﺤﻭﺍﻟﻲ‬ ‫ﺃﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻨﺘﺎﺌﺞ‬ ‫ﺒﻴﻨﺕ‬ ‫ﻟﻠﺼﺩﻤﺔ،ﻭﻗﺩ‬ 69 % ‫ﻭﺍﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟـﺼﺩﻤﺔ،‬ ‫ﺒﻌـﺩ‬ ‫ﻤـﺎ‬ ‫ﺍﻀﻁﺭﺍﺏ‬ ‫ﻟﺩﻴﻬﻡ‬ ‫ﻅﻬﺭﺕ‬ ‫ﻗﺩ‬ ‫ﺤﻭﺍﻟﻲ‬ 40 % ‫ﺍ‬ ‫ﺃﻋﺭﺍﺽ‬ ‫ﻤﻥ‬ ‫ﻴﻌﺎﻨﻭﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﻁﻔﺎل‬ ‫ﻤﻥ‬ ‫ﺤﻭﺍﻟﻲ‬ ‫ﻭﺍﻥ‬ ، ‫ﻜﺘﺌﺎﺒﻴﺔ‬ 95 % ‫ﻟـﺩﻴﻬﻡ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﻁﻔـﺎل‬ ‫ﻤﻥ‬ ‫ﻟـﻪ‬ ‫ﻴﺘﻌـﺭﺽ‬ ‫ﺒﻤـﺎ‬ ‫ﻭﺭﺒﻁﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﻤﻨﺎﻗﺸﺘﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﻭﺘﻤﺕ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻨﺘﺎﺌﺞ‬ ‫ﻫﺫﻩ‬ ‫ﻓﺴﺭﺕ‬ ‫ﻭﻗﺩ‬ ، ‫ﺸﺩﻴﺩ‬ ‫ﻭﺘﻭﺘﺭ‬ ‫ﻗﻠﻕ‬ ‫ﺃﻋﺭﺍﺽ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻭﺍﻗـﻑ‬ ‫ﻤﻥ‬ ‫ﻤﺘﻌﺩﺩﺓ‬ ‫ﻭﺃﻨﻭﺍﻉ‬ ‫ﻟﻠﻤﻨﺎﺯل‬ ‫ﻭﺘﻬﺩﻴﻡ‬ ‫ﻭﺘﺸﺭﻴﺩ‬ ‫ﻗﺘل‬ ‫ﻤﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺎﺵ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺨﺎﺭﺠﻲ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻭﺍﻗﻊ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﻁﻔﺎل‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻔﻠﺴﻁﻴﻨﻴﻴﻥ‬ ‫ﺒﺎﻷﻁﻔﺎل‬ ‫ﻤﺭﺕ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻲ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺼﺎﺩﻤﺔ‬ . ABSTRACT Objective: Children and adolescents of the Gaza Strip have been subjected to continuous violence since the eruption of the second Intifada (Uprising). Little is known, however, about the psychological effects of this violence on children and adolescents of Gaza. Thus, the purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate and describe the psychological effects of exposure of war-like circumstances on this population. ‫ﺩ‬ . ‫ﻫﻴﻥ‬ ‫ﺃﺒﻭ‬ ‫ﻓﻀل‬ ‫ﻭﺁﺨﺭﻭﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺠﻠﺩ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﻗﺼﻰ،‬ ‫ﺠﺎﻤﻌﺔ‬ ‫ﻤﺠﻠﺔ‬ ، ‫ﻋﺸﺭ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺩﻱ‬ ‫ﻴﻨﺎﻴﺭ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﻭل،‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺩﺩ‬ ، 2007 153

Loss of social resources predicts incident posttraumatic stress disorder during ongoing political violence within the Palestinian Authority

Background Exposure to ongoing political violence and stressful conditions increases the risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in low-resource contexts. However, much of our understanding of the determinants of PTSD in these contexts comes from cross-sectional data. Longitudinal studies that examine factors associated with incident PTSD may be useful to the development of effective prevention interventions and the identification of those who may be most at-risk for the disorder. Methods A 3-stage cluster random stratified sampling methodology was used to obtain a representative sample of 1,196 Palestinian adults living in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Face-to-face interviews were conducted at two time points 6-months apart. Logistic regression analyses were conducted on a restricted sample of 643 people who did not have PTSD at baseline and who completed both interviews. Results The incidence of PTSD was 15.0 % over a 6-month period. Results of adjusted logistic regression models demonstrated that talking to friends and family about political circumstances (aOR = 0.78, p = 0.01) was protective, and female sex (aOR = 1.76, p = 0.025), threat perception of future violence (aOR = 1.50, p = 0.002), poor general health (aOR = 1.39, p = 0.005), exposure to media (aOR = 1.37, p = 0.002), and loss of social resources (aOR = 1.71, p = 0.006) were predictive of incident cases of PTSD. Conclusions A high incidence of PTSD was documented during a 6-month follow-up period among Palestinian residents of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Interventions that promote health and increase and forestall loss to social resources could potentially reduce the onset of PTSD in communities affected by violence.

Consequences of war-related traumatic stress among Palestinian young

2023

Background The long-standing Israeli–Palestinian conflict has escalated since the beginning of the 20th century, resulting in a humanitarian crisis in Palestine. It has caused significant psychological and social suffering, particularly children and young people. Objectives Firstly, to identify and synthesize the existing knowledge available in peer review articles about the consequences of war-related trauma reactions among young people, and secondly to investigate the mechanisms of resilience in the context of Gaza Strip. Methods The review follows Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework, including a systematic search of eight databases. Relevant studies were assessed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results The identified studies used various measurement tools and instruments to assess mental health outcomes, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and resilience. War-related traumatic experiences were common among children. The determinants of traumatic stress that increased the of mental health problems were also identified, including exposure to violence and destruction, loss of family members and friends. Resilience and coping mechanisms have a crucial role in mitigating the negative impact of war-related trauma. Conclusion The mental health of children and young people in the Gaza Strip is a pressing public health concern, particularly PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Nonetheless, more qualitative research is required to address existing knowledge gaps and improve the available mental health service. This study could provide valuable insights for creating interventions and support services that are culturally tailored.

THE PREVALENCE OF PTSD AND DEPRESSION AMONG GAZA CHILDREN

GIAP Journals, 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of posttraumatic distress disorder (PTSD) and depression among children in Gaza, Palestine. Methodology: This study assessed the psychological effects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on children in the Gaza Strip. 286 children aged 9-14 years old, who were exposed to a wide range of war events, were selected from the Gaza Strip to participate in this study. All participants conducted the following scales: the child PTSD Reaction Index(CPTSD-RI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Arabic version for PTSD and depression assessment. Finding: The results show that the mean number of participants witnessing home destroyed and people killed was (88%) and home invasion (76%). Approximately 70% of the participants reported that they witnessed war violence against at least one of their family members. Further, 44 % of the children have a least one death in their family due to the Israeli invasion. Using t-tests, we found that significantly more females have both PTSD and depression than males. Approximately 32.8% of the participants met the criteria for severe depression, and 42.6 % met the criteria for PTSD. Implications: Our results suggest that it is imperative to provide intervention programs to treat PTSD and depression symptoms among children in Gaza. These programs should take into account the cultural and religious background of the participants. Originality: This investigation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has led to an increase in PTSD and depression symptoms among children in the Gaza Strip.

A longitudinal study of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder in Israeli civilians exposed to war trauma

Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2000

This 3-wave longitudinal study examined the mental health consequences of the Israel-Gaza 2008-2009 war among young Israeli civilians. Data on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and their predictors were collected during the war, and 2 and 4 months after ceasefire. Results showed a sharp decline in symptom levels of PTSD, MDD, and GAD over time. Perceived social support during the war moderated the effects of immediate emotional response on subsequent levels of PTSD, MDD, and GAD. These findings underscore the importance of social support and immediate emotional response to trauma in predicting trauma-related psychopathology, and highlight the potential need for providing early care to exposed individuals exhibiting immediate and severe emotional responses.