Abdelaziz M Thabet | York University (original) (raw)

Papers by Abdelaziz M Thabet

Aim: Aim of this review was to investigate the Palestinians psychological well-being indicators S... more Aim: Aim of this review was to investigate the Palestinians psychological well-being indicators Strip, causes of mental illness, available services for primary, secondary, and territory intervention, and recommendation for future research and intervention in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

(2019) UCLA PTSD reaction index for DSM-5 (PTSD-RI-5): a psychometric study of adolescents sample... more (2019) UCLA PTSD reaction index for DSM-5 (PTSD-RI-5): a psychometric study of adolescents sampled from communities in eleven countries ABSTRACT Background: Children and adolescents are often exposed to traumatic events, which may lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is therefore important for clinicians to screen for potential symptoms that can be signs of PTSD onset. PTSD in youth is a worldwide problem, thus congruent screening tools in various languages are needed. Objective: The aim of this study was to test the general psychometric properties of the Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index for children and adolescents (UCLA PTSD) Reaction Index for DSM-5 (PTSD-RI-5) in adolescents, a self-report instrument intended to screen for trauma exposure and assess PTSD symptoms. Method: Data was collected from 4201 adolescents in communities within eleven countries worldwide (i.e.). Internal consistency, discriminant validity, and a confirmatory factor analysis of a four-factor model representing the main DSM-5 symptoms of the PTSD-RI-5 were evaluated. Results: The PTSD-RI-5 total score for the entire sample shows very good reliability (α = .92) as well as across all countries included (α ranged from .90 to .94). The correlations between anxiety/depressive symptoms and the PTSD-RI-5 scores were below .70 indicating on good discriminant validity. The four-factor structure of the scale was confirmed for the total sample and data from six countries. The standardized regression weights for all items varied markedly across the countries. The lack of a common acceptable model across all countries prevented us from direct testing of cross-cultural measurement invariance. Conclusions: The four-factor structure of the PTSD-RI-5 likely represents the core PTSD symptoms as proposed by the DSM-5 criteria, but there could be items interpreted in a conceptually different manner by adolescents from different cultural/regional backgrounds and future cross-cultural evaluations need to consider this finding.

The Relationship between Mental Health of Palestinian Mothers Due to Siege and Child Attachment ‫اﻟﻔﻠﺴﻄﯿﻨﯿﯿﺎت‬ ‫ﻟﻸﻣﮭﺎت‬ ‫اﻟﻨﻔﺴﯿﺔ‬ ‫واﻟﺼﺤﺔ‬ ‫اﻟﺤﺼﺎر‬ ‫ﻋﻦ‬ ‫اﻟﻨﺎﺗﺠﺔ‬ ‫اﻟﻨﻔﺴﯿﺔ‬ ‫اﻟﻀﻐﻮط‬ ‫ﺑﯿﻦ‬ ‫ﻣﺎ‬ ‫اﻟﻌﻼﻗﺔ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ﻣﻊ‬ ‫اﻟﺮﺑﺎط‬ ‫أطﻔﺎﻟﮭﻦ, 2019

im: The current study investigated the relationship between mothers' stressors due to siege, thei... more im: The current study investigated the relationship between mothers' stressors due to siege, their mental health and the attachment styles of their children. Methods: Participants were recruited from a list of previously studied Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip, which was part of a three-stage prospective study of 184 households. N=140 mothers were recruited to the study. Ages ranged from 18 to 64 years with a mean age of 41.53 years. Participants completed self-report questionnaires, which included a sociodemographic scale, the Gaza Siege Checklist, the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25), and the Parent/Child Reunion Inventory (P/CRI). Data were collected from October to November 2008. Results: Mothers reported from 2-20 stressors due to siege (M=10.83, SD=4.07). Those with monthly income of less than 350USreportedexperiencingmorestressorsthanmotherswhosefamilieshadamonthlyincomeof350 US reported experiencing more stressors than mothers whose families had a monthly income of 350USreportedexperiencingmorestressorsthanmotherswhosefamilieshadamonthlyincomeof351 US or more. Results identified 16.8% of mothers met the criteria for psychiatric conditions; 19.0% reported anxiety and 15.2% reported depression. Mothers living in cities reported fewer mental health problems compared with those living in villages and camps. Further, insecure attachment of children was positively associated with total stressors and mothers' anxiety, and depression. Conclusion: Maternal depression and anxiety was associated with insecure attachment styles in children. Maternal depression and anxiety were also associated with experiences of siege stressors and an insecure attachment style in children. The study highlights potential targets for future intervention.

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between war trauma and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stres... more The study aimed to investigate the relationship between war trauma and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), anxiety and depression problems among secondary school students in Gaza Strip.

article, 2019

Aim: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between war trauma and PTSD, anxiety, and de... more Aim: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between war trauma and PTSD, anxiety, and depression problems among secondary school students in Gaza Strip.
Method:The study sample consisted of 408 randomly selected secondary school students (204 boys and 204 girls). Adolescents were interviewed using sociodemographic questionnaire,Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist, BirlesonSelf-Rating Depression Scale, and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale.
Results:The results showed that the most common reported traumatic experiences by adolescents were: watching mutilated bodies in TV (93.1%), hearing shelling of the area by artillery (92.4%), hearing the loud voice of drones (90.4%), , forced to leave you home with family members due to shelling (67.6%), and Inhalation of bad smells due to bombardment (67.6%). Mean traumatic events were 10.
There were statistically significant differences toward boys. Our results showed that 25.5% showed partial PTSD and 16.4% of children showed full criteria of PTSD. PTSD was more in children with family monthly income less than 1700 NIS.Using cut-off point of the scale, 92 of children reported anxiety (22.2%). There were statistically significantly differences in anxiety in favour of girls. Anxiety was more in children from poor families (monthly income less than 1700 NIS).Using cut-off point of the scale,139 of children reported depression (34.1%). Depression was more in children from poor families (monthly income less than 1700 NIS).
The results showed that there was significant correlation between total traumatic events reported by children and total PTSD, re-experiencing, avoidance, and arousal. There was statistical correlation between anxiety and depression, anxiety and PTSD, and there was statistical significant correlation between PTSD and depression.

Aim: This study aimed to examine the levels of anxiety and depression among pregnant women attend... more Aim: This study aimed to examine the levels of anxiety and depression among pregnant women attending primary healthcare clinics in Gaza Strip. Method: The sample consisted of 400 pregnant women attending primary healthcare clinics in the Gaza Strip. They were interviewed using the sociodemographic scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: The study showed that 33.3% of the pregnant women showed moderate and 18.5% showed severe depression. Women living in refugee camps more often reported clinical cases of depression. 14.3% of these women showed moderate and 8.8% showed severe symptoms of anxiety. Depression and anxiety symptoms were closely associated with each other. The results showed that 6.3% of women experienced co-morbid depression and anxiety.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems ... more The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems as estimated by the SDQ and coping strategies in Palestinian children with special needs in the Gaza Strip.

The aim of the study was to find types and severity of work and family and relationship to depres... more The aim of the study was to find types and severity of work and family and relationship to depression, anxiety, and other socioeconomic factors. Method: In order to achieve this aim, we selected a randomly sample of 180 working women from Ministry of Health. We used quantitative way of data collection using the following self-administered tool: socio-demographic status form, work stressors, stressors due to siege of gaza, gaza, beck depression inventory, and hamilton anxiety scale.

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between traumatic experience, posttraumati... more The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between traumatic experience, posttraumatic stress disorder, resilience, and posttraumatic growth among adolescents in Gaza Strip. The sample consisted of 400 secondary school students (200 males and 200 females) from the seven directorates of the Gaza Strip Their age ranged between 15-18 years with mean age 16.67 years. Descriptive, analytic cross-sectional design was used. For data collection four instruments were used: Gaza traumatic events checklist, PTSD checklist for DSM-IV-TR, Resilience scale for adolescents, and Posttraumatic growth inventory.

The results of such study highlight the need for parental training of better ways of rearing prac... more The results of such study highlight the need for parental training of better ways of rearing practice of their children and increase communication with their children in their early years of life. Courses for single couples before marriage to encourage them of using better parenting styles to overcome their children problems. Also, education courses for parents about types of attachment and better ways of using health attachments with their children must be conducted. We recommended other researchers to focus on studying attachment of preschool children in the Gaza Strip and the parenting styles of both their fathers and mothers using different instruments and procedures in order to thoroughly explore the relation between parenting styles and attachment. To conduct research such as the relation between parenting styles and attachment of preschoolers using observations, the relation between mother's adult attachment style and her child's attachment, the impact of psychological control on child's attachment.

Considering a cut-off score of 33 or more on the Taylor Anxiety Scale, 52 parents (26.0%) reporte... more Considering a cut-off score of 33 or more on the Taylor Anxiety Scale, 52 parents (26.0%) reported severe to very severe anxiety symptoms . Similarly, in study of a sample included 374 adults aged from 22 to 65 years with mean age 40.13. Each person reported 13.80 traumatic events. Using scoring of DSM-IV, 248 people rated as PTSD which represented 66.6 % of the sample and 125 persons reported no PTSD (35.5%) [2].

im: The current study investigated the relationship between war trauma and anxiety and posttrauma... more im: The current study investigated the relationship between war trauma and anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among preschool children in the Gaza Strip. Methods: N=399 mothers and their preschool children who were enrolled in kindergartens in the Gaza Strip. Child ages ranged from 3-6 years with mean age of 4.48 years. Mothers were interviewed using a sociodemographic questionnaire, Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist, Child PTSD Symptom Scale-parent form, and Spence Children's Anxiety Scale. Results: The most commonly reported traumatic experiences by mothers for their children were: hearing shelling of the area by artillery (95.5%), hearing loud noises from drones (89.2%) and seeing mutilated bodies on TV (81.2%). The mean number of traumas experienced by preschool children was 8.3. PTSD prevalence was 6% with scores higher in children aged five and older. The mean for total anxiety was 49.84, generalized anxiety was 10.7, social anxiety was 8.4; specific phobia was 21.1, and separation anxiety was 9.65. There were significant associations between trauma and PTSD and anxiety as well as a significant association between PTSD and anxiety. Conclusion: Preschool children exposed to war-related incidents are at risk of developing PTSD and anxiety problems, which highlights the need to establish programs for preschool children affected by traumatic events associated with war.

Introduction: There is a growing body of literature examining the impact of other stressors due t... more Introduction: There is a growing body of literature examining the impact of other stressors due to daily life situation beside the stress of being diagnosed with cancer on anxiety and depression.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of PTSD, depression and anxiety among... more Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of PTSD, depression and anxiety among children with cancer and relationship to mother's mental health. A sample of 50 children with their mothers was selected from oncology department at El Nasser pediatric hospital in Gaza city. The results showed that 22% of children had partial PTSD and 18% had full criteria of PTSD, 62% of children had anxiety disorder, and 68% had depression. For mothers, 70.8% of mothers scored above cutoff point of GHQ-28. The results showed that there were no correlations between total general health and subscale of mothers with children PTSD, anxiety, and depression. However, there were relationship between depression and anxiety in children with cancer. Conclusions: The results of this study revealed that mental health among parents of children with cancer in Palestine is higher compared with their counterparts in the other contexts. Based on the results, pediatric oncology nurses can raise parents' awareness about their mental health problems, by interventions intended to decrease the risks. Parents could gain experience and information in group discussion, which provides appropriate opportunity for mothers to reflect on their own life stories. This life story perspective provides a realistic foundation that can support parents' wellbeing and contribute to satisfying the needs of their children.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parenting styles and children' fear... more Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between parenting styles and children' fears among school aged children in Gaza Strip. Method: The study sample consisted of 380 children (183 boys and 197 girls) aged between 6 and 12 years old and their parents (180 fathers and 200 mothers). The researcher adopted the descriptive analytical design to represent the entire sample; where the simple was randomly selected from the targeted population. Children and parents were interviewed by modified version of FSSC-R-parents and child forms and the Parenting styles Inventory for the styles of parenting. Results: The results showed that the children commonly reported the following fears: fears of fire and being burned (87.8%), fears of falling from high places (86.2%) reported. While 91.7% of parents said that they had fears for children of being hit by a car or truck and 85.2% said that they fear that children being shocked by electricity. Girls reported more fears than boys as reported by themselves and their parents. For parental style, the most commonly parental style was dismissing parent (permissive) (70.8%), disapproving parent (authoritarian) (67.3%), Laissez-faire parent (uninvolved) (65.3%), and emotion-coaching parent (authoritative) (56.6%). There were no significant differences between the means of the parenting styles (Dismissing parent, Disapproving parent, Laissez-faire parent and Emotion-coaching parenting) according to children fears as reported by either children or the parents.

article, 2019

هذا الكتاب تجميع الدراسات النفسية التي أجريت في قطاع غزة خلال العقد الماضي التي قمنا بعملها كمؤل... more هذا الكتاب تجميع الدراسات النفسية التي أجريت في قطاع غزة خلال العقد الماضي التي قمنا بعملها كمؤلف أول و هذا لا ينقص من حق الأخوة المشاركين في الدراسات المختلفة التي أجريت و التي شملت دراسات مسحية, ومقارنة, و دراسة حالة لمعرفة تأثير العوامل الخارجية على الصحة النفسية للأطفال و المراهقين في قطاع غزة وخصوصا تأثير الاحتلال الإسرائيلي و الصدمات النفسية وردود الفعل عليه على الأطفال و الأسرة.
نود أن ننبه إلى أن بعض هذه الدراسات لم يتم نشرها وبعضها منشور في مجلات عالمية وتم التنويه لها في كل دراسة.
أود أن أشكر كل المشاركين معي في هذه الدراسات من أطفال, أباء, معلمون, والأخوة العاملون في القطاع الصحي النفسي, والعلماء الآخرون اللذين اسهموا في إنجاز هذه الدراسات و خاصة الأستاذ الدكتور بانوس فوستانس, و طلبتي الذين ساعدوني في الترجمة و الطباعة.