Effect of trauma on the mental health of Palestinian children and mothers in the Gaza Strip

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 286 Palestinian children 9-18 years of age and their mothers in the Gaza Strip. Traumatic events recollected by children living in areas of conflict, the prevalence of post-traumatic stress reactions and the relationship between children’s and mothers’ mental health were investigated. The Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist, Impact of Event Scale [IES] and General Health Questionnaire [GHQ] were used to measure outcome. Children experienced on average four traumatic events; one-third reported significant post-traumatic stress reactions. IES scores were higher among girls and mothers’ GHQ scores significantly predicted children’s IES scores.

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“…In another study of 944 aged 10-19 years Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip [6] found that 32.7% of children were rated as having PTSD [7] in study of Palestinian children found that 24% of children reported PTSD. In study [8] of 349 children from Gaza Strip and West Bank found that 39.2% of children from the Gaza Strip reported post traumatic stress disorder (40 and above in IES) compare to 34% in the West Bank.…”

“…by witnessing bombardment and shelling (83.6%). [4] In study of Palestinian mothers and children found that 34.3 % of the children fulfilled criteria of PTSD. In another comparative study of children witnessed bombardment of their homes, 59.3% of children reported PTSD.…”

“…In the last six years, there was changing in the intensity and type of traumatic events. Palestinian children were exposed [4] found that the most common traumatic events reported by Palestinian children were: seeing victims' pictures on television (92.3%), followed…”

Protective factors in the face of political violence: The role of caregiver resilience and parenting styles in Palestine.

“…A. Thabet et al, 2001). These results reveal the indirect effect of political violence on child mental health through parental reactions to such violence.…”

“…A. Thabet, Abed, and Vostanis (2001) devised the Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist to establish the nature of traumatic events experienced by Palestinians. They found that in a sample of 286 children, 92% reported watching mutilated bodies of Palestinians on TV and 84% reported witnessing bombardment to people and houses.…”