Exposure to Conflict and Violence Across Contexts: Relations to Adjustment Among Palestinian Children

Dubow, Eric F.; Boxer, Paul; Huesmann, L. Rowell; Shikaki, Khalil; Landau, Simha F.; Dvir-Gvirsman, Shira; Ginges, Jeremy

doi:10.1080/15374410903401153

Cited by 106 publications

(123 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…The protective effect of a positive supportive family environment replicates what the authors previously found in two other independent war-exposed samples studied after the 1996 war in Lebanon [17,31], as well as reports by other researchers [18][19][20][21]32]. This raises the need to implement interventions during peace time as well as at the onset of war events to alert parents and raise their awareness about the importance of family-together time, supervision of school work, using non-violent means of communication and discipline as well as avoidance of television time in favor of promotion of hobbies and other leisure activities.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

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Resilience-promoting factors in war-exposed adolescents: an epidemiologic study

Fayyad

Cordahi-Tabet

Yérétzian

et al. 2016

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry

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Studies of war-exposed children have not investigated a comprehensive array of resilience-promoting factors, nor representative samples of children and adolescents. A representative sample of N = 710 adolescents was randomly selected from communities recently exposed to war. All those who had experienced war trauma were administered questionnaires measuring war exposure, family violence, availability of leisure activities, school-related problems, interpersonal and peer problems, socialization, daily routine problems, displacement, availability of parental supervision and contact and medical needs as well as coping skills related to religious coping, denial, self-control, avoidance and problem solving. Mental health was measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Child-Revised Impact of Events Scale (CRIES). Resilient adolescents were defined as those who experienced war trauma, but did not manifest any symptoms on the SDQ or CRIES. Resilience was related to being male, using problem-solving techniques, having leisure activities, and having parents who spent time with their adolescents and who supported them with school work. Interventions designed for war-traumatized youth must build individual coping skills of children and adolescents, yet at the same time target parents and teachers in an integrated manner.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Children experiencing family violence during war were more likely to have PTSD [17][18][19][20], as well as attentional and oppositional behavioral problems [21]. Mothers with highly punitive discipline styles were more likely to have adolescents with lower scores on Resilience [22].…”

mentioning

confidence: 95%

Resilience-promoting factors in war-exposed adolescents: an epidemiologic study

Fayyad

Cordahi-Tabet

Yérétzian

et al. 2016

Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry

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“…Three studies found non-significant findings between sex and PTSD symptom severity (Punamäki et al, 2001; Qouta et al, 2007; Thabet et al, 2009). One study examined the association of age and PTSD and concluded that those who are older were more likely to experience PTSD symptoms (Dubow et al, 2009). Three studies found non-significant findings between age and PTSD symptoms (Khamis, 2005, 2008; Punamäki et al, 2001; Thabet et al, 2009).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An application of an ecological framework to understand risk factors of PTSD due to prolonged conflict exposure: Israeli and Palestinian adolescents in the line of fire.

Rosshandler¹,

Hall²,

Canetti³

2016

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

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Objective Adolescents living in Israel and the Palestinian authority are exposed to political violence. This review examines psychosocial risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) organized within an ecological framework. Method Relevant articles were identified through PubMed and PsycINFO. Studies measuring risk and/or protective factors for PTSD in the Palestinian and/or Israeli adolescent populations due to conflict exposure from 1990 to present were included. Results A total of 20 studies met inclusion criteria. Greater violence exposure, poor economic resources, living in rural compared to urban areas, poor family and peer relations and poor coping skills were associated with PTSD symptoms. Conclusions The ecological framework is a useful approach to understanding factors affecting adolescent PTSD. Future research should focus on socio-ecological levels that have received limited attention.

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“…There is ample evidence of war trauma negatively affecting children’s mental health by increasing symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and aggression (Attanayake et al, 2009; Dubow et al, 2009). Less is known about war trauma’s impacts on children’s attachment styles, although, theoretically, trauma is assumed to increase the risk of insecure attachment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Family systems approach to attachment relations, war trauma, and mental health among Palestinian children and parents

Punamäki

Qouta²,

Peltonen

2017

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Background: Trauma affects the family unit as a whole; however, most existing research uses individual or, at most, dyadic approaches to analyse families with histories of trauma. Objective: This study aims to identify potentially distinct family types according to attachment, parenting, and sibling relations, to analyse how these family types differ with respect to war trauma, and to explore how children’s mental health and cognitive processing differ across these family types. Method: Participants included Palestinian mothers and fathers (N = 325) and their children (one per family; 49.4% girls; 10–13 years old; mean ± SD age = 11.35 ± 0.57 years) after the Gaza War of 2008–2009. Both parents reported their exposure to war trauma, secure attachment availability, and parenting practices, as well as the target child’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms [Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)]. Children reported their symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (on the Children’s Revised Impact Event Scale), depression (Birleson), and SDQ, as well as their post-traumatic cognitions (Children’s Post Traumatic Cognitions Inventory). Results: A cluster analysis identified four family types. The largest type reflected secure attachment and optimal relationships (security and positive family relationships, 36.2%, n = 102), and the smallest exhibited insecurity and problematic relationships (insecurity and negative family relationships, 15.6%; n = 44). Further, families with discrepant experiences (23.0%; n = 65) and moderate security and neutral relationships (25.2%; n = 71) emerged. The insecurity and negative relationships family type showed higher levels of war trauma; internalizing, externalizing, and depressive symptoms among children; and dysfunctional post-traumatic cognitions than other family types. Conclusion: The family systems approach to mental health is warranted in war conditions, and therapeutic interventions for children should, thus, also involve parents and siblings. Knowledge of unique family attachment patterns is fruitful for tailoring therapeutic treatments and preventive interventions for war-affected children and families.

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Exposure to Conflict and Violence Across Contexts: Relations to Adjustment Among Palestinian Children

Cited by 106 publications

References 67 publications

Resilience-promoting factors in war-exposed adolescents: an epidemiologic study

Resilience-promoting factors in war-exposed adolescents: an epidemiologic study

An application of an ecological framework to understand risk factors of PTSD due to prolonged conflict exposure: Israeli and Palestinian adolescents in the line of fire.

Family systems approach to attachment relations, war trauma, and mental health among Palestinian children and parents

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