الآثار النفسية للعنف السياسي والحرب على الأطفال الناشئين في قطاع غزة

Abstract

Although children of the Gaza Strip have experienced extremely horrifying displays of violence since the eruption of the second Intifada, they have been the subject of relatively few studies. Thus, the present article examines the psychological state of 229 Gaza Strip adolescents who were administered measures of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and coping. Findings revealed that a significant proportion of Palestinian adolescents are experiencing psychological distress. Specifically, 68.9% of the participants were classified as having developed PTSD; 40.0% reported moderate or severe levels of depression; and 100.0% reported moderate or severe levels of anxiety. Also, ,  adolescents diagnosed with PTSD tended to report the highest levels of depression, anxiety, and positive reappraisal coping; and the lowest levels of seeking guidance and support coping.