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Samir Qouta - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Who Are the Resilient Children in Conditions of Military Violence? Family- and Child-Related Factors in a Palestinian Community Sample
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 2011Co-Authors: Raija-leena Punamäki, Samir Qouta, Thomas Miller, Eyad El-sarrajAbstract:The prevalence of resilience in the presence of Military Violence and the role of child and family characteristics fostering that resilience were analyzed in a Palestinian community sample using a person-based approach. The participants consisted of a random sample of 640 Palestinian children and adolescents, their parents, and their teachers, all living on the Gaza Strip. A medical examination of the children and adolescents was conducted to assess health status on somatic, sensory, and cognitive domains. The results revealed an equal share of resilient (21%; high level of trauma and low level of disorders) and traumatized (23%; high level of trauma and high level of disorders) children. As hypothesized, characteristics of the resilient group were good parental mental health, supportive parenting practices, good school performance, superior cognitive functioning, good physical health, high body weight, and normal birth weight. Variable-based analyses revealed no support for the hypothesis that these fami...
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Child development and family mental health in war and Military Violence: The Palestinian experience
International Journal of Behavioral Development, 2008Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Eyad El SarrajAbstract:The article reviews developmental research among Palestinians living in Gaza. The aims are, first, to analyze how exposure to traumatic events associates with children's mental health and their cognitive, emotional and social development. Second, we aimed to model familial and symbolic processes that can either harm or protect the mental health of children. Third, we wanted to learn who the resilient children are in conditions of war and Military Violence. The reviewed research has been conducted in the context of a Palestinian non-governmental organization, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, during the political upheavals involving hopes for peace and intensive war and Violence: the First Intifada (1987—1993), the Palestinian Authority rule (1994— ) and the Second Al Aqsa Intifada (2001— ). The results show that life threat, Violence and losses form a risk for increased psychological distress. There are, however, a myriad of child, family and society related factors and psycho-socio-physiologica...
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Does war beget child aggression? Military Violence, gender, age and aggressive behavior in two Palestinian samples
Aggressive behavior, 2008Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Thomas Miller, Eyad El-sarrajAbstract:We examined, first, the relations between children's exposure to Military Violence and their aggressive behavior and the role of age and gender in that relation in two Palestinian samples. Second, we tested parenting practices as a moderator of the relation between exposure to Military Violence and aggressive behavior, and third, whether exposure to Military Violence of different nature (direct victimization versus witnessing) has specific associations with different forms of aggression (reactive, proactive and aggression-enjoyment). Study I was conducted in a relatively calm Military-political atmosphere in Palestine-Gaza, and included 640 children, aged 6-16 years whose parents (N=622) and teachers (N= 457) provided reports. Older children(>/=12 years) provided self-reports (N= 211). Study II included 225 Palestinian children aged 10-14-year, who participated during a high-Violence period of the Al Aqsa Intifada characterized by air raids, killing and destruction. Results showed that witnessing severe Military Violence was associated with children's aggressive and antisocial behavior (parent-reported) in study I, and with proactive, reactive and aggression-enjoyment (child-reported) in the study II. As hypothesized, good and supporting parenting practices could moderate the link between exposure to Military Violence and aggressive behavior. Language: en
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Predictors of psychological distress and positive resources among Palestinian adolescents: trauma, child, and mothering characteristics.
Child abuse & neglect, 2007Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Edith Montgomery, Eyad El SarrajAbstract:Abstract Objective The aim was to examine how traumatic and stressful events, responses to Violence, child characteristics, and mothering quality, as measured in middle childhood predict psychological distress and positive resources in adolescence. Method The participants were 65 Palestinian adolescents (17 ± .85 years; 52% girls), who had been studied during the First Intifada (T1), during the Palestinian Authority rule (T2) and before the Second Al Aqsa Intifada (T3) in Gaza. Psychological distress was indicated by PTSD, and depressive symptoms and positive resources by resilient attitudes and satisfaction with quality of life, all measured at T3. The predictors that were measured at T1 were exposure to Military Violence, active coping with Violence and children's intelligence, cognitive capacity, and neuroticism. Mothering quality and stressful life-events were measured at T2, the former reported by both the mother and the child, and the latter by the mother. Results Adolescents’ PTSD symptoms were most likely if they had been exposed to high levels of traumatic and stressful experiences and had poor cognitive capacity and high neuroticism in middle childhood. Only high levels of childhood Military Violence and stressful life-events predicted high depressive symptoms and low satisfaction with quality of life in adolescence. Conclusions Military Violence in childhood forms risks for both increased psychological distress and decreased positive resources. However, child characteristics such as cognitive capacity and personality are important determinants of psychological vulnerability in Military trauma.
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The deterioration and mobilization effects of trauma on social support: childhood maltreatment and adulthood Military Violence in a Palestinian community sample.
Child abuse & neglect, 2005Co-Authors: Raija-leena Punamäki, Samir Qouta, Ivan H. Komproe, Mustafa El-masri, J.t.v.m. De JongAbstract:Abstract Objectives: To show that exposure to childhood maltreatment deteriorates, whereas exposure to adulthood Military Violence mobilizes social support; Second, to show that associations between traumatic events and mental health problems are mediated through social support and, subsequently, adulthood Military Violence is associated with low level and childhood maltreatment with high level of mental health symptoms; third, to explore whether the moderating (protecting) effect of sufficient and satisfactory social support would differ among victims of childhood maltreatment and adulthood Military Violence. Method: The participants were a random-sample of Palestinian men and women (n = 585) of 16–60 years of age. Exposure to Military Violence in adulthood was assessed by the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ_I), and to childhood maltreatment by a 13-item questionnaire developed for the study. A Social Network Schedule was applied to assess the function, source, and satisfaction with social support, and the Revised SCL90-R Symptoms Checklist to assess mental health symptoms. Results: Findings supported our hypothesis that exposure to childhood maltreatment was associated with low levels of social support, whereas exposure to adulthood Military Violence was associated with high levels of social support. Contrary to our second hypothesis, both childhood maltreatment and adulthood Military Violence were associated with high levels of mental health symptoms. Finally, high level and satisfactory social support moderated the association between exposure to Military Violence in adulthood and mental health symptoms, but not between childhood maltreatment and mental health symptoms. Conclusion: The findings emphasize that the nature of trauma, that is, whether familial or political, determines the availability of protective resources versus vulnerability, which should be considered when tailoring interventions to trauma victims.
Raija-leena Punamäki - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Who Are the Resilient Children in Conditions of Military Violence? Family- and Child-Related Factors in a Palestinian Community Sample
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 2011Co-Authors: Raija-leena Punamäki, Samir Qouta, Thomas Miller, Eyad El-sarrajAbstract:The prevalence of resilience in the presence of Military Violence and the role of child and family characteristics fostering that resilience were analyzed in a Palestinian community sample using a person-based approach. The participants consisted of a random sample of 640 Palestinian children and adolescents, their parents, and their teachers, all living on the Gaza Strip. A medical examination of the children and adolescents was conducted to assess health status on somatic, sensory, and cognitive domains. The results revealed an equal share of resilient (21%; high level of trauma and low level of disorders) and traumatized (23%; high level of trauma and high level of disorders) children. As hypothesized, characteristics of the resilient group were good parental mental health, supportive parenting practices, good school performance, superior cognitive functioning, good physical health, high body weight, and normal birth weight. Variable-based analyses revealed no support for the hypothesis that these fami...
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Child development and family mental health in war and Military Violence: The Palestinian experience
International Journal of Behavioral Development, 2008Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Eyad El SarrajAbstract:The article reviews developmental research among Palestinians living in Gaza. The aims are, first, to analyze how exposure to traumatic events associates with children's mental health and their cognitive, emotional and social development. Second, we aimed to model familial and symbolic processes that can either harm or protect the mental health of children. Third, we wanted to learn who the resilient children are in conditions of war and Military Violence. The reviewed research has been conducted in the context of a Palestinian non-governmental organization, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, during the political upheavals involving hopes for peace and intensive war and Violence: the First Intifada (1987—1993), the Palestinian Authority rule (1994— ) and the Second Al Aqsa Intifada (2001— ). The results show that life threat, Violence and losses form a risk for increased psychological distress. There are, however, a myriad of child, family and society related factors and psycho-socio-physiologica...
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Does war beget child aggression? Military Violence, gender, age and aggressive behavior in two Palestinian samples
Aggressive behavior, 2008Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Thomas Miller, Eyad El-sarrajAbstract:We examined, first, the relations between children's exposure to Military Violence and their aggressive behavior and the role of age and gender in that relation in two Palestinian samples. Second, we tested parenting practices as a moderator of the relation between exposure to Military Violence and aggressive behavior, and third, whether exposure to Military Violence of different nature (direct victimization versus witnessing) has specific associations with different forms of aggression (reactive, proactive and aggression-enjoyment). Study I was conducted in a relatively calm Military-political atmosphere in Palestine-Gaza, and included 640 children, aged 6-16 years whose parents (N=622) and teachers (N= 457) provided reports. Older children(>/=12 years) provided self-reports (N= 211). Study II included 225 Palestinian children aged 10-14-year, who participated during a high-Violence period of the Al Aqsa Intifada characterized by air raids, killing and destruction. Results showed that witnessing severe Military Violence was associated with children's aggressive and antisocial behavior (parent-reported) in study I, and with proactive, reactive and aggression-enjoyment (child-reported) in the study II. As hypothesized, good and supporting parenting practices could moderate the link between exposure to Military Violence and aggressive behavior. Language: en
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Predictors of psychological distress and positive resources among Palestinian adolescents: trauma, child, and mothering characteristics.
Child abuse & neglect, 2007Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Edith Montgomery, Eyad El SarrajAbstract:Abstract Objective The aim was to examine how traumatic and stressful events, responses to Violence, child characteristics, and mothering quality, as measured in middle childhood predict psychological distress and positive resources in adolescence. Method The participants were 65 Palestinian adolescents (17 ± .85 years; 52% girls), who had been studied during the First Intifada (T1), during the Palestinian Authority rule (T2) and before the Second Al Aqsa Intifada (T3) in Gaza. Psychological distress was indicated by PTSD, and depressive symptoms and positive resources by resilient attitudes and satisfaction with quality of life, all measured at T3. The predictors that were measured at T1 were exposure to Military Violence, active coping with Violence and children's intelligence, cognitive capacity, and neuroticism. Mothering quality and stressful life-events were measured at T2, the former reported by both the mother and the child, and the latter by the mother. Results Adolescents’ PTSD symptoms were most likely if they had been exposed to high levels of traumatic and stressful experiences and had poor cognitive capacity and high neuroticism in middle childhood. Only high levels of childhood Military Violence and stressful life-events predicted high depressive symptoms and low satisfaction with quality of life in adolescence. Conclusions Military Violence in childhood forms risks for both increased psychological distress and decreased positive resources. However, child characteristics such as cognitive capacity and personality are important determinants of psychological vulnerability in Military trauma.
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The deterioration and mobilization effects of trauma on social support: childhood maltreatment and adulthood Military Violence in a Palestinian community sample.
Child abuse & neglect, 2005Co-Authors: Raija-leena Punamäki, Samir Qouta, Ivan H. Komproe, Mustafa El-masri, J.t.v.m. De JongAbstract:Abstract Objectives: To show that exposure to childhood maltreatment deteriorates, whereas exposure to adulthood Military Violence mobilizes social support; Second, to show that associations between traumatic events and mental health problems are mediated through social support and, subsequently, adulthood Military Violence is associated with low level and childhood maltreatment with high level of mental health symptoms; third, to explore whether the moderating (protecting) effect of sufficient and satisfactory social support would differ among victims of childhood maltreatment and adulthood Military Violence. Method: The participants were a random-sample of Palestinian men and women (n = 585) of 16–60 years of age. Exposure to Military Violence in adulthood was assessed by the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ_I), and to childhood maltreatment by a 13-item questionnaire developed for the study. A Social Network Schedule was applied to assess the function, source, and satisfaction with social support, and the Revised SCL90-R Symptoms Checklist to assess mental health symptoms. Results: Findings supported our hypothesis that exposure to childhood maltreatment was associated with low levels of social support, whereas exposure to adulthood Military Violence was associated with high levels of social support. Contrary to our second hypothesis, both childhood maltreatment and adulthood Military Violence were associated with high levels of mental health symptoms. Finally, high level and satisfactory social support moderated the association between exposure to Military Violence in adulthood and mental health symptoms, but not between childhood maltreatment and mental health symptoms. Conclusion: The findings emphasize that the nature of trauma, that is, whether familial or political, determines the availability of protective resources versus vulnerability, which should be considered when tailoring interventions to trauma victims.
Guido Veronese - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Measuring Traumatic Reactions in Palestinian Children: A Psychometric Assessment of the Children Revised Impact of Event Scale-Arabic Version (CRIES-13A)
Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 2021Co-Authors: Guido Veronese, Alessandro PepeAbstract:The aim of the present study was to test the measurement model and measurement invariance of the Impact of Event Scale (Arabic version) in a large sample of Palestinian children. We estimated (Study 1; n = 610) the measurement model using confirmatory factor analysis. In Study 2 (n = 864), we conducted multigroup (girls and boys) tests of measurement invariance. We pooled the data collected from the participants in the first two studies (Study 3, N = 1474) to assess overall score reliability, as well as the IES’ convergent and divergent validity vis-à-vis other measures of child wellbeing and mental health. The outcomes of the statistical analyses supported an invariant 13-item measurement model (intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal) for CRIES-13A. Intrusion and hyper-arousal together made up a first-order domain of symptoms (re-experiencing). The combined findings of these studies suggest that the CRIES-13A displays robust psychometric properties and may be used in contexts of Military Violence.
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Agency and life satisfaction in Bedouin children exposed to conditions of chronic stress and Military Violence: A two-wave longitudinal study in Palestine
Clinical child psychology and psychiatry, 2019Co-Authors: Guido Veronese, Alessandro Pepe, Hania Obaid, Federica Cavazzoni, Jesus PerezAbstract:Bedouin children in Palestine are at risk of developing trauma-related pathologies as a result of chronic exposure to severe political and Military Violence. Little is known about their coping abil...
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when the doors of hell close dimensions of well being and positive adjustment in a group of palestinian children living amidst Military and political Violence
Childhood, 2015Co-Authors: Guido Veronese, M CastiglioniAbstract:Palestinian children living amidst political and Military Violence are often labeled as affected by post-traumatic stress syndromes. Some researchers report that a majority of Palestinian children suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and other stress-related psychiatric impairments in the wake of Military incursions and bombings. On the other hand, data from field research and clinical experience show that these children continue to display positive functioning in terms of adjustment to trauma, despite the adverse environmental conditions. This article reports on qualitative research with children from two refugee camps in the West Bank, Occupied Palestinian Territories: Nur Shams and Tulkarm. Thematic content analysis was applied to narratives and written materials produced by 74 school-age children during two summer camps held in the Tulkarm region in 2010 and 2011. The aims of the study were: (a) to explore the domains of well-being that help children cope with Violence and insecurity and (b) to ...
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Psychometric Properties of IES-R, Short Arabic Version in Contexts of Military Violence:
Research on Social Work Practice, 2013Co-Authors: Guido Veronese, Alessandro PepeAbstract:Objective:Professional social workers and emergency workers operating in war contexts may develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following exposure to traumatic events. Impact of trauma must ...
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Positive emotions and life satisfaction in Palestinian children growing up amid political and Military Violence: a pilot study
The Lancet, 2012Co-Authors: Guido Veronese, Miras Natour, Mahmud SaidAbstract:Background Exposure to war has mostly negative psychological effects on children, according to the results of several studies undertaken in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). Political and Military Violence has been sustained in the oPt since the intifada (uprising) of 2000; according to the results of a study in the West Bank, the frequency of mild post-traumatic stress disorder was 73% (41% medium and severe) of 174 people. Additionally, direct and indirect exposure to trauma is associated with disruption of sleep and concentration, somatic symptom disorders, impulsive behaviours, and depression. Data for the resilience of Palestinian children or how they cope positively with trauma have been reported in few studies; in a study in the Gaza Strip, 21% of 640 children were judged resilient. We therefore assessed wellbeing in Palestinian children exposed to war in the oPt. Methods In this pilot study, wellbeing was assessed in 74 Palestinian children (aged 7–15 years, 43 boys and 31 girls) living in a refugee camp in Tulkarm, West Bank, with questionnaires administered during a summer camp run by a non-governmental organisation in 2010. Children were selected after meetings with their families and in accord with the recommendations of local institutions that had been in charge of the children during the school year. The children answered an open question "What makes you feel good?" and completed three self-report assessments. Positive and negative affect schedule-children (PANAS-C) was used to assess the intensity of positive and negative emotions; multidimensional students' life satisfaction scale for schoolchildren's contentedness with five domains (self, family, friends, school, and environment); and faces scale for self-perceived happiness. The qualitative data were analysed for thematic content, and self-report measures were analysed quantitatively (correlation and linear regression). The research was undertaken in accord with the ethics committee guidelines of the University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy. Parents provided verbal informed consent; the children could participate or withdraw from the study of their own volition and decline to answer any of the questions. Findings The children had healthy measurements for wellbeing in terms of positive emotions and life satisfaction, with 64 (86%) of 74 obtaining almost maximum scores for happiness. Personal factors (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient; p=0) and social factors—family (p=0·014) and friends (p=0·006)—were positively correlated with life satisfaction. The linear regression analyses showed that positive emotions significantly contributed to the contentedness of the children (p=0·015). No significant differences were noted in wellbeing as a function of sex. However, girls had greater ability than did boys in benefiting from both social relationships and personal resources. Girls had significantly greater satisfaction with both their friends and their lives overall, particularly with respect to family, educational, religious, and social dimensions. Significant differences were noted with respect to age in the PANAS-C scores for overall negative affect (Student's t test for two independent samples; p=0·1) and for the anxiety or fear subscale (p=0·024 or p=0·094, respectively). Specifically, older children (aged 11–15 years) obtained higher scores on both the negative emotion and anxiety or fear scales. Younger children (aged 7–10 years) had slightly but significantly higher scores for self-perceived happiness than did older children (p=0·043). Interpretation Our results, although exploratory, provide valuable guidance for clinical work, particularly with respect to the importance of social networks and the effects that they have on positive emotions in Palestinian children and adolescents. Clinical interventions should be targeted at strengthening aspects of positive functioning, rather than at correcting behaviours or cognitive and emotional states that are unequivocally thought to be maladaptive. Funding FSE-Dote Ricercatore, a programme of the Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy.
Eyad El-sarraj - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Who Are the Resilient Children in Conditions of Military Violence? Family- and Child-Related Factors in a Palestinian Community Sample
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 2011Co-Authors: Raija-leena Punamäki, Samir Qouta, Thomas Miller, Eyad El-sarrajAbstract:The prevalence of resilience in the presence of Military Violence and the role of child and family characteristics fostering that resilience were analyzed in a Palestinian community sample using a person-based approach. The participants consisted of a random sample of 640 Palestinian children and adolescents, their parents, and their teachers, all living on the Gaza Strip. A medical examination of the children and adolescents was conducted to assess health status on somatic, sensory, and cognitive domains. The results revealed an equal share of resilient (21%; high level of trauma and low level of disorders) and traumatized (23%; high level of trauma and high level of disorders) children. As hypothesized, characteristics of the resilient group were good parental mental health, supportive parenting practices, good school performance, superior cognitive functioning, good physical health, high body weight, and normal birth weight. Variable-based analyses revealed no support for the hypothesis that these fami...
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Does war beget child aggression? Military Violence, gender, age and aggressive behavior in two Palestinian samples
Aggressive behavior, 2008Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Thomas Miller, Eyad El-sarrajAbstract:We examined, first, the relations between children's exposure to Military Violence and their aggressive behavior and the role of age and gender in that relation in two Palestinian samples. Second, we tested parenting practices as a moderator of the relation between exposure to Military Violence and aggressive behavior, and third, whether exposure to Military Violence of different nature (direct victimization versus witnessing) has specific associations with different forms of aggression (reactive, proactive and aggression-enjoyment). Study I was conducted in a relatively calm Military-political atmosphere in Palestine-Gaza, and included 640 children, aged 6-16 years whose parents (N=622) and teachers (N= 457) provided reports. Older children(>/=12 years) provided self-reports (N= 211). Study II included 225 Palestinian children aged 10-14-year, who participated during a high-Violence period of the Al Aqsa Intifada characterized by air raids, killing and destruction. Results showed that witnessing severe Military Violence was associated with children's aggressive and antisocial behavior (parent-reported) in study I, and with proactive, reactive and aggression-enjoyment (child-reported) in the study II. As hypothesized, good and supporting parenting practices could moderate the link between exposure to Military Violence and aggressive behavior. Language: en
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Prevalence and determinants of PTSD among Palestinian children exposed to Military Violence
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2003Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Eyad El-sarrajAbstract:The prevalence and determinants of PTSD were assessed among 121 Palestinian children (6–16 years; 45% girls and 55% boys) living in the area of bombardment. The mothers (21–55 years) and the children themselves reported their exposure to Military Violence (being personally the target of Violence or witnessing it towards others) and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD: intrusion, avoidance and hypervigilance). The results showed that 54% of the children suffered from severe, 33.5 % from moderate and 11 % from mild and doubtful levels of PTSD. Girls were more vulnerable; 58% of them suffered from severe PTSD, and none scored on the mild or doubtful levels of PTSD. The child’s gender and age, mother’s education and PTSD symptoms were significant, and the exposure to traumatic experiences marginally significant determinants of children’s PTSD symptoms. The most vulnerable to intrusion symptoms were younger girls whose mothers showed a high level of PTSD symptoms, whereas those most vulnerable to avoidance symptoms were children who had personally been targets of Military Violence and whose mothers were better educated and showed a high level of PTSD symptoms. The results are discussed in the context of Military Violence interfering with the protective function of family and home.
Eyad El Sarraj - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Child development and family mental health in war and Military Violence: The Palestinian experience
International Journal of Behavioral Development, 2008Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Eyad El SarrajAbstract:The article reviews developmental research among Palestinians living in Gaza. The aims are, first, to analyze how exposure to traumatic events associates with children's mental health and their cognitive, emotional and social development. Second, we aimed to model familial and symbolic processes that can either harm or protect the mental health of children. Third, we wanted to learn who the resilient children are in conditions of war and Military Violence. The reviewed research has been conducted in the context of a Palestinian non-governmental organization, the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, during the political upheavals involving hopes for peace and intensive war and Violence: the First Intifada (1987—1993), the Palestinian Authority rule (1994— ) and the Second Al Aqsa Intifada (2001— ). The results show that life threat, Violence and losses form a risk for increased psychological distress. There are, however, a myriad of child, family and society related factors and psycho-socio-physiologica...
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Predictors of psychological distress and positive resources among Palestinian adolescents: trauma, child, and mothering characteristics.
Child abuse & neglect, 2007Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Edith Montgomery, Eyad El SarrajAbstract:Abstract Objective The aim was to examine how traumatic and stressful events, responses to Violence, child characteristics, and mothering quality, as measured in middle childhood predict psychological distress and positive resources in adolescence. Method The participants were 65 Palestinian adolescents (17 ± .85 years; 52% girls), who had been studied during the First Intifada (T1), during the Palestinian Authority rule (T2) and before the Second Al Aqsa Intifada (T3) in Gaza. Psychological distress was indicated by PTSD, and depressive symptoms and positive resources by resilient attitudes and satisfaction with quality of life, all measured at T3. The predictors that were measured at T1 were exposure to Military Violence, active coping with Violence and children's intelligence, cognitive capacity, and neuroticism. Mothering quality and stressful life-events were measured at T2, the former reported by both the mother and the child, and the latter by the mother. Results Adolescents’ PTSD symptoms were most likely if they had been exposed to high levels of traumatic and stressful experiences and had poor cognitive capacity and high neuroticism in middle childhood. Only high levels of childhood Military Violence and stressful life-events predicted high depressive symptoms and low satisfaction with quality of life in adolescence. Conclusions Military Violence in childhood forms risks for both increased psychological distress and decreased positive resources. However, child characteristics such as cognitive capacity and personality are important determinants of psychological vulnerability in Military trauma.
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Prevalence and determinants of PTSD among Palestinian children exposed to Military Violence.
European child & adolescent psychiatry, 2003Co-Authors: Samir Qouta, Raija-leena Punamäki, Eyad El SarrajAbstract:The prevalence and determinants of PTSD were assessed among 121 Palestinian children (6–16 years; 45% girls and 55% boys) living in the area of bombardment. The mothers (21–55 years) and the children themselves reported their exposure to Military Violence (being personally the target of Violence or witnessing it towards others) and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD: intrusion, avoidance and hypervigilance). The results showed that 54% of the children suffered from severe, 33.5 % from moderate and 11 % from mild and doubtful levels of PTSD. Girls were more vulnerable; 58% of them suffered from severe PTSD, and none scored on the mild or doubtful levels of PTSD. The child’s gender and age, mother’s education and PTSD symptoms were significant, and the exposure to traumatic experiences marginally significant determinants of children’s PTSD symptoms. The most vulnerable to intrusion symptoms were younger girls whose mothers showed a high level of PTSD symptoms, whereas those most vulnerable to avoidance symptoms were children who had personally been targets of Military Violence and whose mothers were better educated and showed a high level of PTSD symptoms. The results are discussed in the context of Military Violence interfering with the protective function of family and home.
