Trauma, PTSD, and Traumatic Grief among Palestinian Children

Aim: The aim of this study was to find the relationship between war traumatic experiences due to war on Gaza, PTSD, and traumatic grief in Palestinian children. Methods: The sample included randomly selected 374 children aged 6-16 years. Children completed measures of experience of traumatic events (Gaza Traumatic Checklist), Child Post Traumatic Stress Reaction Index, and Traumatic Grief inventory. Results: Palestinians children experiences variety of traumatic events. No sex differences in reporting trauma. Mean traumatic events reported by children was 12.80 traumatic events. The study showed that 9.3% of the participants lost someone during the war. Mean traumatic grief in boys was 19.96 and 18.29 in girls. For PTSD, 1.3% of children showed no PTSD, 7.2% reported mild PTSD reactions, 29.9% showed moderate PTSD reactions, and 61.5% showed severe to very severe PTSD reactions. Trauma exposure was significantly associated with PTSD. No sex differences in PTSD. Conclusions: This study revealed that children living in area of conflict and war are at risk of developing mental health problems. Study showed that children with traumatic grief need psychosocial support from families and community to enable them of passing through their grief. Moreover, parents have to be involved in all activities given to their children and to be part of such activities to enable them better communication with their children and being able of detecting children with pathological grief and enable them of helping children in overcoming the effect of grief and trauma.We are grateful to the team who collected the data under enormous difficulties. Also, our many thanks to families and children who participated in this study, for their openness in sharing such difficult issues. Also to Mr. Khalil Megdad for his work as statistician in this study

PTSD, depression, and anxiety among Palestinian women victims of domestic violence in the Gaza Strip

Background: Domestic violence is a universal phenomenon which affects all family members and specially children and women. Common reactions to domestic violence are post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Aims: The aim of this study is to find type and severity of domestic violence against Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip, and to investigate whether it is associated with mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Methods: The study sample included 622 Palestinian women randomly selected from the five areas of the Gaza Strip aged from 18 to 50 years (mean age = 31.5 years). They were interviewed using questionnaires including Sociodemogrophic variables, Conflicts Tactics Scale, post-traumatic stress disorder scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Taylor manifestation Anxiety Scale. Results: The study showed that psychological assault was 56.91%, physical assault 37.3%, physical injury 12.06%, and sexual assault was 7.14%. The study showed that domestic violence was significantly higher in women living in villages than in cities or camps. Also, women living in villages experienced more psychological abuse than women living in cities or camps. The study showed that 71 women (11.4%) had been diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder, 15% had moderate to severe depression, and 29.9% had very severe anxiety. The study showed that psychological assault toward women was positively correlated to depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Also, there were significant positive relationships between physical assault and depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Physical injury and sexual assault were significantly positively related to post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Conclusion: The study showed that one third Palestinian women exposed to physical violence and half of them exposed to psychological violence which lead to post-traumatic stress disorder depression, and anxiety. So, a great need for more programs for women victims of domestic violence in Palestinian society are needed with well trained professionals in the field of psychological support and therapy. More specific programs should be established in Gaza to enable women of using new coping strategies with difficulties. Also, training programs including primary health care professional such physicians, nurses, social service experts, and midwives should be provide to enable them of early detection of victims of violence and provide social support to these women