Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety among Gaza Strip adolescents in the wake of the second Uprising (Intifada).
Author: Elbedour S, Onwuegbuzie AJ, Ghannam J, Whitcome JA, Abu Hein F.
Source:
Child abuse & neglect, 31(7), 719-729.
OBJECTIVE: Children and adolescents of the Gaza Strip have been subjected to
continuous violence since the eruption of the second Intifada (Uprising). Little
is known, however, about the psychological effects of this violence on children
and adolescents of GazThus, the purpose of the present investigation was to
evaluate and describe the psychological effects of exposure of war-like
circumstances on this population. METHOD: Participants for this study were 229
Palestinian adolescents living in the Gaza Strip who were administered measures
of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and coping.
RESULTS: Of the 229 participants, 68.9% were classified as having developed PTSD,
40.0% reported moderate or severe levels of depression, 94.9% were classified as
having severe anxiety levels, and 69.9% demonstrated undesirable coping
responses. A canonical discriminant analysis revealed that adolescents diagnosed
with PTSD tended to be those who reported the highest levels of depression,
anxiety, and positive reappraisal coping, and the lowest levels of seeking
guidance and support coping. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that a
significant proportion of Palestinian adolescents living in the Gaza Strip are
experiencing serious psychological distress.