Acute Stress Disorder in Palestinian Children in the Gaza Strip
Date
2015-06-06
Authors
Thabet, Abdelaziz Mousa
Thabet, Sanaa S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SCIENCEDOMAIN
Abstract
Aim: This study aimed to describe the range of acute traumatic stress disorder symptoms in a
sample of displaced and non-displaced children and adolescents in the Gaza Strip.
Methods: This was descriptive analytic study. The study sample consisted of 381 children and
adolescents ranging in age from 7 to 18 years. Regarding displacement status, 190 of them were
non-displaced (50.1%) and 191 were displaced (49.91%). Ninety-four of displaced children were
boys (49.22%), while, 73 of non-displaced children were boys (38.41%). One hundred seventeen of
displaced children were girls (61.6%), 97 of non-displaced children were girls (50.8%). Children
were assessed by a socio demographic questionnaire, the Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist, and
Acute Stress Disorder Scale.
Results: The highest frequencies of reported traumatic events for both groups (displaced and nondisplaced)
were hearing shelling of the area, hearing the loud voice of Drones, and watching
mutilated bodies in TV. However, displaced children reported more traumatic event such as forced
to leave home with family members due to shelling, receiving pamphlets from Airplane to leave
home at the border area to the city center, threatened by telephone to leave their homes for bombardment of homes, destruction of their personal belongings during incursion. Displaced
children reported more traumatic events than non-displaced ones (Mean= 13.6 vs. 9.08). Boys
reported more traumatic events. Using the DSM-V criteria, 10.0% of non-displaced children and
18.4% of displaced children had acute traumatic stress disorder. Displaced children reported more
acute stress disorder, dissociative, re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms.
Traumatic events were associated acute traumatic stress, re-experiencing, and hyperarousal
symptoms.
Conclusion and recommendations: This study showed that Palestinian children and adolescents
are victims of continuous war and trauma, and will develop new symptoms of acute stress disorder
after exposure to war in the Gaza Strip. Such findings highlight the needs for better mental health
services for children especially displaced populations who are not able to return to their homes due
to the siege, in order to increase their coping abilities and resilience in face of adversities.
Description
Keywords
Acute stress disorder , children , Gaza , trauma , war