Effect of Trauma Due to War on Dissociative Symptoms and Resilience among Palestinian Adolescents in the Gaza Strip

Aim: The present study examined the effect of war trauma on occurrence of dissociative symptoms and the role of resilience among Palestinian adolescents in the Gaza Strip. Method: N=400 adolescents (179 boys, 221 girls) were randomly selected from 10 schools in five areas in the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Traumatic Checklist, Dissociative Symptoms Scale for Adolescents, and Resilience Scale for Adolescents were used for assessment and socio-demographic data collected. Result: Regardless of gender, all participants reported an average of nine traumatic events regardless of family income, number of siblings, parent education and work status. The mean score for dissociative symptoms in girls was 75.67 vs. 73.65 in boys. No statistically significant differences in dissociative symptoms according to gender, age, place of residence, parent education and work status. Mean resilience was 112.18, individual resources, e.g. personal skills, social skills, and peer support was 44.06; physical and psychological caregiving by primary caregivers was 27.42, and contextual resources including spiritual, cultural and educational resources mean was 37.42. No statistically significant differences in the total resilience and subscales according to socio-demographic factors of gender, age, type of residence and parents work, whereas, resilience was higher in those with fewer siblings. There was a statistically significant negative relationship between dissociative symptoms and total resilience, individual resources, physical and psychological caregiving, and contextual resources. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between traumatic events and total trauma and total resilience, individual resources, and contextual resources. Clinical implications: Palestinian adolescents have been victims of continuous trauma with increased risk of psychopathology such as dissociative symptoms. Such symptoms negatively impacted upon adolescent resilience when handling adversity. Findings suggest the need for psychosocial interventions that reflect public health and child developmental requirements. Engaging children in interventions that are community-based recreational and cultural activities in war-affected populations have been found useful to heal.