Collective Trauma, Quality of Life and Resilience in Narratives of Third Generation Palestinian Refugee Children
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Collective Trauma, Quality of Life and Resilience in Narratives of Third Generation Palestinian Refugee Children Fayez Azez Mahamid 1,2 Accepted: 15 April 2020/ # Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract The purpose of this study was to test collective trauma, quality of life and resilience in narratives of Palestinian refugee children. The sample consisted of (30) children aged (14–16) years selected exclusively from five (5) Palestinian refugee camps (Balata, Askar, Ein Beit al-ma’, Nur Shams, and Jenin) established after the 1948 Nakba in the West Bank region of Palestine. Results demonstrated that children in today’s Palestinian camps suffer from collective trauma, they considered the 1948 Nakba as a ‘losing’ experience as it has affected all generations of Palestinian refugees. Results also showed that children in Palestinian camps suffer from poor quality of life; they live in very narrow homes and places, with lack of stadiums and recreational facilities. Participants of this research, however, appeared to demonstrate a high level of resiliency, positive self-efficacy, and responsibility to deal with difficult and stressful events; despite poor quality of life and collective traumatic experiences they have had. Keywords Collective trauma . Resilience . Quality of life . Palestinian refugee children
1 Introduction Children have been the unseen victims of conflict between nations throughout history. Today, the status of conflicts and wars may seem evident in many places around the world. These conflicts or armed wars may also include high levels of aggressive behaviours among victims themselves. In mental health terms, war is known to affect children’s adjustment, self-concept, resilience, and quality of life (UNICEF 2005).
* Fayez Azez Mahamid [email protected]
1
Psycholog and Counseling Department, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
2
Centre for International Development, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
F. A. Mahamid
In the Israeli– Palestinian situation, the status of conflict may be seen as chronic rather than a singular, emotionally charged event. Many of the violent war-like events children face in Palestine extend on indefinitely. In Palestine, many generations of children have grown up knowing nothing except violent warlike events, conflicts, and painful events (Abdeen et al. 2008). The effects of war and conflicts on the psychological status of children are well documented and are often expressed through deep and chronic psychological symptoms, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, lacking in resilience and psychosocial problems (Joen et al. 2005). Palestinian children living in the occupied territories have been exposed to ongoing conflict conditions and violence, such as fire shootings, shelling, and physical injuries. As a result of this continuous violence, trauma in Palestinians, especially children, has led to the development of chronic psychological stress and bad quality of life (Baubet et al. 2009; ShalhoubKevorkian 2011). Many children have been exp
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