Psychosocial Outcomes Related to Subjective Threat From Armed Conflict Events (STACE): Findings From the Israeli-Palestinian Cross-Cultural HBSC Study

• NCJ Number: 232427
• Journal: Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 34 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2010 Pages: 623-638
• Author(s): Yossi Harel-Fisch; Qasrowi Radwan; Sophie D. Walsh; Avital Laufer; Gabriel Amitai; Haya Fogel-Grinvald; Ziad Abdeen
• Date Published: September 2010
• Length: 16 pages
• Grant Number(s): TA-MOU-00-M20-051
• Sponsoring Agency: US Agency for International Development
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

Based on a study of cross cultural scientifically representative samples of Palestinian and Israeli secondary school children, this research examined the link between the children's subjective perceptions of threat/fear due to exposure to armed- conflict events and poor mental health, positive well-being, and risk behaviors.

Abstract

The study found that children's perceptions of threat from armed conflict was linked to higher levels of posttraumatic and psychosomatic symptoms, higher levels of risk behaviors, and lower levels of well-being among all four subpopulations of Palestinian and Israeli children (Palestinian children from the West Bank and Gaza, and Israeli Jewish and Arab children). The study also confirmed the importance of measurements that combine both objective and subjective measures of experienced armed-conflict events. Higher levels of parental support were found to be related to lower levels of posttraumatic and psychosomatic symptoms, lower levels of risk behaviors, and higher levels of well-being across all four populations. The study also determined that the newly developed STACE (Subjective Threat From Armed Conflict Events) scale effectively measured the level of exposure to armed conflict in terms of frequency, intensity, and subjective fear, making it possible to conduct cross-cultural analyses. These findings have major implications for the development of community-based interventions that focus on improving parental and other adult support for children living in regions of armed conflict throughout the world. The study used survey data from the 2004 Health Behavior in School Aged Children in the Middle East (HBSC-ME). The study involved 24,935 Palestinian (7,430 West Bank and 7,217 Gaza) and Israeli (5,255 Jewish and 6,033 Arab) 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old school children. Mental distress was measured by the presence of posttraumatic and psychosomatic symptoms; well-being was measured by life perceptions and life satisfaction; and risk behaviors were measured by smoking and violent behaviors. 4 tables, 2 figures, and 72 references