The limits of resilience: Distress following chronic political violence among Palestinians

Abstract

We examined posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptom trajectories during ongoing exposure to political violence, seeking to identify psychologically resilient individuals and the factors that predict resilience. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a random sample of 1196 Palestinian adult residents of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem across three occasions, six months apart (September, 2007–November,2008). Latent growth mixture modeling identified PTSD, and depression symptom trajectories. Results identified three PTSD trajectories: moderate-improving (73% moderate symptoms at baseline, improving over time), severe-chronic (23.2% severe and elevated symptoms over the entire year); and severe-improving (3.5% severe symptoms at baseline and marked improvement over time). Depression trajectories were moderate-improving (61.5%); severe-chronic (24.4%); severe-improving (14.4%). Predictors of relatively less severe initial symptom severity, and improvement over time for PTSD were less political violence exposure and less resource loss; and for depression were younger age, less political violence exposure, lower resource loss, and greater social support. Loss of psychosocial and material resources was associated with the level of distress experienced by participants at each time period, suggesting that resource-based interventions that target personal, social and financial resources could benefit people exposed to chronic trauma.

Individual and Collective Dimensions of Resilience Within Political Violence

“…Findings are less in number but more consistent across studies; for instance, three separate studies each found older adults fared better than younger adults in the face of political violence (Hobfoll, Mancini, Hall, Canetti, & Bonanno, 2011;Khamis, 1998b;Kimhi, 2010).…”

“…Women's educational level might also offer some degree of psychological protection from the effects of political violence (Khamis, 1998b). In addition, several studies found that males demonstrated more resilience than females (Hobfoll, et al, 2011;Kimhi, 2010).…”

Psychological Resilience Building in Disaster Risk Reduction: Contributions from Adult Education

“…This social support can come in a variety of forms, such as parents (Masten et al 2004), friends (Kiang et al 2010;Hobfoll et al 2011), social networks, institutions, and positive role models (Werner and Smith 1992).…”

An Intergenerational Perspective on Risk and Protective Factors in Multi-Problem Poor Familes Living in Cape Town

“…self-esteem, social skills, job skills) and energy resources (i.e. food, money, credit, knowledge) (Hobfoll, 1998:54;Hobfoll, Mancini, Hall, Canetti & Bonanno, 2011:1402. The loss of resources in a family system is experienced like a downward spiral of losses which leaves the family system feeling hopeless and out of control.…”