Abstract
The research examines the immediate effects of losing one’s home and witnessing the demolition of others houses on the mental health of Palestinian adults and children. The loss group consisted of 47 adults whose homes were demolished, the witness group of 24 adults who witnessed the house demolition, and the control group of 33 adults. The groups were compared for their anxiety, depression, and paranoiac symptoms. In addition, 38 children in the loss group, 36 children in the witness group, and 50 children in the control group were compared for their psychological symptoms. The results showed that adults who were exposed to house demolition showed a higher level of anxiety, depression, and paranoiac symptoms than the witness and control groups. The children in the loss group showed a higher level of psychological symptoms than the children in the witness and control groups. The witness group differed from the control group in having more depression among women and from anxiety, depression, and paranoiac symptoms than men in the loss and witness groups but not in the control group.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bowlby, J. (1973).Attachment and loss: Separation, anxiety and anger. New York: Basic Books.
Brown, G. W., & Harris, T. (1978).Social origins of depression; A study of psychiatric disorders in women. London: Tavistock Publications.
Bryce, J., Walker, N., & Peterson, C. (1989). Predicting symptoms of depression among women in Beirut: The importance of daily life.International Journal of Mental Health, 18, 57–70.
Cohen, L. H., Burt, C. E., & Björck, J. P. (1987). Life stress and adjustment: Effects of life events experienced by young adolescents and their parents.Developmental Psychology, 23, 583–592.
Goodyer, I. M. (1990). Family relationships life events and childhood psychopathology.Journal Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31, 161–192.
Holmes, T., & Rahe, R. (1967). Introduction to life-stress scale.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 37, 1239–1243.
Dawes, A., Tredoux, C., & Feinstein, A. (1989). Political violence in South Africa: Some effects on children of the violent destruction of their community.International Journal of Mental Health, 18, 16–43.
Dollard, J., Miller, N. E., Dood, L. W., Mowrer, O. H., & Sears, R. R. (1939).Frustration and aggression. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Dyregrov, A., & Raundalen, M. (1993). A Longitudinal Study of War-Exposed Children in Iraq. Presented at The International Conference on Mental Health and The “Challenge of Peace,” Gaza, September 13–15, 1993.
El Sarraj, E., Tawahina, A. A., & Abu Hein, F. (1991). The Palestinian: The Story of Uprooting. Presented at The First International Conference on the Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing of Refugees and Displaced Persons Stockholm, Sweden, October 6–11, 1991.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1987). Transactional theory and research on emotions and coping.European Journal of Personality, 1, 141–169.
JMCC (1993). Jerusalem Media & Communication Centre, Weekly Reports, January–February, 1993.
Macksoud, M. (1989).The Childhood War Trauma Questionnaire. Children and war research project. Columbia University.
Mahjoub, A. (1990). Approache Psychosociale des Traumatismes de Querre chez les Enfants et Adolescents Palestiniens. Doctorate dissertation, University of Leuven Nouvelle.
Pedhazur, E. J., & Pedhazur Schmelkin, L. (1991).Measurement, design, and analysis. An integrated approach. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Punamäki, R. (1986). Stress among Palestinian women under military occupation; Women’s appraisal of stressors, their coping modes, and their mental health.International Journal of Psychology, 21, 445–462.
Punamäki, R. (1996). Can ideological commitment protect children’s psychosocial wellbeing in conditions of political violence?Child Development, 67, 55–69.
Rutter, M., Shaffer, D., & Shepherd, M. (1975).A multi-axial classification of child psychiatric disorders. Geneva: WHO.
Souife, A. (1976).Social psychology. Cairo: El Angli (in Arabic).
U.N.R.W.A. (1992). Information Notes. UNRWA, Gaza.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Qouta, S., Punamäki, RL. & Sarraj, E.E. House demolition and mental health: Victims and witnesses. J Soc Distress Homeless 6, 203–211 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02939565
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02939565