Living in the crossfire: Effects of exposure to political violence on Palestinian and Israeli mothers and children

This study examined children’s psychological symptoms, particularly aggression, in the context of family characteristics, exposure to political violence, and nationality. We examined the association among Palestinian and Israeli children’s and mothers’ attachment (measured by self-report questionnaires), exposure to political violence, and psychopathology. The sample consisted of 29 Palestinian mother–child dyads from the West Bank, and 21 Israeli mother–child dyads, from the south and center of Israel. Results revealed that when exposed to high levels of political violence, nonsecure mothers suffered from significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms compared to secure mothers, a gap that was significantly reduced under conditions of low exposure. In addition, children’s symptoms were correlated with maternal level of depressive symptoms and stress severity.