https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(13)60198-1.pdf

Guido Veronese, Miras Natour, Mahmud Said. Positive emotions and life satisfaction in Palestinian children growing up amid political and military violence: a pilot study 

Abstracts

Background Exposure to war has mostly negative psychological eff ects on children, according to the results of several studies undertaken in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). Political and military violence has been sustained in the oPt since the intifada (uprising) of 2000; according to the results of a study in the West Bank, the frequency of mild post-traumatic stress disorder was 73% (41% medium and severe) of 174 people. Additionally, direct and indirect exposure to trauma is associated with disruption of sleep and concentration, somatic symptom disorders, impulsive behaviours, and depression. Data for the resilience of Palestinian children or how they cope positively with trauma have been reported in few studies; in a study in the Gaza Strip, 21% of 640 children were judged resilient. We therefore assessed wellbeing in Palestinian children exposed to war in the oPt