The well-being of middle eastern youth and adolescents during war and peace : Youth Crisis

Abstract EN

This study revolves around the psychological wellbeing and self-esteem of Palestinian, Israeli Bedouin, and Israeli Jewish adolescents during the time shortly before and after the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Autonomy Agreement.

The study is a partial follow-up to a previous research examining the impact of violence, war-like conditions, and extreme social change on the mental health adjustment of adolescents of this region.

Results of the SCL 90-R and Coppersmith Self-Esteem Inventory showed that: i) psychopathology was significantly higher among Gaza youth, while Israeli Jewish and Bedouin youth showed lower levels; ii) youth from Gaza had the lowest levels of self-esteem, while there were no differences between Israeli Jewish and Bedouin youth; and iii) despite the long interval that had elapsed between the first (amidst the Intifada) and the second Intifada subsequent to the Oslo accords) of the measures, and the changing conditions, there was minimal evidence of change in levels of distress.