The relationship between mental health of Palestinian mothers due to siege and child attachment

Abstract EN

im: The current study investigated the relationship between mothers’ stressors due to siege, their mental health and the attachment styles of their children.

Methods: Participants were recruited from a list of previously studied Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip, which was part of a three-stage prospective study of 184 households.

N=140 mothers were recruited to the study.

Ages ranged from 18 to 64 years with a mean age of 41.53 years.

Participants completed selfreport questionnaires, which included a sociodemographic scale, the Gaza Siege Checklist, the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25), and the Parent/Child Reunion Inventory (P/CRI).

Data were collected from October to November 2008.

Results: Mothers reported from 2-20 stressors due to siege (M=10.83, SD=4.07).

Those with monthly income of less than $350 US reported experiencing more stressors than mothers whose families had a monthly income of $351 US or more.

Results identified 16.8% of mothers met the criteria for psychiatric conditions; 19.0% reported anxiety and 15.2% reported depression.

Mothers living in cities reported fewer mental health problems compared with those living in villages and camps.

Further, insecure attachment of children was positively associated with total stressors and mothers’ anxiety, and depression.

Conclusion: Maternal depression and anxiety was associated with insecure attachment styles in children.

Maternal depression and anxiety were also associated with experiences of siege stressors and an insecure attachment style in children.

The study highlights potential targets for future intervention.