Relationships Between Traumatic Events, Religious Coping Style, and Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder among Palestinians in the Gaza Strip

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of trauma due to Gaza war on Palestinians' PTSD and copings strategies. A sample of 374 adults, the age ranged from 21 to 60 years with mean age 41.5 (SD=8.6), 193 were males (53.9%) and 181 were females 46.1%. Participants completed measures of experience of traumatic events (Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist-20 items, War on Gaza), PTSD, and Ways of Coping Scale. Mean traumatic events experienced 5.4 traumatic events and 42% reported full criteria of PTSD. Mean coping scores was 107.28, acquiring social support mean was 29.59, reframing mean was 31.22, seeking spiritual support mean was 15.93, mobilizing family to acquire and accept help mean was 14.14, and positive appraisal mean was 13.89. Traumatic events were significantly negatively correlated to other coping strategies such as reframing and mobilizing family to acquire and accept help. Participants with no PTSD scored more coping, acquiring social support, reframing, and seeking spiritual support, positive appraisal. While, there was no significant differences in mobilizing family to acquire and accept help with PTSD.