Exposure of Palestinian Youth to Political Violence and Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms: The Role of Gender, Self-Esteem, and Social Support

IF 2.3 3区心理学 Q1 CRIMINOLOGY & PENOLOGY

Journal of Interpersonal Violence Pub Date : 2025-08-28 DOI:10.1177/08862605251363626

Shireen Sokar, Muhammad M. Haj-Yahia, Charles W. Greenbaum

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Abstract

This study adopts a resource-oriented approach to examine the direct, indirect, and moderating effects of self-esteem (SE), perceived social support (PSS), and gender on the relationship between exposure to political violence (EPV) and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Previous research has shown that despite being less frequently exposed to political violence than males, females, including adolescent girls, tend to report higher levels of mental health problems. Building on these findings, the present study explores gender differences in the mediating and moderating pathways linking EPV to mental health outcomes. Data were collected from a stratified random sample of 2,721 Palestinian adolescents ( M age = 16.01, SD = 0.94; 58% girls) residing in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Findings indicated that EPV was associated with both internalizing and externalizing symptoms across the sample. Girls reported higher levels of internalizing symptoms than boys following EPV. Moderation analyses revealed that SE mitigated the effects of EPV on symptoms among both genders, particularly among girls. In contrast, PSS did not significantly moderate these relationships. A sequential mediation pathway emerged, showing that low SE was associated with lower levels of PSS among girls. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for gender differences in understanding resilience to political violence. They highlight the complex interplay of protective and risk factors shaping the psychological functioning of youth in politically unstable environments.

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巴勒斯坦青年接触政治暴力及内化和外化症状：性别、自尊和社会支持的作用

本研究采用资源导向的方法，探讨自尊（SE）、感知社会支持（PSS）和性别对政治暴力暴露（EPV）与内化和外化症状关系的直接、间接和调节作用。先前的研究表明，尽管女性（包括少女）遭受政治暴力的频率低于男性，但她们报告的心理健康问题往往更高。在这些发现的基础上，本研究探讨了EPV与心理健康结果之间中介和调节途径的性别差异。数据收集自居住在西岸和东耶路撒冷的2,721名巴勒斯坦青少年（M年龄= 16.01,SD = 0.94； 58%为女孩）的分层随机样本。研究结果表明，EPV与整个样本的内化和外化症状都有关。在EPV后，女孩报告的内化症状水平高于男孩。适度分析显示，SE减轻了EPV对男女，尤其是女孩症状的影响。相比之下，PSS并没有显著调节这些关系。一个顺序的中介途径出现，表明低SE与女孩中较低的PSS水平相关。这些发现强调了在理解对政治暴力的复原力时考虑性别差异的重要性。他们强调，在政治不稳定的环境中，保护因素和风险因素之间的复杂相互作用影响着青年的心理功能。

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来源期刊

Journal of Interpersonal Violence Multiple-

CiteScore

6.20

自引率

12.00%

发文量

375

期刊介绍： The Journal of Interpersonal Violence is devoted to the study and treatment of victims and perpetrators of interpersonal violence. It provides a forum of discussion of the concerns and activities of professionals and researchers working in domestic violence, child sexual abuse, rape and sexual assault, physical child abuse, and violent crime. With its dual focus on victims and victimizers, the journal will publish material that addresses the causes, effects, treatment, and prevention of all types of violence. JIV only publishes reports on individual studies in which the scientific method is applied to the study of some aspect of interpersonal violence. Research may use qualitative or quantitative methods. JIV does not publish reviews of research, individual case studies, or the conceptual analysis of some aspect of interpersonal violence. Outcome data for program or intervention evaluations must include a comparison or control group.