Prevalence of Psychosomatic Symptoms among Traumatized Palestinian Adolescents in the Gaza Strip

Aims: To estimate the prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms among traumatized Palestinian
adolescents in Gaza Strip.
Methods: The study sample consisted of 380 adolescents randomly selected from secondary schools
in Gaza Strip, of whom 171 were boys and 209 were girls between 15-18 years. Data was collected
using a socio-demographic checklist, the Gaza Traumatic Events Checklist, and the Psychosomatic
Symptoms Scale. For statistical analysis, questionnaire data was normally distributed, for this reason
independent t-test was used to investigate differences between two groups. Associations between
continuous variables were measured by the Pearson's correlation coefficient test. One-way ANOVA
post hoc Tukey was used to investigate differences between more than two groups.
Results: The most common reported traumatic events due to the war on Gaza were: watching
mutilated bodies and wounded people in TV (92.3%), and hearing shelling of the area by artillery
(89.4%). The mean number of traumatic events experienced by Palestinian adolescents was 14. Boys
reported significantly more traumatic events than girls. Adolescents from family with monthly income
less than 150 US $ experienced more traumatic events than the other groups.
Mean psychosomatic symptoms was 48.19, digestive system symptoms was 19.97, cardiovascular
symptoms was 10.23, respiratory system symptoms was 3.82, urogenital system symptoms was
2.98, skeletal musculature symptoms was 5.29, and skin symptoms was 7.34. Boys scored more in
total psychosomatic and skin symptoms. There was a significant relationship between traumatic
experiences and psychosomatic symptoms.
Conclusion: Palestinian adolescents experienced significant traumatic events due to the war on
Gaza Strip which were significantly associated with developing psychosomatic symptoms. Such
findings highlight the urgent need for establishing community mental health school based programs to
help adolescents with such symptoms and increase awareness about their nature and management.
Also there is need for conducting training courses for teachers and school counsellors to increase
their knowledge about general mental health problems in schools and ways of dealing with such
problems. Also, training courses for primary care and hospital physicians, who might attribute to
physical causes, and liaison between physical and mental health services.