Collective Trauma in Gaza Society After the 2023 Military Operation: A Meta-Analysis of Psychosocial Impacts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59680/medika.v3i4.2236Keywords:
Collective Trauma, Communal Resilience, Gaza, Psychosocial Impact, PTSDAbstract
This meta-analysis evaluates the psychosocial impact of the 2023 military operation on Gaza society through a systematic review of 47 reports and online publications. Employing a mixed-method approach with a primary emphasis on quantitative analysis, the study integrates data from multiple credible sources collected between October 2023 and January 2024. The synthesized findings indicate a PTSD prevalence of 78.3% (95% CI: 75.2 to 81.4%) among the adult population and 84.6% (95% CI: 81.7 to 87.5%) among children. Logistic regression identifies the loss of family members as the strongest predictor of trauma (OR = 3.87, p < .001), followed by loss of housing (OR = 2.94, p < .001). Severe depressive symptoms are detected in 67.2% of adult respondents, while anxiety levels reach 71.5%. Social network analysis underscores the significant role of community support in mitigating traumatic impact (r = 0.64, p < .001). These findings extend the work of Altawil et al. (2020) and Greene et al. (2017) by revealing patterns of collective trauma that differ from previous conflicts, particularly in relation to communal resilience and group-based coping mechanisms. The study further identifies a phenomenon termed “accelerated transgenerational trauma” that has not been previously reported and provides an empirical foundation for community-based psychosocial interventions within contexts of protracted conflict.
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