title: The relationships between family functioning and attachment orientations to post-traumatic stress symptoms among young adults who were evacuated from Gaza Strip settlements as adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among young adults that were evicted from their residences in Gaza settlements ("Gush Katif") as adolescents and actively participated in the resistance events. Furthermore, we examined the moderating role of exposure to forced relocation on the association between attachment orientations and family functioning and PTSD symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a correlative, cross-sectional study in 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were Israeli evicted residents (ER group; N = 102), comparison groups of evicted nonresidents (ENR group; N = 27), and nonevicted nonresidents (NENR group; N = 53). All participants completed a battery of self-reported questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ER group reported a higher number of PTSD symptoms as compared to the comparison groups. However, ER participants did not differ from ENR and NENR participants in their perception of family functioning. Importantly, the group (ER vs. NENR) moderated the association between attachment-anxiety and PTSD symptoms and between family adaptability and PTSD symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nine years after the forced relocation from Gaza settlements, young adults that were evicted from their residences as adolescents suffer from PTSD symptoms that are more related to the relocation itself than the stress entailed in the resistance events.
authors: a Department of Behavioral Sciences , Ariel University , Ariel 40700 , Israel.
authors: Gadi
authors: G
authors: Zerach
authors: a Department of Behavioral Sciences , Ariel University , Ariel 40700 , Israel.
authors: Elkanor
authors: E
authors: Tam
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D009769:Object Attachment; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: PTSD; attachment orientations; family functioning; forced relocation