title: The Impact of Parental Detention on the Psychological Wellbeing of Palestinian Children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since 1967, the Palestinian Occupied Territories are marked by a political conflict between Palestinians and Israel. During this conflict, about one fifth of the Palestinian population has been detained; about one quarter of these are parents. Although we know that father's incarceration might impact their children's psychological wellbeing, little is known about the impact of father's imprisonment on young children (under 11 years old), and when the incarceration is framed in contexts of political conflict. Therefore, this study aimed at gaining insight into the impact of parental detention on young children's psychological wellbeing, and the impact of witnessing the detention process itself.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the list of imprisoned Palestinian men with children living in the West Bank, a group of 79 (3- to 10-years old) children was randomly composed. Above, through schools and health centers, a comparison sample of 99 children who didn't experience imprisonment of a family member was selected. Mothers of these children completed two cross-culturally validated questionnaires on their children's psychological wellbeing, the UCLA-PTSD-Index and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed higher levels of PTSD and general mental health problems associated with father's capturing. Above, when the children watched the arrest process of their fathers, scores still increased further. Younger children tended to show higher SDQ scores, and children living in villages reported higher posttraumatic stress scores compared to children living in urban areas or refugee camps. Little gender differences were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows the important impact of parental detention on the psychological wellbeing for young children and urges for more psychological care and support for family members--in particular children--of detainees.
authors.affiliation: Research group Interpersonal, Discursive and Narrative Studies (IDNS) & Centre for Children in Vulnerable Situations (CCVS), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Ministry of Education, Directorate of Education, Bethlehem, Palestine.
authors.forename: Amer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shehadeh
authors.affiliation: Research group Interpersonal, Discursive and Narrative Studies (IDNS) & Centre for Children in Vulnerable Situations (CCVS), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Universidad Católica Boliviana "San Pablo" La Paz, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias del Compartamiento (IICC), Departamento de Psicología, La Paz, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Gerrit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loots
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Lifespan Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanderfaeillie
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Welfare Studies & Centre for Children in Vulnerable Situations, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Derluyn
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018912:Arabs; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011330:Prisons; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires