Prevalence and Predictors of Depression, Anxiety, and ‎Stress (DASS-21) Among Palestinian Bedouins in Hebron ‎During the 2023 Gaza War ‏

Barghouth, Randa Mohammed; El-Halaq, ‏ ‏Iyad  ‎

doi:10.21608/jasep.2025.446337

Prevalence and Predictors of Depression, Anxiety, and ‎Stress (DASS-21) Among Palestinian Bedouins in Hebron ‎During the 2023 Gaza War ‏

نوع المستند : المقالة الأصلية

المؤلفون

Al-Quds University, Jerusalem-Palestine

10.21608/jasep.2025.446337

المستخلص

Background: the war has psychological impacts on marginalized communities such as Bedouins who are stripped of their traditional livelihoods, subjected to chronic trauma and insecurity, and displaced. Objective: This study seeks to measure the prevalence and predictors of depression, anxiety, and stress experienced by Palestinian Bedouins living in Hebron due to the Gaza war using the DASS-21 questionnaire. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional survey that was distributed to (N=385) Bedouins in Hebron governorate. Results: The results indicated that most Palestinian Bedouins in Hebron are experiencing a lot of psychological distress, with their depression and anxiety having mean scores of 20.4 and 17.7, respectively, and stress having a mean score of 17.7; all of these results are severe according to the DASS-21 criteria. Demographic analysis did not indicate any gender differences, while younger participants, ranging from 18 to 20 years, reported lower distress levels than the older age groups, and participants with postgraduate education reported having more depression, anxiety, and stress.