52. Qouta, S., Punamaki, R. L., and El Sarraj, E. The Relations Between Traumatic Experiences, Activity, and Cognitive and Emotional Responses Among Palestinian Children. International Journal of Psychology 1995; ,3: 289-304.

This study shows the relationship between political violence and cognitive capacity and emotional well-being among 108 children, aged 11-12 years. The study took place in Gaza during the Intifada. Sixty of the children had a high level of traumatic experiences, while 48 of the children were classified as having a low level of traumatic experience. The indicators measured included level of participation in the Intifada, cognitive abilities, intelligence, creativity, emotional well-being, risk-taking tendency, and self-esteem. No gender differences were found in the level of traumatic experiences although boys participated more actively than girls. Of the children participating in the Intifada, girls were more intelligent and creative than boys. Traumatic experiences and participation in the Intifada were related to children's concentration, attention, and memory, but not to their intelligence, creativity, and visuo-motor or symbolic performance. Children who were active participants in the Intifada and had a high level of traumatic experiences were found to have the highest levels of neuroticism and risk-taking. Active participation rather than exposure to trauma was associated with low self-esteem and high risk-taking. Contrary to the author's original hypothesis, the more children were exposed to traumatic experiences, the more concentration, attention, and memory problems they showed.