Exposure to terrorism: supportive group therapy for Israeli children exposed to terrorism

Conflict in the Middle East has led Israelis to live in constant fear of terror on a daily basis. Unfortunately, this includes children and adolescents who have also been exposed to these terrorist attacks, either being among those killed or injured, or in physical or psychological proximity to these attacks. Doeland (2012) explains that exposures to disasters, particularly wars and terrorism, have been shown to put children and adolescents at high risk for developing symptoms of distress. Some of these symptoms, as Fremont (2004) explains, include bed-wetting, difficulty separating from their parents, anxiety, sleep problems, irrational fears, angry outbursts, and difficulty in school. His research indicates that 28% - 50% of children exposed to terrorist actions will develop PTSD. The proposed project will attempt to create supportive group counseling for Israeli children exposed to terrorism. Supportive group counseling will provide Israeli children with the opportunity to cope adaptively and share their feelings and experiences with others.