Symbolic Forms of Violence and National Identity Manifested in a Sample of Drawings by Palestinian Children

The study aimed at investigating the symbolic forms of violence and national identity, which are manifested in a sample of drawings by Palestinian children in order to understand the psychological problems experienced by these children. A group of children's drawings were gathered from 159 students, aged 9, from Al-Fawar Refugee Camp, south of Hebron and the old town of Hebron. The average age of the participants was 9.2 years. The study used the descriptive approach and content analysis method to calculate the validity and consistency of the analysis. The results showed some general characteristics of the drawings, such as curved and straight lines, moving and deviant shapes, exaggerated sizes, and absence of face framers. No differences were found between male and female drawings. In addition, the most frequent symbols were those indicating the Israeli violence followed by the symbols of national identity, domestic violence and finally school violence. The study found out a number of psychological problems including: anxiety, sadness, tension, distress, sleep disorders and physical violence. The results and their details were discussed in the light of previous studies and the theoretical framework, and finally some recommendations were made.