EPV1084 - Psychological Toughness of Resistance Fighters: The Palestinian Experience
EPV1084
Psychological Toughness of Resistance Fighters: The Palestinian Experience
Y. Zahran 1,*, M. Backleh 1
1Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Birzeit University, Birzeit, West Bank and Gaza
Introduction: Under prolonged occupation, psychological toughness emerges not only as an individual trait but as a collective form of resistance essential for survival and identity. In the Palestinian context, resistance fighters show remarkable resilience despite imprisonment, repression, and trauma. This endurance is cultivated through cultural, social, and political frameworks that transform suffering into strength.
This study explores the socio-political and psychological foundations of such toughness, situated it between lived experience and liberation struggles. By contrasting fighters with non-combatants, it reveals unique coping strategies developed under direct oppression. Using liberation psychology emphasizing dignity, memory, and collective struggle, while also engaging Western resilience theories, the research bridges global psychology with the Palestinian condition.
Objectives: (1) Identify psychological, social, and political factors enhancing toughness; (2) Analyze trauma response differences between fighters and non-combatants; (3) Explore the role of identity and meaning; (4) Propose strategies for civilian resilience-building.
Methods: This study employed a qualitative design integrating liberation psychology with Kobasa’s hardiness model. In-depth interviews with former Palestinian prisoners were thematically analyzed. Based on the findings, a new six-dimension tool (Resistance Psychological Toughness Scale) was developed, which measures: (1) continued resistance, (2) non-submission, (3) breakdown frequency, (4) trauma’s impact on functioning, (5) trauma-induced disorders, and (6) value changes.
Results: Table 1 summarizes the study’s key findings, highlighting core themes, quotations, and their functions from interviews with resistance fighters. The quotations reflect participants’ voices, while the functions show how their words translate into lived realities.
Table 1. Core Themes, Quotations, and Functions from Interviews with Resistance Fighters
Theme
|
Quote |
Function |
|
Meaning |
“Our struggle gives us a reason to endure.”
|
Turns suffering into purpose stability |
|
Solidarity |
“We never feel alone.”
|
Reduces isolation, builds |
|
Trauma Reframing |
“Every scar reminds us why we resist.”
|
Converts trauma into motivation |
|
Spiritual-National Identity |
“Belief in our cause protects us.”
|
Anchors morale |
|
Narrative Healing |
“Our stories unite us.”
|
Collective recovery |
|
Symbolic Support |
“Without recognition, we feel weaker.” |
Maintains resilience |
Conclusions: Freedom fighters’ toughness stems from faith, nobility of cause, reframing trauma, transforming pain into collective memory, identity shaped by contrast with non-combatants, and community as moral and practical support.
Disclosure of Interest: None Declared