The role of agency in promoting the well-being of children living amongst political violence. A place-based participatory approach in Palestine.

Background. Within the Palestinian context, research has extensively documented the harmful effect of political and military violence on the life and health of children. However, despite their traumatic living conditions, Palestinian children manage to preserve a high level of life satisfaction, resisting the harmful effect of the occupation and adapting to their adverse life circumstances. Conceptualizing children as agents who actively participate in enhancing and safeguarding their security, well-being, and development, this study aims to explore their agency as one of the factors that play a key role in preserving children’s happiness and mental health. Methods. A participatory place-based methodology was adopted to enable the active involvement of the participants and to observe how they activate their individual, educational, social, or environmental resources as a means of preserving their positive functioning and well-being, despite the violent contexts. 75 children (M= 10.27; SD= 1.38) living in different contexts within both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank were asked to draw and describe a map representing their everyday life within their neighborhoods. Thirty of them were then asked to continue the interviews using a walk-along technique. This methodology allowed us to access to the evocative power of the place as a way to approach and detect children’s agency. Results. The perception of their own agency was delineated as a crucial component of children’s well-being. Our findings provide an overview of the multiple ecologies implied in promoting or suppressing agency and well-being among children exposed to prolonged and structural violence. In addition, we identified the multiple ways in which these children exert and enact their agency, in order to cope with their challenging living conditions and enhance their well-being. Conclusion. Our results challenge the definition of children exposed as vulnerable subjects, depicting them as capable of adjusting to traumatic experiences and able to find their own ways of regaining control over their complex environments. This research adds knowledge about the protective processes associated with well-being and mental health in children exposed to political violence and suggests possible directions for both policies and interventions.