Agency as a buffer against trauma and psychological difficulties in children affected by war: The mediating role of life satisfaction and hope in a two-wave study in Palestine

Objective: Children's mental well-being in Palestine is undermined by decades of military and political violence. Children are at risk of developing trauma-related syndromes and psychological distress after potentially traumatic experiences. Our two-wave study sought to explore how agency and potentially traumatic events can affect children's mental health and trauma symptoms via hope and life satisfaction as mediators. Method: Nine hundred sixty-five children recruited in Palestine were administered with self-reported measures (Trauma Checklist, War Child Agency Assessment Scale-Pal, Children Hope Scale, Brief Multidimensional Student Life Satisfaction Scale, Strengths and Difficulties Scale) at T1 and T2 after 1 year. Cross-lagged structural equation modeling was run to detect the mediation effect of life satisfaction and hope in the relationship between traumatic events and agency with trauma symptoms and psychological difficulties. Results: Findings revealed the mediating power of those variables over the time and the buffering effect of life agency on children's mental functioning. Our results confirm that the cumulative effects of potentially traumatic experiences might undermine children's functioning, while agency increases life satisfaction and hope that in turn can control traumatic reactions. Conclusion: Defending children's agency, hope, and life satisfaction is urgently needed to protect children's well-being in war-affected zones.