Mental health under occupation: A phenomenological study of Palestinian lived experiences

Research in the fields of liberation psychology, decolonial psychology, and community psychology challenges the dominant Western model of psychology, particularly when applied to contexts of systemic oppression, such as Palestine. This study employs a qualitative, descriptive phenomenological design to explore the psychological impacts of Israeli occupation on Palestinians while identifying culturally based strengths and contextually based detriments to mental health. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of Palestinian mental health professionals to study the lived experience of Palestinians under prolonged Israeli military occupation. The uniquely Palestinian mental health topics of Sumud (صمود), Qaher (قهر), and Takaful (التكافل) were identified through the analysis process. Furthermore, the participants emphasized the need for a distinctly Palestinian psychology—one that acknowledges sociopolitical realities while drawing strength from cultural and communal practices. The findings in the study resulted not only in implications for policymakers, mental health professionals, and local and international organizations but ultimately in the call for a mental health system that upholds justice, solidarity, and human dignity for all the people of Palestine. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)