Palestinian Students Research Articles

The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Vocational Interests among Palestinian Students

The purpose of the study was to identify the impact of emotional intelligence on vocational interests among Palestinian students. A sample of 333 students in the southern Hebron district participated in the study. Data was analysed using SPSS. The results showed that Palestinian students had a high level of emotional intelligence and a moderate level of vocational interests. Emotional intelligence appeared as an innovative prediction of vocational interests. The consequences of the findings for practice are highlighted.

EFL Students’ Reluctance in Participating in English Speaking Activities at University College of Applied Sciences: Challenges and Solutions

This study tackles the main reasons behind EFL students’ reticence in participating in speaking activities in the English language classrooms at the University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS) in Gaza, Palestine. As an emerging issue in the field of teaching and learning English, speaking reticence has attracted the attention of many researchers whom focused on the Asian context of learning English, particularly in China and Japan. Therefore, the researchers decided to investigate this issue in the Gaza Strip in Palestine in specific. Through a questionnaire distributed on 140 participants from different departments and specializations at UCAS, the researchers were able to collect data for the study analysis, which adopted mixed method. The qualitative results supported the quantitative ones, so that the study outcomes would be helpful to decrease the Palestinian students’ speaking reticence and to be taken into consideration for further research studies.

Between happiness and sorrow: Phenomenal characteristics of autobiographical memories concerning war episodes and positive events in the Gaza Strip

In the present study, we investigated the characteristics of memories concerning both traumatic events (war-related memories) and positive life events (happy memories) in a group of Palestinian students who were victims of war and military violence. An ad hoc questionnaire was developed to explore differences in how the traumatic and happy events were recalled, both in relation to the actual events experienced and in relation to their phenomenological features in autobiographical memory. Traumatic memories were observed to be richer in sensory characteristics, more vivid, and generally more detailed; the emotions associated with traumatic episodes were more intense and played a key role in recall, as did recurrent thoughts and discussion of events and post-event autobiographical memories. In sum, traumatic memories are more complex than non-traumatic ones given their more sensory and analogical nature, which can also undermine accuracy of recall. The clinical implications of these findings and possible directions for future research are discussed.

How Palestinian students invoke the category “human” to challenge negative treatment and media representations

AbstractDehumanisation of opponents in conflict has been shown to be a common and damaging feature in the media. What is not understood is how this dehumanisation is challenged, which is the novel contribution that this research will make. Drawing on focus groups (four focus groups each with four to six participants) conducted in the West Bank in 2015 that discussed media coverage of international conflict, this article demonstrates the ways in which young Palestinian participants attempt to rehumanize themselves in the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Discursive analysis demonstrates how this was achieved in a number of ways: categorising Palestinians as “human being”; by directly and explicitly challenging the suggestion that Palestinians are less than human; by drawing the enemy into the category “human”; and by embodying the “human.” These findings, the first to address the talk of young Palestinians about the reporting of violent conflicts around the world, demonstrate the importance of categorization and how, in this case, the specifics of the use of the (human) category work to rehumanize Palestinians in the face of (claims of) dehumanisation.

Acculturation of university students in Northern Cyprus

This study addresses learner acculturation in the English Preparatory School of Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta, Northern Cyprus, and it examines the role of learners’ social and cultural identities conveyed through teaching English in a foreign language context. Qualitative research using in-depth interviews with 10 participants of Turkish, Azeri, Uygur (China) origin, and Palestinian students, was employed to gain a nuanced understanding of how the acculturation process is experienced, and what role cultural and motivational factors play. The findings of this study reveal that participants are closely aligned with their home cultures, and thus have little motive to distance themselves and integrate into the host culture. Although Turkish students have more motivation to integrate with the host culture, the results reveal that all students involved in the acculturation process display a separation strategy, and therefore find themselves facing difficulty integrating themselves within different cultures in the English as a Foreign Language context. For this reason, the type of motivation participants display changes from intrinsic to extrinsic and instrumental motivation can be seen as depending on the students’ overall motivation patterns as well as their cultural backgrounds. The closer the students’ culture to the culture of the target language and host culture, the better the acculturation process will prove to be. Finally, the findings show that cultural background, language learning, and motivation are closely interrelated in the learner acculturation process.

Palestinian education in the Israeli settler state: divide, rule and control

ABSTRACTThis paper situates the Israeli public educational system in the broader context of colonizing educational systems and explores the avenues through which it serves the Jewish settler-state project and establishes a colonial educational hegemony. Public education in Israel is legally mandated to promote the values of Jewish culture and loyalty to the Jewish state. Furthermore, its policy and content systematically instill racially derogatory attitudes toward the Palestinian citizens of Israel among Jewish students, as a basis for fostering and perpetuating the deep-seated societal division between Jews and Palestinians. In addition, the public educational system effectively maintains the cultural, socioeconomic and political subordination of Palestinian students through the substandard and discriminatory provision of resources, programs and services and the imposition of aims, goals and curricula that alienate Palestinian students. Consequently, their levels of educational achievement are lower than that of their Jewish counterparts. As such, the Israeli public educational system plays an essential role in consigning Palestinian citizens to the social, economic and political margins of society. The Israeli educational system is designed to control both the Palestinian Arab minority and Jewish majority and to maintain an unbridgeable divide – in support of the Zionist settler state vision.

The Effectiveness of Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Developing Palestinian Students' Vocabulary, its Retention and their Attitudes towards Learning English

The Effectiveness of Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Developing Palestinian Students' Vocabulary, its Retention and their Attitudes towards Learning English

Palestinian schoolscapes in Israel

The linguistic repertoire of Palestinian citizens in Israel is complex and diverse. Arabic is the language of personal, cultural, and national identity. Hebrew is important for social mobility, higher education, and shared citizenship. English, as a global language, is a window to the wider world (Amara, Policy and teaching English to Palestinian students in Israel: An ecological perspective to language education policies, 2014). As to language education, Arabic is the language of instruction in Palestinian schools. Hebrew is studied as a second language by all the Palestinian students from the second grade on, or even earlier. English is studied as a foreign language from the third grade on, and in many schools even earlier (Amara, Policy and teaching English to Palestinian students in Israel: An ecological perspective to language education policies, 2014; Hebraization in the Palestinian language landscape in Israel, 2015). This study investigates the reflection of the three languages studied in the Palestinian schoolscapes. More specifically, the schoolscapes in six Palestinian high schools located in three towns in the Little Triangle in Israel are studied. The distribution of the languages in the schoolscapes was examined by exploring the functions of signs, distinguishing between informative and symbolic content, and determining the authorship of signs (top-down vs. bottom-up). Altogether 1216 photographs of signs were taken and analyzed. In addition, the ‘tourist guide technique’, developed by Szabó (Journal of Applied Language Studies 9:23–51 2015), was used. The findings reveal that Arabic, Hebrew, and English are used in the schoolscapes of the Palestinian schools in Israel. Arabic is the most ubiquitous language, and Hebrew is also present. While there is evidence of English, its use lags far behind that of the two other languages. The schoolscapes are largely monolingual (mainly Arabic) or bilingual (Arabic-Hebrew). Trilingual signs almost do not exist. Though Palestinian students are trilingual since they learn three languages at school, multilingualism is not truly reflected in their schoolscapes.

Mental Health Problems among University Palestinian Students

Mental Health Problems among University Palestinian Students

University students' knowledge of corneal donation and willingness to donate corneas in the occupied Palestinian territory: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAccess to corneal transplantation is limited worldwide because of poor knowledge. Ethical, religious, and cultural barriers contribute to low rates of corneal donation. In the occupied Palestinian territory, limited information is available on factors affecting corneal donation. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and willingness towards corneal donation in Palestinian students. MethodsThis cross-sectional study included university students selected through convenience sampling in Nablus in the summer of 2016. The sample size was determined using the sample formulae and a 15% non-response rate. All students registered in obligatory courses were included in the study after verbal consent. Each participant was given a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 14 questions to assess knowledge, awareness, and willingness toward corneal donation. Frequencies were used for descriptive analysis, and associations were determined using multivariate analysis and χ2 test, with a p value of less than 0·05 considered significant. FindingsOf the 634 students completing the questionnaire, 411 (65%) were women, 614 (97%) were Muslims, and 155 (25%) were health or medical students. 592 (93%) respondents were unaware of eye bank availability, and 407 (69%; p=0.002) of these respondents did not show willingness towards corneal donation. 431 (67%) respondents were aware of a lack in corneal donation, but 274 (64%; p=0·01) of these respondents did not show willingness towards corneal donation. 429 (68%) respondents were not willing to donate their corneas, the most common reasons being disapproval by family members and poor awareness. We found no association between sociodemographic factors and willingness was determined. InterpretationPalestinian students are aware of the lack of local cornea donation but are unwilling to donate their corneas. The study results are not representative of the entire population because of the homogeneous nature of the sample. Large efforts are needed locally to develop the eye bank infrastructure to increase knowledge and awareness relating to corneal donation. FundingNone.

Excessive Facebook use and physical and mental health risks in the occupied Palestinian territory: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundSocial media has become popular and changed social interaction between people. The Middle East is an important and expanding market, particularly the occupied Palestinian territory, where restrictions related to cultural and geopolitical realities create an environment of isolation for young adults. Dependence on social media is suggested to diminish motivation to participate in naturally occurring activities and life interests, leading to physical and mental health risks. The aim of this study was to assess the potential association between excessive Facebook use and physical health complaints, unhealthy habits, and emotional discomfort in university students. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we recruited students at the An-Najah National University of Palestine. We used a pretested, self-administered questionnaire to collect demographic data and information about Facebook use, unhealthy habits related to Facebook use, and physical health complaints. The Facebook Intensity Scale (FIS) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS21) were used as study instruments. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of An-Najah National University. Participation was voluntary, and written consent was obtained from each participant. FindingsThe sample included 1003 students of both sexes and from a range of study areas. 938 participants returned valid questionnaires. 922 (98%) students had Facebook accounts, with 240 (26%) students spending more than 3 h per day on Facebook, and 258 (28%) students reporting having more than 300 Facebook friends. A positive relationship was found between time spent on social network sites, number of Facebook friends, and Facebook Intensity Scales scores and an increase in unhealthy habits including skipping meals, delaying urination, and late night and interrupted sleep. Negative health consequences related to excessive use included eye strain, reduction in energy levels, reduction in frequency and duration of exercise, and back and wrist pain. Excessive Facebook use and having a high number of Facebook friends were associated with emotional discomfort (depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms). InterpretationThese findings present evidence that excessive social networking online is associated with unhealthy habits and negative health effects in Palestinian students. Excessive Facebook use might also lead to increased risk of mental health symptoms and interfere with actual developmental tasks. Public awareness and alternative opportunities for socialisation and recreation are needed to combat this high-risk health trend. FundingNone.

Metabolic syndrome in overweight and obese young Palestinian students at An-Najah National University: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome is one of the main reasons for elevated mortality worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterise and establish sex-adjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome in young Palestinian adults. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was done at An-Najah National University in 2014 using International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and modified National Cholesterol Education Program-Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP) definitions. Approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants. FindingsOf 850 students (352 men, 498 women) aged 18–24 years, 178 (21%) were overweight, and 45 (5%) were obese. 154 students were enrolled in this study (89 [58%] men, 65 [42%] women). 114 [74%] participants were overweight, and 40 [26%] participants were obese. Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent when the IDF definition was used (44 [29%] participants) than when the modified NCEP definition was used (37 [24%] participants; p<0·001), with no differences between men and women (p>0·05). Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent in participants with obesity than in students with overweight according to the IDF definition (16 [40%] vs 29 [25%]) and the modified NCEP definition (14 [35%] vs 23 [20%]). The prevalence of individual metabolic syndrome components was: 111 (72%) for central obesity (48 [43%] men, 63 [57%] women) according to the IDF definition, and 66 (43%) participants (18 [27%] men, 48 [73%] women) according to the modified NCEP definition; 46 [30%] for increased blood pressure (33 [72%] men, 13 [28%] women); 28 [18%] for high triglycerides (24 [86%] men, four [14%] women); 115 [75%] for low HDL-cholesterol (72 [63%] men, 43 [37%] women); and 37 (24%) for impaired fasting glucose (22 [59%] men, 15 [41%] women). Low HDL-cholesterol, central obesity, and raised blood pressure were the leading three common metabolic abnormalities in participants. InterpretationIrrespective of the definition used, metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent in Palestinian young adults. With the increase of obesity, the clustering of metabolic syndrome components was remarkably increased. More attention should therefore be given to the adult population at risk to reduce adulthood obesity and subsequent cardiovascular disease. FundingNone.

Death Anxiety and Obsessional Death among University Palestinian Students

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the perception and relationship between death anxiety and death obsession among Palestinians university students. The sample consisted of 216 Palestinian university students enrolled in two universities in Gaza Strip (Al-Al-Azhar and Islamic University of Gaza) and one university in West Bank (Al Quds university of Jerusalem). Eighty-seven of the students (40.3%) were males and 129 (59.7%) were females. Age ranged from 17 to 30 years. Mean age was 20.4 years (SD=1.8). The researcher used three questionnaires; a predesigned socio- demographic sheet, death anxiety, obsessive about death scale. The study showed that mean death anxiety score was 60.39. The study showed that female student, and those live in Gaza Strip reported more death anxiety. Mean scores on the death obsession was more in students from Gaza. Mean scores of death dominance, death idea repetition, and death ruminations were higher in female’s students than males. There was a positive association between death anxiety and death obsession, death dominance, death idea repetition, and death ruminations. Clinical implications: Our findings that university students had high scores of death anxiety, and obsessive anxiety could be the continuous conflict in the area and repeated exposure to war trauma in the area. Such findings highlight the need for establishing counselling centers in the universities to help students on overcoming their death anxiety and obsession. Also, there is needed for training courses for students in causes and ways of intervention with such problems.

Characterization and prevalence of metabolic syndrome among overweight and obese young Palestinian students at An-Najah National University

ObjectivesMetabolic Syndrome “MetS” is characterized by the presence of several factors that play a major role in the development of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus. This study was conducted to establish the prevalence of MetS and its individual components among the overweight and obese students at An-Najah National University (ANU) using IDF and modified NCEP ATP III definition and to identify conditions associated with it. Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016. Data were collected in two stages: first stage included anthropometric and blood pressure measurements for 850 participants. Second stage included a self-administered questionnaire and biochemical analysis for only overweight or obese (154) participants. ResultsThe prevalence of overweight and obesity was 26.2%, with significant increase among males (36.4%) compared with females (19.1%). The prevalence of MetS among obese and overweight was (28.6%) according to IDF with no significant increase compared to NCEP ATP criteria (24%). Reduced HDL- cholesterol was the most prevalent component (74.7%) in obese and overweight participants followed by central obesity (72.1%), raised blood pressure (29.9%), elevated fasting blood sugar (24%), and lastly increased triglycerides (18.2%). No significant differences were found between males and females according to both criteria. Moreover, no significant associations with geographic locality, house-hold income, smoking, physical activity, or family history were determined. ConclusionsThe prevalence of MetS among overweight and obese young adult Palestinians was high and demands immediate intervention, given the potential for these adults to develop chronic diseases.

Experience of Palestinian medical students on the geopolitical barriers to accessing hospitals for clinical training: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe movement of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories is restricted by bureaucratic and physical obstacles. The objectives of this study were to characterise the barriers that Palestinian medical students face in accessing hospitals for clinical training and to understand how they affect Palestinian students’ medical education and quality of life. MethodsConvenience sampling was used to recruit fourth-year to sixth-year medical students from Al-Quds University to participate in individual online surveys and focus group discussions. Informed consent was obtained electronically and verbally. 30 students completed the online survey and 36 students participated in focus group discussions. Transcripts of the surveys and interviews were coded to identify major themes. This study was approved by the institutional review boards at Harvard Medical School and Al-Quds University. FindingsPalestinian medical students faced numerous challenges during their clinical training. Students emphasised the difficulties in obtaining permits to train at East Jerusalem hospitals, including arbitrary permit rejections and long wait times. Substantial delays, searches, and mistreatment at checkpoints during their commute to hospitals in East Jerusalem and throughout the West Bank were particularly burdensome. The majority of students felt that their education and quality of life had been strongly negatively affected by their experience trying to access hospital training sites. InterpretationOur findings suggest that medical students living and studying in the occupied Palestinian territories receive suboptimal training because of ambiguous permit rules, barriers at checkpoints, and the psychological burden of the process. These results highlight the effect that military occupation has on the education and quality of life of Palestinian medical students. FundingWHO West Bank and Gaza Office, Advocacy Unit, Jerusalem, and Harvard Medical School, USA.

Pronunciation Errors Committed by Palestinian Students at An-Najah National University: An Analytical Approach

This empirical study aims at identifying the English consonant sounds that are mispronounced by native speakers of Palestinian Arabic. It also aims to explore the pattern of errors that Palestinian speakers follow in speaking English. Two main questions have been explored in the study: 1) what are the most common mispronounced English consonants produced by Palestinian students? and 2) what patterns do these students follow in so doing? 20 undergraduate students from the English Department at An-Najah National University are observed and their English is recorded to identify the problematic consonant sounds. The study results show that the most problematic sounds include /p/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/, /ɹ/, and /ŋ/. In the light of the findings, the researchers recommend that the best way to learn the pronunciation of a second language is by listening to native speakers of that language and by practicing it regularly.

Pronunciation Errors Committed by Palestinian Students at An-Najah National University: An Analytical Approach

This empirical study aims at identifying the English consonant sounds that are mispronounced by native speakers of Palestinian Arabic. It also aims to explore the pattern of errors that Palestinian speakers follow in speaking English. Two main questions have been explored in the study: 1) what are the most common mispronounced English consonants produced by Palestinian students? and 2) what patterns do these students follow in so doing? 20 undergraduate students from the English Department at An-Najah National University are observed and their English is recorded to identify the problematic consonant sounds. The study results show that the most problematic sounds include /p/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/, /ɹ/, and /ŋ/. In the light of the findings, the researchers recommend that the best way to learn the pronunciation of a second language is by listening to native speakers of that language and by practicing it regularly.

The Effects of Motivation and Other Factors on Second Language Acquisition: A Case Study on Achieving Advanced Oral Proficiency in English

This paper is based on a case study of Raya, a Palestinian Arab undergraduate student, at the University of Jordan, who has achieved level B1 according to The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in listening and reading comprehension (‘accomplished’) and CEFR level B2 (‘superior’) in language form and meaning in English according to the TOEFL Junior Exam. Based on multiple data sources (i.e. interviews, observation, questionnaires and document analysis), the study aims to highlight how Raya's multiple identities as a language learner, avid film watcher, YouTube user and online gamer, and a (non) member of a target language community have contributed to her oral proficiency in English. The study also aims to emphasize some personal attributes that Raya has as a language learner in order to uncover the factors which have assisted or hampered her acquisition of English. The main finding of the case study is that Raya's English language proficiency has been enriched because of two overriding factors: firstly, integrative motivation (i.e. her love of English) highlighted through her immersion in the target language by her online identity, films and social interaction; and, secondly, instrumental motivation (i.e. using the language as a means to academic and professional advancement) in the sense she realized English was a way of helping her to achieve her goal of leaving her hometown and studying abroad. It is hoped that this study will inspire and inform both language learners and educators alike, as to some of the steps to success in acquiring proficiency in English or any other language.

The Threat of BDS

The Threat of BDS

The Association Between Political Violence and the Connection Between Bullying and Suicidality Among Palestinian Youth.

We examined the association between protracted political violence and the connection between bullying and suicidality among Palestinian adolescents. Data were collected from a representative sample of Palestinian students (N=5,713) from 100 schools in the West Bank and East Jerusalem who completed an in-class survey. Students who were victims of bullying or bully victims who were exposed to political violence were at higher risk for suicide attempts compared to students who were victims of bullying or bully victims but not exposed to political violence. Political violence moderated the association between bullying and suicide attempts after controlling for socio demographic and other mental health variables.