ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN FAMILIES IN THE PEACE PROCESS - SOURCES OF STRESS AND RESPONSE PATTERNS

The Israeli-Palestinian peace process is characterized by its unknown outcomes and consequences for the families involved. The purpose of th is study was to identify family processes under conditions of prolonge d uncertainty. Data were collected from both Israeli and Palestinian f amilies in the West Bank by means of semi-structured interviews. Quali tative and quantitative analyses showed crosscultural differences in t he perception of the situation; different hinds of concerns and source s of stress; different coping responses; and differences in dyadic int eraction patterns and intrafamily processes. The findings are discusse d in social-contextual terms, particularly the ways in which political and cultural contexts shape the perception of the situation and famil y processes under prolonged stressful conditions.