Trauma Predicts the Desire to Migrate and Psychological Well-Being via Belongingness and Quality of Life Among Palestinians

Objectives: The current study aimed to test the association between trauma symptoms, desire to migrate and psychological well-being, and whether general belongingness, belongingness to place, and quality of life mediate the association between these variables. Method: The sample of our study consisted of 470 Palestinian adults. Participants' age ranged from 21 to 52 years old (M = 36.4, SD = 14.24). They were all recruited from online advertisements, e-mail campaigns, and social media. The General Belongingness Scale, The Psychological Place Attachment Scale, The Impact of the Event Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life Instruments, and The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale were administered. Results: The findings of our study revealed that trauma symptoms negatively correlated with psychological well-being (r = -.47, p < .01), general belongingness (r = -.50, p < .01), belongingness to place (r = -.16, p < .05), and quality of life (r = -.16, p < .05), and positively associated with desire to migrate (r = .26, p < .01). Moreover, results of structural equation modeling showed that the association between trauma symptoms, psychological well-being, and desire to migrate was mediated by general belongingness, belongingness to place, and quality of life. Conclusions: The findings of our study indicate the importance of supporting health providers and policymakers in enhancing quality of life and strengthening belongingness and attachment to the place among Palestinians to control the effects of ongoing trauma on mental health and mitigate the risks of illegal (or legal) migration from the homeland.