Violent Death: A Qualitative Study of Israeli and Palestinian Families

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to report on how the unexpected and violent death of a civilian family member in Israel and Palestine affected family functioning 3-5 years after the incident. The narrative analysis revealed similarities and differences between the Israeli and Palestinian families on how the death was perceived, on coping strategies, an on how it influenced various aspects of family interaction. Results cannot be generalized to the wider population, but the findings can provide new theoretical concepts about how such an event may impact the family system as a whole.