Forgiveness and Its Relationship to Psychological Stress Among Mothers of Martyrs in the 2023 Genocide War in Gaza

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the relationship between forgiveness and psychological stress among mothers of martyrs during the 2023 genocidal war in Gaza. The researcher employed the descriptive correlational analytical approach and used an electronic questionnaire consisting of two instruments: a Psychological Stress Scale and a Forgiveness Scale, which were administered to a sample of (100) mothers of martyrs from the 2023 genocidal war in Gaza. The study yielded several findings, the most important of which were that the level of psychological stress among the mothers of martyrs was relatively high, particularly in the psychological and emotional dimensions, due to loss and traumatic experiences. The results also indicated that the level of forgiveness was relatively high, reflecting the mothers' ability to positively adapt despite their suffering. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were found in the relationship between forgiveness and psychological stress according to age, employment status, and number of children, as mothers in the age group (30–39 years) and employed mothers demonstrated higher levels of forgiveness and lower levels of psychological stress.