Impact of prolonged social crisis on resilience and coping indicators.

The current study examines, longitudinally, (i.e., on the same sample), to what extent an acute political/social crisis in Israel affected the resilience, distress, and additional psychological indicators of the Jewish population, along with three repeated measurements: The first was conducted shortly before the last elections (in October 2022), the second in February 2023, about two and a half months after the elections, following the formation of a right-wing government, and the third measurement about nine months after the election (August 7-10, 2023). The main results indicated the following: (a) the mean societal resilience among coalition voters increased significantly throughout the three measurements, while it declined significantly among opposition voters. (b) significant differences were identified between coalition and opposition voters, mostly at T2 and T3: opposition supporters reported significantly lower levels of societal resilience and hope, and higher levels of distress symptoms and sense of danger, compared to those of coalition supporters. We concluded that the continued social/political conflict in Israel is multidimensional and impacts diverse areas such as values, perspectives, and supporting as well as suppressing coping indicators. The differences between the two voter groups may be primarily the result of political radicalization and polarization processes, that aim to widen gaps to achieve political power. As many countries are currently facing acute political crises and similar radicalization, similar studies should be conducted in varied societies to investigate the generalizability of the findings.

The impact of potentially morally injurious experience of betrayal on PTSD and depression following the October 7th terror attack.

With about 1200 individuals murdered, the massacre of October 7th was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in modern history. The mental health consequences of terrorist attacks have been documented. However, little is known of the impact of the potentially morally injurious experience (PMIE) of betrayal--in which individuals feel betrayed by leaders they once trusted--on levels of psychological burden in the aftermath of such an attack. In this national prospective cohort study, we examined to what extent the PMIE of betrayal exacerbates the risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in the wake of the October 7th terrorist attack. A representative sample of 710 Israeli adults (362 female, 51.1%), Jews (557, 79.9%) and Arabs (153, 20.1%), aged 18-85 (M = 41.01, SD = 13.72) completed validated self-report questionnaires assessing PTSD, depression, and PMIE-betrayal at two timepoints: T1, in August 2023 (6-7 weeks before the attack) and T2, in November 2023 (5-6 weeks after the attack). In two hierarchical logistic regressions, we found that experience of PMIE-betrayal predicted diagnoses of both PTSD (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.26-2.92) and depression (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.37-3.01) at T2, beyond probable PTSD/depression at T1 and demographic and trauma-related variables. Moreover, in two repeated-measure analyses predicting PTSD/depression symptoms, we found significant interactions between PTSD/depression trajectories and PMIE-betrayal, meaning that the increase of PTSD/depression symptoms was significantly higher among participants experiencing betrayal in the context of the attack. Our study highlights the impact of PMIE of betrayal on the dramatic increase in psychopathology following the October 7th terror attack on Israel's population. Clinicians treating individuals coping with PTSD and depression should attend to their patients' possible exposure to betrayal following the attack. Moreover, national leaders and policymakers should take significant steps to repair the public's betrayal experience.

Why do women with cardiac symptoms delay seeking medical help? Insights from a qualitative study among Jewish Israeli women.

BACKGROUND: The delay time from onset of symptoms of a myocardial infarction to seeking medical assistance can have life-threatening consequences. Women delay significantly more often than men do in calling for medical help, once symptoms of a myocardial infarction occur. OBJECTIVES: The current qualitative study's main aim was to explore psychosocial factors that contribute to Israeli women's delaying calls for medical assistance and, by contrast, the motivational factors that encourage them to do so. DESIGN: A qualitative study. METHOD: In total, 12 women were interviewed shortly after experiencing a myocardial infarction. Qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Two major themes emerged describing barriers to seeking help: (1) the use of denial as a defense mechanism and (2) the need for control. The motivational factor which enhanced help-seeking was "fear of death." CONCLUSION: These findings may help in designing gender-sensitive interventions with the aim of minimizing the symptom onset to call time and thus preventing irreversible and life-threatening health damage.

The mental health impact of the October 7th terror attack on Jews and Arabs in Israel: A nationwide prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: On October 7, 2023, Israeli citizens came under an unprecedented terrorist attack that impacted the entire country. Recent research has begun to document the mental health impact of the attack but has yet to address the question of whether the attack had a differential impact across ethnic communities. In this nationwide prospective cohort study, we aimed to determine possible differences in psychopathology between Jews and Arabs in the post-October 7th attack. Specifically, we aimed to understand the role ethnicity may play in changes in probable PTSD, depression, and anxiety diagnoses from pre- to post-attack. METHODS: The sample comprised 656 participants (332 female, 50.7%) aged 18-85 (M = 41.01, SD = 13.72). Of this cohort, 557 participants (84.9%) were Jews, and 99 (15.1%) were Arabs, reflecting their national proportionality. Validated self-report questionnaires were completed to assess PTSD, depression, and anxiety at two time points: August 20 to 30th, 2023 (T1; 6-7 weeks before the attack) and November 9-19, 2023 (T2; 5-6 weeks after the attack). RESULTS: At T2, Arab Israeli participants reported significantly higher prevalences of probable PTSD, depression, and anxiety diagnoses than Jewish Israeli participants. A series of hierarchical logistic regressions revealed that, compared with Jews, Arab participants presented with higher prevalence of probable PTSD (OR = 2.53 95% CI = 1.46-4.37, p < 0.0001), depression (OR = 1.68 95% CI = 1.35-3.01, p < 0.0001) and anxiety (OR = 6.42 95% CI = 3.95-10.52, p < 0.0001), controlling for prevalences of probable diagnoses at T1 as well as for trauma-related variables. DISCUSSION: Citizens belonging to the Arab ethnic minority in Israel were found to be at higher risk for psychopathology in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack compared with their Jewish majority counterparts. Thus, it becomes critical to employ culturally sensitive assessments and interventions following the attack to prevent the development of chronic symptoms and disorders.

BRCA awareness and testing experience in the UK Jewish population: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: 1 in 40 UK Jewish individuals carry a pathogenic variant in BRCA1/BRCA2. Traditional testing criteria miss half of carriers, and so population genetic testing is being piloted for Jewish people in England. There has been no qualitative research into the factors influencing BRCA awareness and testing experience in this group. This study aimed to explore these and inform improvements for the implementation of population genetic testing. METHODS: Qualitative study of UK Jewish adults who have undergone BRCA testing. We conducted one-to-one semistructured interviews via telephone or video call using a predefined topic guide, until sufficient information power was reached. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and interpreted using applied thematic analysis. RESULTS: 32 individuals were interviewed (28 carriers, 4 non-carriers). We interpreted five themes intersecting across six time points of the testing pathway: (1) individual differences regarding personal/family history of cancer, demographics and personal attitudes/approach; (2) healthcare professionals' support; (3) pathway access and integration; (4) nature of family/partner relationships; and (5) Jewish community factors. Testing was largely triggered by connecting information to a personal/family history of cancer. No participants reported decision regret, although there was huge variation in satisfaction. Suggestions were given around increasing UK Jewish community awareness, making information and support services personally relevant and proactive case management of carriers. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to improve UK Jewish community BRCA awareness and to highlight personal relevance of testing for individuals without a personal/family history of cancer. Traditional testing criteria caused multiple issues regarding test access and experience. Carriers want information and support services tailored to their individual circumstances.

Why step in? Shifting justifications for bystander behaviors through interventions with youth in the Middle East.

Research shows positive bystander intervention effectively mitigates bullying experiences. Yet, more evidence regarding bystander responses to bias-based social exclusion (BSE) is needed in intergroup contexts, especially in the majority world and in areas of intractable conflict. This study assessed the effectiveness of skills and skills + contact-based interventions for BSE among 148 Palestinian Citizens of Israel (Mage = 10.55) and 154 Jewish-Israeli (Mage = 10.54) early adolescents (Girls = 52.32%) in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Bystander responses were assessed by participants' reactions to hypothetical BSE scenarios over three time points. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed both interventions significantly increased positive and decreased negative bystander responses, with changes maintained at the follow-up. The opposite result pattern emerged for the control group. Findings suggest that both interventions can effectively encourage youth to publicly challenge BSE, even amidst intractable conflict.

The moderating role of belongingness in the contribution of depression to suicide ideation following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel: A nationwide prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: With >1300 civilians murdered, the terrorist attack of October 7 is one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in modern history. Previous research documented a sharp increase in depression in the aftermath of the attacks and the military conflict that followed. In this national prospective cohort study, we examined to what extent perceived belongingness (PB) moderates the association between depression and suicide ideation (SI) in the wake of the October 7th terrorist attack. METHODS: A representative sample of 710 Israeli adults (of them, 362 females, 51.1 %), Jews (557, 79.9 %), and Arabs (153, 20.1 %), aged 18-85 (M = 41.01, SD = 13.72) completed questionnaires assessing depression, current SI, and perceived belongingness at two timepoints: T1 (in August 2023) and T2 (in November 2023). RESULTS: Perceived belongingness at T1 predicted SI at T2 beyond demographic and trauma-related characteristics. Importantly, we found a significant interaction in which a PB at T1 moderated the link between depression and current SI at T2. Specifically, the level of depression at T2 contributed to current SI-T2 more strongly for individuals with low PB levels than for individuals with high PB levels. DISCUSSION: Our study highlights the impact of PB on SI following the October 7th terrorist attack. Clinicians treating individuals coping with depression should attend to their patients' sense of belongingness, as low PB comprises a significant risk factor for current SI. Moreover, community and national initiatives that could increase levels of PB among the citizens may help to diminish suicide risk in the aftermath of the attack.

Values and National Identification in Minority and Majority Youth: Longitudinal Multi-Study Findings.

Collective identification is vital for adolescents, fostering well-being and connection, but scant attention has been given to drivers of national identification and their contextual variations in youth. To address this, two longitudinal studies examined how values, as guiding goals defining what individuals consider important in their lives, relate to the trajectory of national identification in majority and minority youth. Study 1 (N = 568; Mage = 16.24, SD = 0.71) and Study 2 (N = 678; Mage = 13.78, SD = 0.73) focused on majority youth (Jewish-Israelis), while Study 2 also included minority (Arab citizens of Israel). The findings highlight values as important motivators of national identification over time. Conservation values, emphasizing the preservation of the status quo and a preference for stability, were prominent motivators for the majority of adolescents. In contrast, power values, which center around climbing the social ladder and accumulating wealth, held greater significance among their minority counterparts; however, both sets of values correlated with increased national identification. The discussion touches on motivations underlying national identification, their contextual diversity, and implications for future studies.

Between victory and peace: Unravelling the paradox of hope in intractable conflicts.

Previous research on group-based hope has predominantly focused on positive intergroup outcomes, such as peace and harmony. In this paper, we demonstrate that hope experienced towards group-centric political outcomes, such as a victory in a conflict and defeating the enemy, can be detrimental to peace. In Study 1, conducted among Israeli Jews, hope for victory over the Palestinians was uniquely associated with more support for extreme war policies, whereas hope for peace generally showed the opposite associations. In Study 2, we replicated these results among Muslim Pakistanis regarding the Pakistan-India dispute. Notably, in both Studies 1 and 2, only hope for victory significantly predicted personal violent extremist intentions. In Study 3, conducted with a representative sample of Israeli Jews, we found three latent profiles of hope: victory hopers, peace hopers, and dual hopers (hoping for both peace and victory). Finally, in preregistered Study 4, we longitudinally investigated how hopes for victory and peace changed from a relatively calm period in 2021 to the Israel-Hamas War of 2023, utilizing a Bivariate Latent Change Score analysis. Increases in hope for victory during the highly intense war explained the increase in support for violence. We discuss implications, limitations, and directions for future research.

Understanding Social, Cultural, and Religious Factors Influencing Medical Decision-Making on BRCA1/2 Genetic Testing in the Orthodox Jewish Community.

INTRODUCTION: Although the prevalence of a pathogenic variant in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is about 1:400 (0.25%) in the general population, the prevalence is as high as 1:40 (2.5%) among the Ashkenazi Jewish population. Despite cost-effective preventive measures for mutation carriers, Orthodox Jews constitute a cultural and religious group that requires different approaches to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing relative to other groups. This study analyzed a dialog of key stakeholders and community members to explore factors that influence decision-making about BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing in the New York Orthodox Jewish community. METHODS: Qualitative research methods, based on Grounded Theory and Narrative Research, were utilized to analyze the narrative data collected from 49 key stakeholders and community members. A content analysis was conducted to identify themes; inter-rater reliability was 71%. RESULTS: Facilitators of genetic testing were a desire for preventive interventions and education, while barriers to genetic testing included negative emotions, feared impact on family/romantic relationships, cost, and stigma. Views differed on the role of religious leaders and healthcare professionals in medical decision-making. Education, health, and community were discussed as influential factors, and concerns were expressed about disclosure, implementation, and information needs. CONCLUSION: This study elicited the opinions of Orthodox Jewish women (decision-makers) and key stakeholders (influencers) who play critical roles in the medical decision-making process. The findings have broad implications for engaging community stakeholders within faith-based or culturally distinct groups to ensure better utilization of healthcare services for cancer screening and prevention designed to improve population health.

"I Would Consult a Doctor, But What the Rabbi Says Goes": Ultra-Orthodox Jews' Relationships with Rabbis and Doctors in Israel.

We examine relationships among ultra-Orthodox Israeli Jews, their doctors, and rabbis when medical decisions are made. Analyzing excerpts from sixteen focus groups with 128 ultra-Orthodox Jews, we determine how their belief system affects their decisions about whom to trust and follow when the doctor's instructions contradict the rabbi's advice. We argue that the strict behaviors described here with regard to relations among doctors, rabbis, and patients, function as social capital that raises the status of ultra-Orthodox Jews as members of an exclusive club that balances health decisions with the social demand to obey their religious leaders.

Economic disadvantage and depressive symptoms among Arab and Jewish women in Israel: the role of social support and formal services.

OBJECTIVES: Depression is a major public health concern due to its high prevalence and association with functioning. Ethnic minorities in Western countries are more likely to experience economic disadvantage and exposure to stressors that may put them at higher risk of developing depression. One major protective factor associated with reduced depressive symptoms is an existing support network. This study examined the associations between economic disadvantage, formal and informal social support, and depressive symptoms among two ethnicity groups in Israel: Arab and Jewish mothers of young children, as well as the potential mediating role of formal and informal social support in the associations between economic disadvantage and depressive symptoms. DESIGN: We recruited a representative sample of 837 Jewish and Arab mothers of children aged 2-6 years. We collected data via structured face-to-face interviews following approval of the university ethic committee. We used the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) scale to measure maternal perceived social support, and a measure designed for this study to quantify formal social support. RESULTS: Compared to the Jewish mothers, Arab mothers reported more depressive symptoms, greater economic disadvantage, and fewer informal and formal support networks. Economic disadvantage was negatively associated with informal support but positively associated with formal support among both Jewish and Arab mothers. Results further revealed that informal and formal social support mediated the associations between economic disadvantage and symptoms of depression. CONCLUSIONS: More attention should be paid to the associations between social determinants and mothers' mental health, with a possible shift of focus to macro-level factors, such as economic inequality and minority status.

Support and Informational Needs of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Women Coping with Advanced Cancer: A Pilot Observational Study.

In Israel, as in other countries, the emotional and physical needs of minority populations receiving palliative care, are largely unknown. The ultra-Orthodox Jewish sector is one such minority population. This study's goal was to identify perceived social support, desire to receive information about illness and prognosis, and willingness to disclose information to others. Various measures assessing perception of social support, psychological symptoms and information disclosure were completed. Fifty-one women consented to participate; approximately 50% of participants had disclosed the diagnosis to their rabbi or a friend, in addition to their spouse. Almost all of the participants would want to be told if their condition were worsening (86.3%), yet only 17.6% reported that their doctor had discussed future care options if their health situation were to worsen. Overall, participants felt that the level of support they received was high and reported low levels of mental distress. This is the first known study regarding perceptions and needs of ultra-Orthodox Jewish women with advanced-stage cancer. Both diagnosis disclosure and palliative care options should be addressed and discussed with these patients so they may make important end-of-life decisions.

The Experience of Pregnancy and Childbirth Overshadowed by Obstetric Violence and Structural Barriers of the Israeli Health System from the Perspective of Arab and Jewish Women.

The aim of this study was to give a voice to Arab and Jewish women in Israel who had suffered obstetric violence during various stages of fertility treatments, pregnancy, and childbirth and also to learn from the women about their experiences of obstetric violence subject to the barriers of the Israeli health system, and their recommendations of possible solutions. The study underlines the unique gender, social, and cultural context in Israel concerning pregnancy and childbirth, and was based on the feminist approach that strives to promote human rights, and eradicate phenomena of gender-related, patriarchal, and social structures. The study used a qualitative-constructivist methodology. Twenty semi-structured interviews with ten Arab women and ten Jewish women were thematically analyzed, and five main themes emerged: first, the women's experience of becoming pregnant and pregnancy overshadowed by physical and emotional barriers from caregivers and the close environment; second, the women's awareness of their bodies and needs during pregnancy dominated by the challenges of the health services; third, the women's awareness of their bodies and needs during childbirth alongside incompatible expectations and nonattentive medical staff; fourth, the women's descriptions of experiences and types of obstetric violence; and fifth, the women's recommendations to eradicate obstetric violence.

Impact of new country, discrimination, and acculturation-related factors on depression and anxiety among ex-Soviet Jewish migrants: data from a population-based cross-national comparison study.

Migration, displacement, and flight are major worldwide phenomena and typically pose challenges to mental health. Therefore, migrants' mental health, and the factors which may predict it, have become an important research subject. The present population-based cross-national comparison study explores symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatization, as well as quality-of-life in samples of ex-Soviet Jewish migrants settling in three new countries: Germany, Austria and Israel, as well as in a sample of non-migrant ex-Soviet Jews in their country of origin, Russia. In the current study, we investigate the relationship of perceived xenophobiа and antisemitism, acculturation attitudes, ethnic and national identity, as well as affiliation with Jewish religion and culture to the psychological well-being of these migrants. Furthermore, we consider xenophobic and antisemitic attitudes as well as the acculturation orientation of the new countries' societies, assessed in the native control samples. Our data suggest that attitudes of the new country's society matter for the mental health of this migrant group. We conclude that the level of distress among ex-Soviet Jewish migrants seems to depend, among other factors, on the characteristics of the new country and/or specific interactions of the migrant population with the society they are settling in.

Perceived academic challenges of Jewish and Arab undergraduates during the first wave of COVID-19.

This study examined differences between Arab and Jewish undergraduate students in their perceived academic challenges, COVID-19-related concerns, perceived social support and trust in the university and the government. It also examined factors associated with perceived academic challenges and the moderating role of trust in the university in the associations between COVID-19-related concerns and perceived academic challenges. The sample consisted of 2751 students: 2291 (83%) Jewish, 398 (15%) Arab and 61 (2%) 'other'. Arab students reported higher COVID-19-related concerns and perceived academic challenges, and lower levels of perceived social support and trust in university and government than did Jewish students. Both Jewish and Arab students identified COVID-19-related concerns as a stress-vulnerability factor for perceived academic challenges, whereas perceived social support and trust in the university were identified as resources for perceived academic challenges. No support was found for the role of trust in government in the face of perceived academic challenges nor for the moderating role of trust in the university in the associations between COVID-19-related concerns and perceived academic challenges. In conclusion, the need of Arab students for emotional and academic support needs to be acknowledged as part of the efforts to promote academic success during the pandemic.

'You don't compare horrors, you just don't do that': Examining assumptions and extending the scope of comparative victim beliefs.

Social psychological research on collective victimhood has often focused on comparisons between the ingroup's and outgroups' collective victimization (i.e. comparative victim beliefs such as competitive victimhood or inclusive victim beliefs). This qualitative study examines how people in different contexts of collective victimization and its aftermath make sense of items commonly used to assess comparative victim beliefs, and how they extend or challenge these constructs and their underlying assumptions. We used thematic analysis to analyse eight focus group discussions among four minority groups in the United States with historical or more recent experiences of collective victimization (Armenian Americans, Burundian refugees, Jewish Americans and Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees). Findings extend commonly assessed comparative victim beliefs and reveal participants' critical perspectives on these constructs. The findings also highlight the dialectical structure of collective victim beliefs: Participants not only endorsed but also rejected comparative victim beliefs, and relatedly described both ingroup power and outgroup power in the context of their group's victimization. These findings extend existing social psychological literature on comparative victim beliefs and intergroup relations.

Turning the lens in the study of precarity: On experimental social psychology's acquiescence to the settler-colonial status quo in historic Palestine.

This review examines the coloniality infused within the conduct and third reporting of experimental research in what is commonly referred to as the 'Israeli-Palestinian conflict'. Informed by a settler colonial framework and decolonial theory, our review measured the appearance of sociopolitical terms and critically analysed the reconciliation measures. We found that papers were three times more likely to describe the context through the framework of intractable conflict compared to occupation. Power asymmetry was often acknowledged and then flattened via, for instance, adjacent mentions of Israeli and Palestinian physical violence. Two-thirds of the dependent variables were not related to material claims (e.g. land, settlements, or Palestinian refugees) but rather to the feelings and attitudes of Jewish Israelis and Palestinians. Of the dependent measures that did consider material issues, they nearly universally privileged conditions of the two-state solution and compromises on refugees' right of return that would violate international law. The majority of the studies sampled Jewish-Israeli participants exclusively, and the majority of authors were affiliated with Israeli institutions. We argue that for social psychology to offer insights that coincide with the decolonization of historic Palestine, the discipline will have to begin by contextualizing its research within the material conditions and history that socially stratify the groups.

Psychological distress, optimism and emotion regulation among Israeli Jewish and Arab pregnant women during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a vulnerable period for women, and it is especially so under the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas there is some evidence for distress among pregnant women during the outspread of COVID-19, little is known about the second wave of the pandemic. We therefore sought to examine the contribution of background variables, ethnicity (Jewish, Arab), personal resources (optimism, emotion regulation), and COVID-19-related anxieties to pregnant Israeli women's psychological distress. METHOD: A convenience sample of 1127 Israeli women was recruited from 5 July to 7 October 2020. RESULTS: Not having an academic degree, lower economic status, being an Arab woman, poorer physical health, lower levels of optimism and cognitive reappraisal, higher levels of emotion suppression and COVID-19-related anxieties all contributed significantly to greater psychological distress. Finally, ethnicity moderated the relationship between optimism and emotion suppression and the woman's level of psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: The findings reveal risk and resilience factors associated with the psychological distress of pregnant women during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the potentially greater vulnerability of women from a minority group, showing that ethnicity plays a central role in the way personal resources are related to psychological distress at such times.

Touching male patients - The challenge of orthodox Jewish female nursing students: A phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: Individuals from minority populations represent a growing percentage of the nursing workforce. Orthodox Jewish nurses are part of the Israeli nursing workforce, but scarce data and little research is available regarding the influence of nurses'; religious and cultural backgrounds on their interactions with patients. Research regarding touch between the sexes in a professional context refers mainly to male nurses touching female patients. The cultural context of touching patients has also been poorly investigated. OBJECTIVES: Understanding orthodox Jewish female nursing student's experience of touching male patients. DESIGN: Qualitative study. SETTINGS: Four academic nursing programs in Israel. PARTICIPANTS: Forty orthodox Jewish female nursing students, academic year 3-4. METHOD: Descriptive phenomenological approach. Forty in depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken and analyzed according to themes. RESULTS: Eight categories were identified. From these, three main themes emerged: Supervisor-student relationship (bullying/abuse), negative personal feelings (loneliness/helplines, lack of support, fears, cognitive dissonance) and coping strategies (being tested by God, improving one's self character, positive personal reflection). CONCLUSION: These students presented with unique challenges facing male patients - which clinical instructors were unaware of. They used their cultural background as a source of power. Findings may be of global relevance for other nursing schools and health services where nurses come from religious backgrounds.