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Korn L, Billig M, Zukerman G. Higher Residence Attachment and Religiosity Are Associated With Less Depressive Symptoms After Terror Event Exposure. Front Psychol 2021; 12:760415. [PMID: 34955981 PMCID: PMC8695614 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.760415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: We examined how community type, residence attachment, and religiosity contribute to resilience to depressive symptoms, psychosomatic complaints, residential stress, and avoidance behavior among students exposed to terror. Methods: Undergraduate students from Ariel University (N = 1,413; 62.7% females; Mage = 26.5; SD = 6.03) completed a self-report questionnaire on socio-demographics, terror exposure, place attachment, and depressive/psychosomatic symptoms. Participants were divided into three residential groups: “Ariel,” “Small settlement communities in Judea and Samaria” or “Other places in Israel.” Results: Participants from small settlement communities in Judea and Samaria showed significantly fewer depressive symptoms and greater adjustment– less avoidance, psychosomatic symptoms, and residential stress– compared to those living in Ariel or other places in Israel, despite significantly higher exposure to terror. Conclusion: Greater religiosity and residence attachment may protect against depressive symptom development following terror exposure. Secular, temporary residents living in highly terror-exposed areas should be targeted for community strengthening interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liat Korn
- Department of Health Management Systems, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Miriam Billig
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Eastern R&D Center, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Gil Zukerman
- Department of Communication Disorders, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
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Sakat E, Schiff M. Religiosity: Protective or Risk Factor for Posttraumatic Distress Among Adolescents Who Were Exposed to Different Types of Acts of Political Violence. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2021; 36:NP3914-NP3937. [PMID: 29926768 DOI: 10.1177/0886260518780775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the potential moderating effects of religiosity on the associations between exposure to acts of political violence and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS) among Jewish adolescents in Israel. In addition, it examined whether self-reported physical and interpersonal exposure to acts of political violence predicts PTS symptoms beyond the objective exposure effects (i.e., the proximity of participants' place of residence to high-, moderate-, or low-intensity political violence). A representative sample of 2,992 Jewish high school students (Grades 10 and 11) was taken. We used self-reporting to measure the level of religiosity and the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) to measure PTS symptoms. Results show that self-reported exposure to acts of political violence adds a significant additional amount of variance to the prediction of PTS symptoms after objective exposure is already included in the regression equation. Religiosity was found as a risk factor for PTS symptoms such that the greater the religiosity of the adolescents, the higher their PTS symptoms. Therefore, prevention interventions should target the vulnerable group of religious Jewish adolescents.
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Howell AN, Carleton RN, Horswill SC, Parkerson HA, Weeks JW, Asmundson GJG. Intolerance of uncertainty moderates the relations among religiosity and motives for religion, depression, and social evaluation fears. J Clin Psychol 2018; 75:95-115. [PMID: 30238465 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) underlies several psychological disorders, and religion may help some individuals cope with IU and/or protect against psychological symptoms. It was hypothesized that IU would moderate the relations between coping motives for being religious, as well as religiosity, and common psychological disorder symptoms: Depression and social evaluation fears. METHODS Study 1 included 473 self-reporting community members (M age = 48, 48% female, 80% Protestant/Catholic). Study 2 included 412 self-reporting undergraduates ( M age = 19, 71% female, 76% Protestant/Catholic). RESULTS For Study 1, coping-based motives related to greater depression for young adults with above-average IU and to lower depression for young adults with below-average IU. For Study 2, religiosity related to lower depression and fear of negative evaluation for individuals with above-average IU and to greater fear of positive evaluation for individuals with below-average IU. CONCLUSION IU may be an important mechanism between aspects of religion and psychological disorder symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - R Nicholas Carleton
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Samantha C Horswill
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Holly A Parkerson
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Ayer L, Venkatesh B, Stewart R, Mandel D, Stein B, Schoenbaum M. Psychological Aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Systematic Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2017; 18:322-338. [PMID: 26511933 DOI: 10.1177/1524838015613774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite ongoing local and international peace efforts, the Jews, Arabs, and other residents of Israel and the Palestinian territories (i.e., the West Bank and Gaza) have endured decades of political, social, and physical upheaval, with periodic eruptions of violence. It has been theorized that the psychological impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict extends beyond the bounds of psychiatric disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Exposure to the ongoing conflict may lead to changes in the way Israelis and Palestinians think, feel, and act; while these changes may not meet the thresholds of PTSD or depression, they nonetheless could have a strong public health impact. It is unclear whether existing studies have found associations between exposure to the conflict and nonclinical psychological outcomes. We conducted a systematic review to synthesize the empirical research on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its psychological consequences. As a whole, the body of literature we reviewed suggests that exposure to regional political conflict and violence may have detrimental effects on psychological well-being and that these effects likely extend beyond the psychiatric disorders and symptoms most commonly studied. We found evidence that exposure to the conflict informs not only the way Israelis and Palestinians think, feel, and act but also their attitudes toward different religious and ethnic groups and their degree of support for peace or war. We also found that Palestinians may be at particularly high risk of experiencing psychological distress as a result of the conflict, though more research is needed to determine the extent to which this is due to socioeconomic stress. Our review suggests the need for more studies on the nonclinical psychological aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well as for longitudinal studies on the impact of the conflict on both Israelis and Palestinians.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Daniel Mandel
- 3 Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | | | - Michael Schoenbaum
- 1 The RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA, USA
- 5 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, MD, USA
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Israel-Cohen Y, Kaplan O, Noy S, Kashy-Rosenbaum G. Religiosity as a Moderator of Self-Efficacy and Social Support in Predicting Traumatic Stress Among Combat Soldiers. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2016; 55:1160-71. [PMID: 26815579 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-016-0187-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Based on a sample of 54 Israeli soldiers (51 % non-religious, 49 % religious) surveyed upon their return from combat, this study investigates the moderating role of religiosity as a factor that may strengthen cognitive processing tied to the belief in oneself to persevere (i.e., self-efficacy) after trauma and/or as a factor tied to enhanced external social support that religious individuals in particular may benefit from by their involvement in a religious community. Findings revealed (1) social support was tied to greater resilience within the general sample; (2) religious soldiers were less susceptible to traumatic stress than non-religious soldiers; and (3) religiosity moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and traumatic stress but not the relationship between social support and traumatic stress. Implications of findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Israel-Cohen
- Crown Family Center for Israel and Jewish Studies, and Sociology, Religion, and Gender Studies, Northwestern University, 1860 Campus Drive, Crowe Hall 4-131, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
| | - Oren Kaplan
- School of Business Administration, College of Management Academic Studies, 7 Yitzhak Rabin Blvd., Rishon Lezion, 7502501, Israel
| | - Smadar Noy
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ashkelon Academic College, 12 Yitzhak Ben Zvi St., 78211, Ashkelon, Israel
| | - Gabriela Kashy-Rosenbaum
- Department of Education, Ashkelon Academic College, 12 Yitzhak Ben Zvi St., 78211, Ashkelon, Israel
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Zukerman G, Korn L. Post-traumatic stress and world assumptions: the effects of religious coping. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2014; 53:1676-90. [PMID: 23839068 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-013-9755-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Religiosity has been shown to moderate the negative effects of traumatic event experiences. The current study was designed to examine the relationship between post-traumatic stress (PTS) following traumatic event exposure; world assumptions defined as basic cognitive schemas regarding the world; and self and religious coping conceptualized as drawing on religious beliefs and practices for understanding and dealing with life stressors. This study examined 777 Israeli undergraduate students who completed several questionnaires which sampled individual world assumptions and religious coping in addition to measuring PTS, as manifested by the PTSD check list. Results indicate that positive religious coping was significantly associated with more positive world assumptions, while negative religious coping was significantly associated with more negative world assumptions. Additionally, negative world assumptions were significantly associated with more avoidance symptoms, while reporting higher rates of traumatic event exposure was significantly associated with more hyper-arousal. These findings suggest that religious-related cognitive schemas directly affect world assumptions by creating protective shields that may prevent the negative effects of confronting an extreme negative experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Zukerman
- Department of Communication Disorders, School of Health Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel,
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Karaırmak Ö, Güloğlu B. Forgiveness and PTSD among veterans: the mediating role of anger and negative affect. Psychiatry Res 2014; 219:536-42. [PMID: 25023369 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Man-made traumatic events such as combat and terrorism may cause individuals to develop various forms of psychopathology, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression. Veterans who engage in combat experienced negative emotions such as anger, hostility and aggression. Forgiveness may buffer these feelings and prevent the development of psychiatric problems, in that it is a way of decreasing negative feelings and increasing positive feelings. The aim of the current study was to examine the mediating role of anger and negative affect on the relationship between forgiveness and both PTSD and depression co-morbid to PTSD among Turkish veterans who were exposed to combat experience because of terrorist attacks during their compulsory military service. Two hundred and forty-seven injured veterans participated in this study. Veterans were assessed using the Traumatic Stress Symptom Checklist (TSSC), Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). A path analysis supported the hypothesized model that both anger and negative affect fully mediated the relationship between forgiveness and both PTSD and depression co-morbid to PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özlem Karaırmak
- Counseling and Guidance Program, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Bahcesehir University, Cıragan Street No: 4-6, Istanbul 34353, Turkey.
| | - Berna Güloğlu
- Counseling and Guidance Program, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Bahcesehir University, Cıragan Street No: 4-6, Istanbul 34353, Turkey.
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Nuttman-Shwartz O. Fear, Functioning, and Coping During Exposure to a Continuous Security Threat. JOURNAL OF LOSS & TRAUMA 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/15325024.2013.763551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Ragins BR, Lyness KS, Williams LJ, Winkel D. Life Spillovers: The Spillover of Fear of Home Foreclosure to the Workplace. PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/peps.12065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen S. Lyness
- Baruch College & Graduate Center; City University of New York
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