Determinants of Congregational Attendees' Psychological Outcomes

Using societal conditional regard to cope with drug use in the ultraorthodox community and the unintended consequences

Introduction

A developing theoretical framework for the investigation of tight cultures' reaction toward members who violate communal norms is societal conditional regard (SCR).

Methods

Using a qualitative interpretive approach, in the current study we investigated the way the Ultraorthodox Jewish community uses SCR to cope with substance use disorders (SUDs), which considered to be a norms violation in closed religious communities. We did so by drawing on in-depth interviews with 14 young men from the Ultraorthodox community in Israel who were diagnosed as having an SUD and were in recovery.

Results

(a) The community's socialization process, educating its members to lead a life that is the only right one; (b) The community's use of God as the one whose love and regard are conditional; (c) The SCR emotional and behavioral practices used by the community toward individuals who violate norms, and (d) How, paradoxically, the use of SCR may eventuate in the initiation of drug use, and within the community itself.

Discussion

Findings are discussed in the context of self-determination theory and SCR, and shed light on how tight cultures cope with the threat of deviation of communal norms. Implications for intervention and policy are outlined.

Enlisting in the army in the Jewish Ultraorthodox community and the consequences for wellbeing

Israeli law requires citizens to enlist in the army at 18 years old. However, the Jewish Ultraorthodox community has a longstanding agreement with the state that members of this community will not have to enlist in the army, given its spiritual leaders' strong opposition. Still, there are young men who go against the communal norms and enlist. In the current study we investigated these young men and the contribution of their self-esteem (a personal resource), their sense of community (a communal resource), and the community members' attitudes toward them (societal conditional regard, both positive and negative, and stigma) to their wellbeing. The current study consisted of 153 participants between the ages of 20 and 55 (M = 29.64, SD = 6.89). A path analysis model indicated the protective role played by self-esteem and sense of community in participants' wellbeing, and the risk factor posed by societal conditional negative regard and stigma. Moreover, self-esteem was found to mediate between income and wellbeing, whereas sense of community was found to mediate between societal conditional negative regard and wellbeing, and between stigma and wellbeing. The discussion highlights the complexity of the protective role played by sense of community against the risk of experiencing societal conditional negative regard and stigma. It also addresses the importance of promoting intervention programs during the army service of these young men, with a focus on promoting their self-esteem and on the presence of a spiritual leadership that legitimizes working, serving in the army, and yet still being part of the community.

A Jerusalem Synagogue Coping During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities

A diverse Modern Orthodox synagogue in Jerusalem continued to serve its congregants and maintain community despite closures and restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. Members were surveyed in April 2020. There were minorities of members who were experiencing mental health issues, especially those less acculturated and no one surveyed received any professional mental health help. About a quarter of the members said that regular check-ins were important but some said they were not receiving enough of them. Synagogues can potentially serve as coping resources for congregants both during periods of crisis as well as during regular periods of operation.