Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Exploring mental health consequences of childhood abuse and the relevance of religiosity
- Authors:
- FEINSON Marjorie C., MEIR Adi
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30(3), 2015, pp.499-521.
- Publisher:
- Sage
A community-based sample of adult Jewish women that included sizable subsamples of both rigorously devout ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) and nonreligious Secular Jews was studied to explore how religiosity could mitigate the risk for mental health problems in survivors of child abuse. Mental health is assessed with the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI distress) and a single item reflecting unresolved anger about the past. Predictors of distress severity are examined with separate hierarchical regressions for each religious observance (RO) group. Despite being located at opposite ends of the religiosity spectrum, several surprising similarities emerge including no significant RO group differences in distress among abuse survivors. Moreover, ACA emerges as the strongest predictor of BSI distress within both groups and regressions explain similar amounts of variance. In contrast, two important differences emerge regarding unresolved anger and any recent abuse (ARA). Anger makes a strong contribution to explaining Haredi distress severity, less so for Secular respondents (6.1% vs. 2.9% respectively) while ARA is significant only for Haredi respondents. These initial findings suggest that abusive traumas in childhood may seriously compromise religiosity's potentially protective role. Broadening the research agenda to focus on resilient survivors would expand our understanding of healing resources, both within and outside of a religious framework. Moreover, a better understanding of unresolved anger would likely enhance interventions with greater potential for mitigating the suffering of those abused in childhood. (Edited publisher abstract)
The psychological impact of the Israel–Hezbollah war on Jews and Arabs in Israel: the impact of risk and resilience factors
- Authors:
- PALMERI Patrick A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Social Science and Medicine, 67(8), October 2008, pp.1208-1216.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Although there is abundant evidence that mass traumas are associated with adverse mental health consequences, few studies have used nationally representative samples to examine the impact of war on civilians, and none have examined the impact of the Israel–Hezbollah War, which involved unprecedented levels of civilian trauma exposure from July 12 to August 14, 2006. The aims of this study were to document probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), determined by the PTSD Symptom Scale and self-reported functional impairment, in Jewish and Arab residents of Israel immediately after the Israel–Hezbollah War and to assess potential risk and resilience factors. A telephone survey was conducted August 15–October 5, 2006, following the cessation of rocket attacks. Stratified random sampling methods yielded a nationally representative population sample of 1200 adult Israeli residents. The rate of probable PTSD was 7.2%. Higher risk of probable PTSD was associated with being a woman, recent trauma exposure, economic loss, and higher psychosocial resource loss. Lower risk of probable PTSD was associated with higher education. The results suggest that economic and psychosocial resource loss, in addition to trauma exposure, have an impact on post-trauma functioning. Thus, interventions that bolster these resources might prove effective in alleviating civilian psychopathology during war.