PTSD, ASD, Secondary-Traumatization, and Death-Anxiety among Civilians and Professionals as Outcomes of On-Going Wars, Terror Attacks and Military Operations: An Integrative View

Abstract

The main goal of this study was to review published studies on the impact of extreme negative life events related to political violence such as terror attacks and wars on the well-being and mental health of various groups of Arab and Jewish civilians in Israel. More specifically, this study examined the well-known risk factors for PTSD related to terrorism, military operations and wars in Israel, as well as symptoms of Dissociative disorder, Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), Secondary Traumatization, and Death Anxiety. The study also took into account some of the background characteristics, and internal and external resources available to the individual, which can serve as mediator variables between these negative events and the population's well-being. All of the literature published in Israel on these topics up until May 2017 was systematically reviewed. The review included over a hundred items and studies on the impact of ongoing terror attacks and risk factors for distress, trauma and PTSD. Findings indicated that causes, risk factors, and outcomes vary widely, from the earlier and traditional studies to the more recent, modern, and sometimes integrated approaches towards these topics.

The Relationship between Internal and External Resources, Coping Strategies, Post-Traumatic Symptoms, and Death-Anxiety of Round-the-Clock Paid Philippine Immigrants and Local Workers Taking Care for the Elderly during and after the Gaza War

“…Findings of the current study show differences between the levels of the internal resources (self-esteem and sense of mastery) and the experience of death anxiety. These findings are in line with those presented in the professional literature (Ron, 2015a(Ron, , 2019Cicirelli, 2002). Security conditions in Israel entail many dangers, due to the fact that neighboring countries threaten Israel's existence, as evidenced by the relatively frequent terror attacks and the intermittent wars.…”

“…Women, in most of studies that were mentioned in the current study, demonstrate a higher degree of psychological vulnerability, they tend to report stressful situations more frequently, and they develop more incidents of PTS (Ron, 2019;Farhood, Dimassi & Lehtinen, 2006;Bleich et al, 2003). Because the current study examined only women, we did not emphasize the gender differences and focus on the internal and external resource and, some of the background characteristics such as the socio-cultural differences.…”

“…The current study examined the relationship between Internal and external resources, coping strategies, PTS, and Death-anxiety of round-the-clock paid Philippine work immigrants and local workers taking care of the elderly during and after the Gaza War. The exposure of civilians to war and military operations can involve numerous traumatic experiences including distress, separation from family, and even PTS and secondary traumatization (Weinberg, Besser, Campeas, Shvil, & Neria, 2012;Ron, 2019). The ability to emotionally cope with those events may largely depend on the individual's internal and external resources.…”

The role of social support and dysfunctional attitude to determine the level of mental distress among student in war area: a cross-section survey study

“…People who are directly exposed to war face variety of problems, including forced recruitment, injury, family loss, property damage, and displacement, all of which can lead to serious mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Although the majority of students who joined the university may not be directly affected by the war, everyday war-related stressors such as a sense of insecurity, family separation, and war-related news can have a profound impact on the mental health of students, as suggested by researchers (Madoro, Mengistu & Molla, 2021;Ron, 2019;Miller & Rasmussen, 2014). Moreover, war is among the major life stressors that lead to dysfunctional attitudes.…”

Civilians under missile attack: Post-traumatic stress disorder among the Jewish and Bedouin population of Southern Israel

“…The situation disrupts daily life, and creates an environment of chronic stress and trauma (Diamond et al, 2010). Thus, even after cease res are declared, many civilians continue their daily routine with a sense of caution and concern about the next missile attack (Diamond et al, 2010;Ron, 2019).…”