Rethinking sense of coherence: Perceptions of comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness in a group of Palestinian health care providers operating in the West Bank and Israel

Abstract

Drawing on a salutogenic perspective, we explored sense of coherence (SOC) in a group of Palestinian mental health care providers living and working in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories (West Bank). Specifically, we conducted a qualitative exploration of the cultural characteristics of SOC and its components ( comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness) in two groups of Palestinian Muslim helpers. We found that context-specific features of SOC can mobilize generalized resistance resources for coping with traumatic and stressful experiences, even in an environment characterized by political instability, military violence, and social trauma. Ten main themes emerged from the thematic content analysis: acceptance, reacting to adversity, acknowledging human insecurity (comprehensibility), self-control, talking to family, education as a resource for survival, connecting to the severity of the event, responsibility as a source of control (manageability), religiosity, and sense of belonging (meaningfulness). The Islamic faith, as expressed through the concepts of Sumud and Taslim, seemed to permeate individuals’ ability to attribute meaning to historical and transgenerational trauma, as well as to their ongoing traumatic conditions, thus acting as their ultimate source of health and wellbeing. A holistic, spiritual, and collectivist outlook helped respondents to approach their lives with optimism. We discuss the implications for mental health care providers and future research directions.

Human (in)security and psychological well‐being in Palestinian children living amidst military violence: A qualitative participatory research using interactive maps

“…Living in an unsafe and disrupted environment impacts children's life satisfaction, especially because it prevents them from actively transforming and ameliorating their surroundings (Veronese, Dhaouadi, et al, 2020).

I do not feel safe there; it is full of rubbish.

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Subjective well-being, sense of coherence, and posttraumatic growth mediate the association between COVID-19 stress, trauma, and burnout among Palestinian health-care providers.

“…First, specific training and supervision should enforce SOC, PTG, and SWB of people engaged in the frontline (Veronese, Dhaouadi, et al, 2021). Then, policymakers should act to remove the determinants of risks in Palestine and advocate the international community to pressure the occupation to end (Qato, 2020).…”

“…On the other hand, SWB, SOC, and PTG were identified as coping strategies among Palestinians, especially HCPs, during traumatic events and crises (Veronese, Dhaouadi, & Afana, 2021; Veronese et al, 2013, 2017; Veronese, Mahamid, et al, 2021; Veronese & Pepe, 2017).…”

The educational value of sense of coherence for grief care

“…For grieving patients and their families, medical professionals play an important role in helping them to process their feelings of loss. In this endeavor, it is crucial for medical professionals to support patients in improving their SOC and simultaneously developing their own (Tei et al, 2015 ; Veronese et al, 2021 ). Thus, SOC can become one of the most important capacities in clinical practice and/or a vital resource in a medical career (Tartas et al, 2014 ; Luibl et al, 2021 ).…”