Israeli Adolescents' help-seeking behaviours in relation to terrorist attacks: the perceptions of students, school counsellors and teachers

Exposure to terror seriously threatens the well-being of children and adolescents. School mental health professionals cope simultaneously with the counselling needs of their clients and with their own fears and doubts. This report is based on two studies. The first study was concerned with the perceptions of Israeli adolescents of the place of terrorist attacks in their lives. It also examined adolescents' help-seeking attitudes and behaviours in relation to terrorist attacks. The second study investigated Israeli school counsellors' and teachers' perceptions of their own roles and professional attitudes in relation to terror. A better understanding of the effects of terrorism on adolescents as well as potentially effective approaches to coping with its individual and organisational outcomes are proposed.     

The effect of constant threat of terror on Israeli Jewish and Arab adolescents

The effect on Israeli Jewish and Arab adolescents of living under constant threat of terrorist attacks was assessed in a sample of 346 adolescents. The study probed their direct and indirect exposure to terrorist attacks, avoidance of public centers, sharing feelings with significant others, and stress reaction symptoms. The adolescents showed mild to low levels of stress symptoms in reaction to terrorist attacks in Israel, with no significant differences between Jews and Arabs. The Jewish adolescents reported knowing more people involved in terror attacks and being more informed by their parents about them. Demographic and exposure variables explained 39% of the variance of stress reaction symptoms. Being female, knowing someone injured, having parents who discuss terrorist attacks or forbid going out, and more sharing of feelings were significantly related to higher stress symptoms. For Jewish adolescents, greater levels of sharing of feelings were related to higher distress. Jewish and Arab adolescents proved to be similarly affected by the threat of terror but were also resilient even in highly unusual circumstances.     

The effect of a major event on stereotyping: terrorist attacks in Israel and Israeli adolescents' perceptions of Palestinians,Jordanians and Arabs

This study examines the effect of a major event (terrorist attacks) on the stereotypic perceptions, attitudes and affects of 119 Israeli adolescents (56 males and 63 females of 5th and 8th grades) toward three target groups: (a) Palestinians, who still have conflictive relations with the Israelis (Palestinian extremists carried out the attacks), (b) Jordanians, who have peaceful relations with the Israelis and (c) Arabs, in general, who are considered a subcategory including Arabs of all nations. The questionnaires were administered to the same adolescents three times: during a relatively peaceful spell in Israeli–Palestinian relations; one day following two terrorist attacks, and three months thereafter. In the last administration adolescents' need for closure was also measured. Adolescents' perceptions, attitudes and affect toward the three target group were differentiated—relating to Palestinians most negatively and to Jordanians most positively. Also, following the terrorist attacks, stereotypic perceptions and attitudes changed in a negative direction, in relation to all the three groups; again with expressed differentiation among the three groups. In the third measurement, some measures remained negative, but some changed to be more positive. Only few effects of age were detected and several significant correlation with need for closure were found. These results indicate that stereotypes and attitudes toward outgroups are context‐dependent, influenced by events; thus they serve as ‘a seismograph’ to the quality of intergroup relations at any given time. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coping with Missile Attack: Resources, Strategies, and Outcomes

ABSTRACT The coping process was examined in a group of Israeli subjects experiencing SCUD missile attacks during the Persian Gulf War. We were interested in examining the relationship of coping resources, optimism, perceived control, and coping strategies, to anxiety, to physical symptoms, and to cognitive functioning during a real crisis. Data were gathered via structured questionnaires in the midst of the Persian Gulf War (February 1991) on a sample of 261 adult respondents residing in northern Israel. Although people reported a mixture of palliative and active coping strategies, it was the use of palliative coping efforts that predicted greater anxiety and physical symptoms. Subjects with greater coping resources used more palliative and active coping strategies and had higher cognitive functioning. However, active coping did not predict any of the negative stress reactions (i.e., anxiety and physical symptoms). People who perceived being in control of the situation reported using less palliative coping and fewer symptoms. That active coping did not predict negative stress reactions may have been a function of the severity of the stressor, and the resultant high levels of anxiety that were engendered. Overall, these findings do point to a different coping process in a grave and ongoing disaster situation than that reported in reaction to more normal life events.     

Israeli counsellors facing terrorism: coping and professional development

The current study examined the characteristics and functioning of 12 Israeli school counsellors located at different stages of professional development who worked in schools affected by terrorist attacks. Semi-structured interviews explored the counsellors' professional behaviour, activities, and coping with terror and its effects. Consensual qualitative research analysis revealed five major domains: role definition, organisational characteristics, affective reactions, dilemmas, and barriers and resources. Counsellors at different stages of professional development demonstrated different patterns of behaviour across the domains' categories and subcategories. Implications for research and supervision are discussed.     

Post-Traumatic Distress in Israeli Adolescents Exposed to Ongoing Terrorism

Summary

This article examines the impact of exposure of ongoing terrorism on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, functional impairment, somatization, and depression among Israeli adolescents in the context of the Al Aqsa Intifada. An in-school screening of 1,010 adolescents was conducted in Jerusalem and nearby settlements that were subjected to intensive terrorist attacks. The screening procedure proved effective in identifying posttraumatic distress and triaging students for school-based treatments. The relationship between level of exposure and gender and the psychological sequelae, the differences between adolescents in Jerusalem and the settlements, and the role of spirituality and community are discussed.     

Coping and anxiety in college students after the September 11th terrorist attacks

This study investigated the presence of a stress response after the September 11^th terrorist attacks in a sample of indirectly affected college students living in Boston, Massachusetts. Anxiety was examined at two time intervals, approximately 2 and 4 months after the attacks. Methods of coping with the stress of the attacks (assessed using the COPE Inventory) and their impact on initial and longer-term anxiety were also examined. Results demonstrated that the majority of college students in the study were severely psychologically impacted initially by the terrorist attacks. However, this initial impact appears to decay over time for most people. Several potentially maladaptive coping strategies were found to be predictive of initial anxiety, including denial, behavioral disengagement, mental disengagement, and focus on and venting of emotions. However, only focus on and venting of emotions was found to be uniquely predictive of longer-term anxiety.     

Parents' emotion‐related beliefs and behaviours in relation to children's coping with the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks

To assess relationships between parental socialization of emotion and children's coping following an intensely emotional event, parents' beliefs and behaviours regarding emotion and children's coping strategies were investigated after a set of terrorist attacks. Parents (n=51) filled out the Parents' Beliefs about Negative Emotions questionnaire and were interviewed within two weeks of the attacks. Their elementary and middle school‐aged children were interviewed eight weeks later. First, parents' beliefs were related to two kinds of parental behaviours. Parents' beliefs about both the value of and the danger of children's emotions were positively related to their discussion with their children. Parents' belief about children's emotions as dangerous was also negatively related to parents' expressiveness with their children. Second, parents' beliefs were related to five kinds of coping strategies reported by their children. Parents' belief about children's emotions as valuable predicted children's problem‐solving, emotion‐oriented, and support‐seeking coping following the terrorist attacks. Parents' belief about children's emotions as dangerous predicted children's avoidance and distraction coping following the attacks. Parents' beliefs about the importance of children's emotions may foster a family atmosphere that facilitates children's coping with intensely emotional events. Results support differentiated, multi‐faceted analysis of the broader construct of parental beliefs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anxiety and coping with community disasters: The Israeli experience

This study compared anxiety levels and coping strategies in Israeli adults during the Al-Aqsa Intifada (n = 707) and under ballistic missile attacks targeted at Israeli civilians during the Persian Gulf War (n = 328). In view of the differences among the two disaster situations in terms of severity of impact, scope, duration, predictability, and controllability, it was hypothesized that higher levels of state anxiety would be observed for the terror attack than for the missile attack crisis. Furthermore, problem-focused coping was predicted to be more salient than emotion-focused coping during the Gulf War—at a time where more protective action could be taken. Overall, the data supported the hypotheses. The data are discussed and explicated in the context of stress and coping theory and research.     

Coping behavior of Finnish adolescents: Remarks on a cross-cultural comparison

As part of a larger cross-cultural project, the present study analyses the coping styles of Finnish adolescents. A sample of 548 adolescents aged 15 to 17 years was investigated. Coping styles were defined by a matrix of 20 coping strategies applied across eight different developmental areas. Factor analysis revealed a three-dimensional structure of coping styles. The first dimension involves activities such as seeking support or taking advice (Active Coping), the second emphasizes the adolescent's appraisal of the situation and the search for a compromise (Internal Coping/Compromising) and the third includes defenses like denial and withdrawal (Withdrawal) and may be regarded as dysfunctional. The Finnish adolescents most frequently employed functional forms of coping like Active Coping and Internal Coping/Compromising: dysfunctional coping style such as Withdrawal was used less often. In addition, significant main effects for age and gender were found. Girls favored more Active Coping and support seeking behavior, as compared to boys. Both functional coping modes showed an increase with age. A comparison of coping styles across eight different problem areas revealed situation specific influences, too. The discussion compares the coping styles of Finnish adolescents with results of two parallel studies focussing on German and Israeli adolescents, using the same instrument. In spite of the considerable impact of environmental and historical conditions in the three countries, the similarities in coping behavior were impressive.     

Coping strategies and depression in Puerto Rican adolescents: an exploratory study

The use of inadequate coping strategies in stressful situations results in the development of depression in adolescents. This study identified coping strategies used by Puerto Rican adolescents and evaluated the relationship between coping and depression. Fifty-one adolescents participated in the study. Results indicated that the most frequently used coping strategy was developing positive perceptions about life situations. Significant differences were observed according to the severity of depressive symptoms. Investing in family relationships and developing positive perceptions about life situations seemed to reduce depression. Furthermore, the strategies of investing in family relationships and relieving tension through diversion were the variables with more predictive value for depression. The importance of exploring coping responses within the cultural context of the adolescent is discussed.     

Investigating the mediating effects of emotional intelligence and coping on problem behaviours in adolescents

This study explored the mediating effect of emotional intelligence (EI) and coping strategies on problem behaviours in Australian adolescents. One hundred and forty‐five adolescents (60 boys and 85 girls with a mean age of 12.02 years) completed self‐report instruments of EI, stress coping strategies, and problem behaviours. The relationships between Emotional Management and Control and engagement in internalising and externalising behaviours were found to be mediated by the use of non‐productive coping strategies. Mediation models of the relationship between problem behaviours and the Understanding Emotions and Emotional Recognition and Expression dimensions were found to be only partially mediated by the engagement in problem‐focused and non‐productive coping strategies. The results are discussed in regards to how coping strategies utilised in adolescence may produce more or less adaptive patterns of coping during adulthood. The development of emotional abilities may be required to improve coping outcomes for adolescents, which in turn may produce better psychological outcomes for adolescents in the long term.     

Coping mediates between social support,neuroticism, and depression after earthquake and examination stress among adolescents

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the mediating role of coping strategies in the relationships between neuroticism, social support, and depression in two groups of adolescents: earthquake group and examination group. Adolescents facing earthquake stress (earthquake group, N=219) completed measures of neuroticism, perceived social support, coping strategies, and self-rating depression. Similarly, adolescents facing examination stress (examination group, N=241) completed the same measures. Results indicated that the earthquake group reported more use of secondary control engagement coping, whereas the examination group reported more use of primary control engagement coping. In addition, neuroticism was more strongly associated with coping in earthquake group and coping strategies explained significantly larger part of the relationship between neuroticism and depression. In contrary, perceived social support was more strongly associated with coping in examination group, and coping strategies explained significantly larger part of the relationship between perceived social support and depression.     

Social Functioning and Coping Strategies in Romanian and Moldavian Adolescents with Chronic Diseases

The present study aimed to explore the cultural differences in social functioning and coping strategies in chronically ill adolescents. One hundred sixty-eight chronically ill adolescents (45.8 % girls), age 11 to 17 years from Romania (N = 78) and Republic of Moldova (N = 90) were recruited. Participants filled in self-assessment measures for social functioning problems and coping strategies. Results indicated cross-cultural differences in the studied factors: Moldavian adolescents reported more social functioning problems and higher use of maladaptive coping strategies, while using less adaptive strategies than Romanian counterparts. The associations between social functioning and maladaptive coping strategies were stronger for Romanian than Moldavian adolescents. Further, various coping strategies acted as important predictors for social functioning in the two country samples. Findings suggest that, while the direction of the relation between coping and social functioning in chronically ill adolescents is cultural invariant, the importance played by specific coping strategies in determining social functioning varies by cultural context. Therefore, clinical interventions aimed at improving the social functioning of chronically ill adolescents should take into account the reality of their cultural setting.     

Coping Strategies and Locus of Control as Mediating Variables in the Relation Between Exposure to Political Life Events and Psychological Adjustment in Israeli Children

The relation between political life events and distress was examined with particular emphasis on coping strategies and locus of control as two possible mediators. Subjects were 88 Israeli children. Results partially supported a linear relation between reported impact of exposure and distress. Findings for coping strategies as a mediator suggested, counterintuitively, that greater use of coping strategies is related to more experienced distress. Findings for locus of control as a mediator suggested that subjects with external locus of control experience greater distress, other than in the case of depressive symptomatology. These results indicate that coping strategies and locus of control play a complex role in the stress-outcome relation, the precise nature of which remains to be resolved. Theoretical, clinical and political implications of the findings are discussed.     

Stress and coping strategies among Zimbabwean adolescents

Background. Stress and social support influence adolescents' coping strategies. Adolescents need to acquire a large repertoire of coping strategies in light of a rapidly changing socio‐economic and political situation. Aim. This study reports on the coping strategies of Zimbabwean adolescents and highlights some major stressors they face. The interplay among stress, social support and the coping strategies of Zimbabwean adolescents are also reported. Sample. A sample of 101 Zimbabwean students (ages 17–19) participated in this study. Method. Participants completed three instruments: the Perceived Stress Scale, the Social Provision Scale and the Ways of Coping Scale. Results. Zimbabwean adolescents experienced slight stress as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale. Major stressors included schoolwork, relationships, social life and financial hardship. Females reported a higher level of perceived stress than males. Zimbabwean adolescents reported having fewer social provisions than the norm group. Results from the Ways of Coping Scale indicated that Zimbabwean adolescents use emotion‐focused strategies more frequently than problem‐solving strategies. Conclusion. The implications of the study are that Zimbabwean adolescents may need to acquire a larger repertoire of coping skills adding to what they may already have. Problem‐solving skills need to be employed in face of today's challenging situations.     

Coping with bullying in the workplace: the effect of gender, age and type of bullying

A study of bullying, victimisation and the coping strategies employed to tackle it is presented in the first study of bullying in the workplace conducted in Iceland. Participants were 398 members of a union of store and office workers and members of a national organisation of bank-employees. A factor analysis of bullying items identified two factors: general bullying and work-related bullying. Males score higher on both factors, but when asked directly if they have been bullied or not, no significant gender difference appears. A measure of coping strategies when faced with bullying is presented. A factor analysis and multidimensional scaling of these strategies identified four clusters: assertive response, seek help, avoidance and do nothing. These can be arranged on a passive vs. active dimension, which may reflect the severity or duration of the bullying situation. Multiple regressions indicate that males seek help less and use avoidance less than females, and males are more likely to use assertive strategies, confirming gender stereotypes about what constitutes appropriate behaviour. Increased bullying is also associated with the use of avoidance and passive response (do nothing). These results are mainly in accordance with findings from schools. It is suggested that active coping styles are employed during the initial stages of bullying but that victims resort to more passive coping strategies as the bullying becomes more serious. The need for a longitudinal design is proposed to understand the relationship between duration and severity of the bullying experience and the choice of coping strategies.     

Situations and specific coping strategies associated with clinical and nonclinical panic attacks.

The present paper reports the results of further comparisons between clinical and nonclinical panickers. Both panic disorder patients and nonclinical panickers reported a variety of situational contexts associated with panic attacks, and differed markedly in their attempts to cope with panic. Nonclinical panickers tended to use more 'positive' coping strategies in response to panic. Conversely, one of the most commonly used and subjectively effective coping strategies reported by panic disorder patients was to escape the situation.     

Youth Self-Views,Coping with Stress,and Behavioral/Emotional Problems: The Role of Incremental Self-Theory

Previous research has established associations between stress and coping processes and internalizing and externalizing problems among adolescents and emerging adults. The purpose of the present study was to integrate this literature with research demonstrating the importance of self-theory—views that individuals hold about themselves and their abilities. We examined the extent to which self-theory may influence both coping processes and internalizing and externalizing problems among adolescents and emerging adults. Using moderated mediation, we tested whether coping serves as a mechanism through which self-theory of both intelligence and personality influences internalizing and externalizing problems among adolescents and emerging adults. One hundred and forty participants (adolescents aged 14–17; emerging adults aged 18–30; 60 % female; 8.5 % ethnic minority) completed questionnaires on self-theory, coping responses, and behavioral/emotional problems. Results of moderated mediation analyses were consistent with coping as a mechanism through which self-theory influences psychopathology symptoms such that more malleable beliefs are associated with increased productive coping strategies and lower levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. The current findings also indicate that these associations were significant for adolescents but not for emerging adults. Although cross-sectional, findings suggest that fostering malleable beliefs among adolescents may increase the use of productive coping strategies and positively influence adjustment.