The relationships between family functioning and attachment orientations to post-traumatic stress symptoms among young adults who were evacuated from Gaza Strip settlements as adolescents

Background and Objectives: This study examined post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among young adults that were evicted from their residences in Gaza settlements (“Gush Katif”) as adolescents and actively participated in the resistance events. Furthermore, we examined the moderating role of exposure to forced relocation on the association between attachment orientations and family functioning and PTSD symptoms. Design: We conducted a correlative, cross-sectional study in 2013. Methods: Participants were Israeli evicted residents (ER group; N = 102), comparison groups of evicted nonresidents (ENR group; N = 27), and nonevicted nonresidents (NENR group; N = 53). All participants completed a battery of self-reported questionnaires. Results: The ER group reported a higher number of PTSD symptoms as compared to the comparison groups. However, ER participants did not differ from ENR and NENR participants in their perception of family functioning. Importantly, the group (ER vs. NENR) moderated the association between attachment-anxiety and PTSD symptoms and between family adaptability and PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: Nine years after the forced relocation from Gaza settlements, young adults that were evicted from their residences as adolescents suffer from PTSD symptoms that are more related to the relocation itself than the stress entailed in the resistance events.     

Rebuild or Relocate? Resilience and Postdisaster Decision‐Making After Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy struck the east coast of the United States on October 29, 2012, devastating communities in its path. In the aftermath, New York implemented a home buyout program designed to facilitate the permanent relocation of residents out of areas considered to be at risk for future hazards. While home buyout programs are becoming popular as policy tools for disaster mitigation, little is known about what factors influence homeowners to participate in or reject these programs. This study used mixed methods to assess the relationship between community resilience and the relocation decision in two heavily damaged communities in which the majority of residents made different decisions regarding whether or not to pursue a buyout. The sample was composed of residents from Oakwood Beach and Rockaway Park, both working‐class communities in New York City, who participated via a community survey (N = 133) and/or in‐depth interviews (N = 28). Results suggested that community resilience moderated the relationship between community of residence and the buyout decision, leading to opposite responses on the buyout decision. Contextual community factors, including the history of natural disasters, local cultural norms, and sense of place, were instrumental in explaining these different responses. Implications for disaster policy are discussed.     

The willingness to relocate to another country: the impact of cultural similarity, destination safety, and financial incentive

Because of increased concerns about terrorism around the globe, international organizations are very interested in understanding how safety and cultural issues impact their employees' willingness to relocate abroad. This has been especially true for international companies based in the United States, given the recent salience of US activities around the world. Additionally, questions remain regarding the efficacy of financial incentives to motivate individuals' willingness to relocate when the destination may be dangerous. Therefore, the factors impacting willingness to relocate from the US to another country were examined experimentally in this study. Based upon theory and research in social and organizational psychology, it was hypothesized that cultural similarity, destination safety, and financial incentives would have direct effects on individuals' willingness to accept relocation offers. It was also predicted that cultural similarity and destination safety would moderate the effects of incentives upon willingness to relocate. The study used a 2 × 2 × 3 between-subjects design manipulating destination similarity (similar, different), destination safety (safe, dangerous), and bonus for relocating (0% bonus, 20% bonus, 40% bonus). Results from 196 participants at a university in the northeastern part of the US revealed that financial incentives and safety perceptions directly impacted willingness to relocate. In line with moderator predictions, financial incentives had a stronger effect on willingness to relocate when the destination was culturally different from the United States than when it was similar. Against expectations, there was no interaction between financial incentives and safety. Destination safety perceptions were relatively strong determinants of willingness to relocate.     

Disruptive decisions to leave home: Gender and family differences in expatriation choices

I developed a theoretical model predicting how gender and family status would influence employee willingness to expatriate, international job search behavior, and expatriation decisions and tested the model in a longitudinal investigation. Australian employees comprising 230 females and 401 males with partners and/or children and 208 female and male childless singles were surveyed three times over three years. Employees who had greater personal agency and less family barriers were more willing to expatriate, to search for international jobs, and to eventually leave their home countries. Having a family restricted females’ ability to transform their willingness to expatriate into an international job search to a greater extent than it did males’. In turn, international job search predicted actual expatriation for a job. Overall, the expatriation interests of women with partners and/or children were least realized (most inhibited) in international job search and subsequent expatriation behavior. The interests of childless single employees were most realized. The study challenges current thinking on women’s willingness to expatriate by demonstrating that women are willing to expatriate, but family factors lead to women being less able to transform their willingness into an international job search than men, subsequently flowing on to women expatriating less for work than men.     

Living Under the Threat of Relocation: Spouses' Perceptions of the Threat and Coping Resources

This study examined the contribution of couples, shared perceptions of the threat of relocation, and the buffering effect of personal and marital resources in coping with stress. The study was conducted with a random sample of 95 couples in the Golan Heights region in Israel, where a unique situation exists in which families live under a threat of relocation, due to the peace negotiations between Israel and Syria. Two resources were examined: potency and marital quality Results showed that potency made the greatest contribution to coping either with demands or stress, both in couples who had similar or different future scenarios, while marital quality was found to relieve the stress only in couples who shared the same future scenarios. The average level of stress was found to be higher but not significant among couples with different future scenarios.     

Dual-earner couples’ willingness to relocate abroad: the reciprocal influence of both partners’ career role salience and partner role salience

Successful international assignments are important for international organizations. Research has shown that employee willingness to relocate internationally strongly depends on spouse’s willingness to follow. However, the mechanisms driving these effects are not thoroughly investigated. This study gives more insight into the processes that explain both partners’ willingness to (co-)relocate internationally. We examine the influence of both partners’ career role and partner role salience on each other’s (co-)relocation willingness. On the basis of Identity theory, Interdependency theory, and Attachment theory, we hypothesize combined interaction effects of career and partner role salience. Data were collected from 226 couples (professional employees and their spouses) working in a multinational Anglo-Dutch company. Results show that, in particular, spouses’ willingness to follow their partners abroad is determined by both career importance and partner role salience. We conclude that, for theory and for organizational practice, it is indeed crucial to involve both the employees and their spouses in the decision-making for an international relocation.