This study investigated prevalence rates of secondary traumatic stress symptoms in Israeli Police forensic technicians, and the relationship between these symptoms and perceived social support as well as perceived severity of prior trauma (combat, work, personal). Ninety technicians from the Israeli Police Forensic Investigation Unit participated in the study. Intrusion and avoidance measured within the medium range of severity, whereas distress symptoms were below clinical threshold. Intrusion was significantly related to avoidance, distress, and the perceived severity of prior personal and work-related exposure. No significant relationship was found between perceived social support and secondary traumatic stress symptoms. The data suggest that this cohort utilized avoidance effectively as a defense against intrusion.

This study investigated the relationship between religiosity and levels of secondary traumatic stress in Israeli-Jewish body handlers. The Impact of Event Scale (IES), the General Health Questionnaire, 12 Items (GHQ-12), and a prior exposure severity tool were used to assess secondary traumatic stress symptoms in 63 ultraorthodox male body handlers as they compared to 86 secular forensic identification technicians from the Israeli police. Excluding possible confounders of age and number of years at the job, there was no significant difference between the religious and nonreligious groups on the intrusion and avoidance scores, whereas the GHQ-12 scores were significantly higher among the religious group. Religiosity did not seem to have a salutary effect on secondary traumatic stress in this cohort.

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Background: The present study aimed to examine the relations between body image dissatisfaction (BID) and psychological distress variables among bariatric surgery candidates from two distinct cultures in Israel and in the United States. Methods: A sample of consecutive pre-surgical bariatric candidates was recruited from a Bariatric Center in Israel (N = 114) and a Bariatric Center in the Unites States (N = 81). Body image dissatisfaction (BID-BSQ8), suicidal ideation (SBQ-R), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), anxious symptoms (PHQ-7), and emotional eating behaviors (EES), were measured. Mediation models were assessed using path analysis. Results: BID was positively correlated with suicidality, depression, and anxiety in both samples. The relations between BID depression and anxiety were mediated by emotional eating in both cultures. However, the relation between BID and suicidality that was mediated by emotional eating in the Israeli sample, was reflected in a direct link between BID and suicidality in the US sample. Conclusion: Our findings confirm the adverse effect of BID on psychological distress among surgery candidates in both cultures, emphasizing the intercultural similarities related to emotional eating behavior. Physicians and other health professionals are encouraged to be more attentive to this specific behavior.