Mastery, Social Support, and Sense of Community as Protective Resources Against Psychological Distress Among Israelis Exposed to Prolonged Rocket Attacks

Abstract

We investigated the psychological toll of exposure to rocket attacks as experienced by residents of central and southern Israel during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict. Participants completed an online survey assessing their life‐threatening experiences, the availability of psychosocial resources, and symptoms of both PTSD (PCL‐5) and nonspecific psychological distress (K6) 2–3 months posttrauma. Guided by the conservation of resources theory, we focused on the distress‐protective functions of person‐ and community‐oriented resources: mastery, perceived social support, and sense of community. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that elevated exposure to rocket attacks predicted higher levels of PTSD but not psychological distress. All 13 predictors (i.e., sociodemographic factors, trauma exposure, personal and community resources) and three interactions between rocket attack–related trauma exposure and each of the resources accounted for a significant amount of the variance in PTSD, R2 = .251, adjusted R2 = .235, and nonspecific psychological distress, R2 = .280, adjusted R2 = .264. Predictably, higher levels of mastery and perceived social support were associated with lower PCL‐5 and K6 scores. Unexpectedly, respondents who reported a higher sense of community exhibited more PTSD symptoms. Supplementary analyses indicated that among individuals with lower levels of mastery, sense of community was related to higher PCL‐5 scores. Psychosocial resources are important for coping with community‐wide stressors, but their roles are complex. Maintaining a sense of community among individuals who experience shared trauma is undoubtedly critical, yet potential downsides of collective coping among those with lower levels of mastery should be recognized and further investigated.

Personal mastery and community dedication as mediators of the association of trauma exposure with PTSS and PTG.

“…Although there are many studies documenting protective functions of community resources against psychological distress (e.g., Gelkopf et al, 2012; Zanbar et al, 2018), there are also studies that showed null effects (e.g., Johns et al, 2012). Moreover, other investigations reported that posttrauma higher levels of community engagements, under some conditions, may be associated with poorer psychological outcomes (e.g., Ben-Tzur, Zanbar,& Kaniasty, in press; Gallagher et al, 2019; Somer et al, 2008; Zanbar et al, 2018). There are several clashing psychological and social dynamics that may compromise the usually expected beneficial influence of social and community relationships on well-being (see Villalonga-Olives, & Kawachi, 2017).…”

A Promotive Process of Resource Gain Against Harsh and Inconsistent Discipline in Mothers Coping With Breast Cancer: A Serial Mediation Model

“…The Hebrew version of the Post-Traumatic Stress Checklist for DSM-5 [PCL-5; ( 59 )] is a 20-item standardized and clinically validated self-report measure assessing PTSD as defined by the DSM-5. We used the Hebrew version of the PCL-C 5, which has been widely used and has shown good psychometric properties [e.g., ( 60 , 61 )]. Mothers completed the Hebrew version of the PCL-C (civilian version), in which the items refer to PTSS related to a traumatic experience.…”

The Contribution of Family-Centered Services to Enhanced Quality of Life and Reduced Distress in Families of Children With Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…A sense of community promotes resilience and has frequently been shown to correlate with positive psychological outcomes in the wake of potentially traumatic events (Ben-Tzur et al, 2021). Individuals who express more connections to their communities exhibit lower levels of distress (e.g., Dekel & Tuval-Mashiach, 2012; Gelkopf et al, 2012; Levy & Friedman, 2019).…”