Salutogenesis and culture: Personal and community sense of coherence among adolescents belonging to three different cultural groups

Abstract

The salutogenic theory considers sense of coherence (SOC) as a cross-cultural concept ( Antonovsky, 1987 ), meaning that in all cultures and at all stages of coping with a stressor, a person with a strong SOC is at an advantage in preventing tension from being transformed into stress. However, in seeking to understand how the SOC works, it is culture which seems to define which resources are appropriate. The aim of our paper is to examine this theoretical assumption of Antonovsky. Data on personal and community SOC as well as on stress reactions were gathered after the last fire in northern Israel (December 2010) among adolescents aged 12-18 belonging to three cultural groups (Jews, Druze, Muslims). We compared the pattern of personal versus community SOC in explaining stress reactions in the three cultures. Results indicate that personal SOC was the strongest predictor of stress reactions in all cultures. Community SOC, however, played a significant role mainly for Druze. Results are discussed relating to Antonovsky's theory and to adolescence as a 'universal' period, as well as considering the uniqueness of each culture separately.

The Meanings of Salutogenesis

“…His writings included attention to the role of culture in shaping life situations, in giving rise to stressors and resources, in contributing to life experiences of predictability, in load balance and meaningful roles, in facilitating the development of the sense of coherence and in shaping perceptions of health and well-being (ibid). Yet, with almost the sole exception of work by Israelis, culture is not a theme in salutogenesis research (see as examples Braun-Lewensohn and Sagy, 2011;Sagy, 2015). One might protest and point to the plethora of studies in which translations of sense of coherence questionnaires have been developed, but such research is not the study of the cultural forces that Antonovsky called attention to.…”

The Salutogenic Model: The Role of Generalized Resistance Resources

“…Studies on community ecology revealed its role in predicting SOC development. Being a member of a minority group predicted lower SOC than being a member in a majority group (Braun-Lewensohn & Sagy, 2011a, 2011b. Additionally, social support (Marsh et al, 2007) and neighborhood or community cohesion (García-Moya et al, 2013;Marsh et al, 2007;Peled et al, 2013) were contributing factors in the development of a strong SOC.…”

Salutogenesis: Sense of Coherence in Adolescence

“…Moreover, non-Western cultural groups were less studied in this context. When studied, some questions regarding the universality of the concept of SOC were raised (Braun-Lewensohn & Sagy, 2011a, 2011b. Thus, it seems important to further examine this issue.…”

“…Thus, higher levels of parents' education (Feldt, Kokko, Kinnunen, & Pulkkinen, 2005;Geckova, Tavel, van Dijk, Abel, & Reijneveld, 2010;Ristkari et al, 2009), higher economic status (Geckova et al, 2010), and living with two parents (Ayo-Yusuf, Reddy, & Van Den Borne, 2009) have been important indicators of stronger SOC. Lastly, membership in a minority group in different cultures around the world predicted lower SOC than the majority counterparts members (Braun-Lewensohn, 2014;Braun-Lewensohn & Sagy, 2011a, 2011bGlanz, Gertraud, & Carlin, 2005).…”