The Effects of Perceived Community Cohesion on Stress Symptoms Following a Terrorist Attack

Somer, Eli; Maguen, Shira; Moin, Victor; Boehm, Amnon; Metzler, Thomas J.; Litz, Brett T.

doi:10.1080/19322880802231759

Cited by 17 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Indeed, the unfavorable implication of urban as compared with rural residency is typically attributed to the supportive nature of a close community characteristic of rural regions, as well as the sense of belonging that such communities foster (N. R. Stein et al, 2013). This is despite the fact that community cohesion has been pre-viously linked both to symptom exacerbation and symptom reduction, depending on the level of exposure and geographical proximity of the victim to the traumatic incident (Somer et al, 2008).…”

Section: Risk and Protective Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Traumatization or habituation? A four-wave investigation of exposure to continuous traumatic stress in Israel.

Stein

Levin

Gelkopf

et al. 2018

International Journal of Stress Management

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Exposure to ongoing violence is a worldwide predicament and may generate different adaptations than those evident in cases of past trauma. Nevertheless, such continuous traumatic stress has only recently begun to attract scientific attention. The present longitudinal study assessed Israeli populations exposed to high and medium intensities of rocket fire in urban and rural communities. Over the course of 4 years, there were 4 assessment points: prior to, proximate to, during, and after a major escalation. Two main questions were addressed. First, does continuous exposure promote habituation and greater resilience or more traumatization, as indicated by posttraumatic stress symptoms? Second, drawing on the conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989), we examined the contribution of environmental, intrapersonal, and interpersonal resources. Results indicated that a greater exposure prior to escalation was associated with more resilience during high-intensity shelling, thus suggesting a habituation effect to continuous traumatic stress. However, various indicators of personal exposure revealed that more exposure was predictive of more symptomatology. Moreover, contrary to previous studies, urban rather than rural residency was associated with more resilience, as indicated by less posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results also indicated specific risk and protective factors, including education, marital status, age, and perceived personal and community resilience. Clinical implications of the findings are underscored, and future research is encouraged within the context of the study's limitations.

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Section: Risk and Protective Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Traumatization or habituation? A four-wave investigation of exposure to continuous traumatic stress in Israel.

Stein

Levin

Gelkopf

et al. 2018

International Journal of Stress Management

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“…The results revealed that sense of community was associated with higher levels of PTSD symptoms (Table 2), a finding that was contrary to our predictions yet, in retrospect, not entirely unexpected. Occasional empirical reports (e.g., Bryant et al., 2017; Gallagher et al., 2019; Somer et al., 2008) have suggested that, at times, more extensive connections with one's community may be a liability in the context of coping with collective upheavals. In such cases, for some survivors, reactions and behaviors aimed at sharing their feelings and concerns may inadvertently exacerbate both their symptoms and others’ symptoms of distress.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We found several prior studies with findings that give some credence to this interpretation. In an investigation of the influence of community cohesion following a terrorist incident in Israel (Somer et al., 2008), sense of community cohesion was positively related to PTSD symptoms among individuals who reported low and moderate degrees of exposure to the event. However, for individuals with a high level of trauma exposure, community cohesion and distress were inversely related.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Ben-Tzur

Zanbar

Kaniasty

2020

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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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.

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“…It appears the relationship between community cohesion and trauma reactions is influenced by level of exposure. High community cohesion appears to lead to more PTSD symptoms in communities with low to moderate exposure to the traumatic event, whereas high cohesion seems to mitigate PTSD in communities with high trauma exposure (Somer et al, 2008). These authors suggested high community cohesion with low to moderate exposure may precipitate a contagion-like effect in reaction to the trauma, whereas the increased support that accompanies cohesion in the high exposure group is a protective factor.…”

Section: Application Of the Bioecological Model To Three Types Of Masmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Bioecological Model of Mass Trauma

Hoffman

Kruczek

2011

The Counseling Psychologist

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Biopsychosocial consequences of catastrophic events create an ongoing need for research that examines the effects of mass traumas, developing psychosocial interventions, and advocacy to address the needs of affected individuals, systems, and communities. Because it is neither possible nor necessarily desirable to intervene with all touched by disasters at an individual level, a systems approach that allows conceptualization and response at the individual, family, community, and societal levels seems optimal. Many of the models commonly used in counseling psychology to explain coping with difficult events focus on individual effects and do not adequately capture the complex, multisystemic effects of large-scale catastrophic events and disasters. A bioecological model of mass trauma, which provides a conceptual framework for understanding the effects, intervening in the aftermath, addressing prevention, and researching aspects of large-scale disasters, catastrophes, and mass traumas, is presented. Relevant literature and illustrative examples from three categories of mass traumas or catastrophic events (disasters, war, and terrorism or violence) that currently contribute to a persistent atmosphere of stress for many are reviewed using the bioecological model. Recommendations for future research are provided.

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The Effects of Perceived Community Cohesion on Stress Symptoms Following a Terrorist Attack

Abstract: The effects of community cohesion were explored following a terrorist attack in Israel, during which an explosion on a public bus in a metropolitan city killed and wounded multiple individuals. Participants were 115 Israelis who resided in three specified perimeters around the area

Cited by 17 publications

References 38 publications

Traumatization or habituation? A four-wave investigation of exposure to continuous traumatic stress in Israel.

Traumatization or habituation? A four-wave investigation of exposure to continuous traumatic stress in Israel.

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

A Bioecological Model of Mass Trauma

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