The psychological impact of impending forced settler disengagement in Gaza: Trauma and posttraumatic growth

Abstract

The Israeli government's decision to remove settlers in the Gaza Strip forcibly produced a situation of traumatic stress, resulting from confrontation and conflict for settlers. The authors examined the effects of the Gaza disengagement, that occurred following prolonged terrorist exposure, on rates of probable major depressive disorder (MDD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis in a representative sample of Gaza settlers (N = 190). Predictors of probable MDD in multivariate models were being female, and experiencing greater economic and psychosocial resource loss. Predictors of probable PTSD were being older and experiencing greater psychosocial resource loss. Posttraumatic growth was significantly related to a reduction in the odds of having probable PTSD. This latter finding is interpreted within our conceptualization of action-focused growth.With the rise of war, conflict, and terrorism worldwide, there has been increased interest in studying their effects on civilian populations. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been found to be a product of direct exposure, proximity to an attack, knowing someone injured or killed, or having concern that a loved one might have been hurt or killed (Bleich, Gelkopf, & Solomon, 2003;Galea et al., 2002;Hobfoll, Canetti-Nisim, & Johnson, 2006;Silver, Holman, Mcintosh, Poulin, & Gil-Rivas, 2002).We examined rates of probable PTSD and MDD among Israeli settlers who, after having been exposed to ongoing terrorism, were forced to evacuate their homes and in many cases their livelihoods due to political exigencies. Settlers moved to Gaza, in part, for economic © 2008 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to: Stevan E. Hobfoll, 378 Kent Hall, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242. E-mail: E-mail: shobfoll@kent.edu. We used Conservation of Resources (COR) theory as an organizing model for this study (Hobfoll, 1989;1998). According to COR theory, stress occurs when people's psychosocial or material resources are threatened with loss, are actually lost, or when individuals must invest resources without obtaining reasonable resource gain. Under periods of major or traumatic stress, a spiral of loss often develops, as resource loss begets further resource loss (Benight et al., 1999;Hobfoll, 1989;Norris & Kaniasty, 1996). NIH Public AccessStudies of terrorism and other mass casualty events have found resource loss to be a principle predictor of PTSD and depression (Benight et al., 1999;Galea et al., 2002;Ironson et al., 1997). Janoff-Bulman (1992) suggested that trauma is exacerbated if it results in shattered assumptions about people's worldview. According to her model, individuals hold three basic assumptions: the benevolence of the world, the meaningfulness of the world, and a sense of self-worth. Integrating COR theory with Janoff-Bulman's (1992) concept of shattered assumptions leads to the prediction that trauma exposure and resultant resource loss would lead to PTSD and depression ...

Posttraumatic Growth and Recovery from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

“…Some studies have reported a positive relationship (e.g., Wild & Paivio, 2003), whereas others have found a negative relationship (e.g., Hall et al, 2008), some a curvilinear relationship (e.g., Kleim & Ehlers, 2009), and others no relationship at all (e.g., Cordova et al, 2007;Salsman et al, 2009). Contradictory results of the impact of benefit finding on posttraumatic outcomes have been attributed to problems of measurement.…”

A longitudinal study of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder in Israeli civilians exposed to war trauma

“…Estimates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among these populations vary. The following estimates of PTSD have been reported: 7% (Palmieri, Canetti-Nisim, Galea, Johnson, & Hobfoll, 2008), 21% (Shalev, Tuval, Frenkiel-Fishman, Hadar, & Eth, 2006), 26% (Hall et al, 2008), and 27% ). Estimates of depression vary from 17% (Hall et al, 2008) to 59% (Bleich, Gelkopf, & Solomon, 2003).…”

“…The following estimates of PTSD have been reported: 7% (Palmieri, Canetti-Nisim, Galea, Johnson, & Hobfoll, 2008), 21% (Shalev, Tuval, Frenkiel-Fishman, Hadar, & Eth, 2006), 26% (Hall et al, 2008), and 27% ). Estimates of depression vary from 17% (Hall et al, 2008) to 59% (Bleich, Gelkopf, & Solomon, 2003). In a 2-year follow-up study of the effects of the Al Aqsa Intifada, Bleich and colleagues found a stable level of PTSD symptoms across two time points (9%), but a sharp decline in depression, from 59% (Bleich et al, 2003) to 29% (Bleich, Gelkopf, Melamed, & Solomon, 2006).…”

Resilience and Distress: Israelis Respond to the Disengagement from Gaza and the Second Lebanese War

“…Ultimately, the disengagement involved the forced uprooting in August 2005 of all the Israeli residents in Gaza-approximately 8,000 adults and children, who were compelled against their will (some forcefully) to leave their homes, communities and established local organizations permanently (MFA July 2005). decision at that time to implement a forced permanent evacuation of Israeli residents, despite their explicit desire and intention to continue living there, was a traumatic act for the people involved (Hall et al 2008), and stressful for the entire population in as much as Israeli soldiers had received an unprecedented order to carry out the operation by force. The TV coverage was difficult to reconcile even for those who supported the government decision.…”