Bedouin Adolescents During the Iron Swords War: What Strategies Help Them To Cope Successfully With the Stressful Situation?

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Dr. Orna Braun-Lewensohn
 

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Isrel

: Int J Ment Health Psychiatry

Abstract

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This study examined the emotional reactions and coping resources of Bedouin teenagers (ages 12–18) following the events of October 7, 2023 and the subsequent Iron Swords War between Israel and Hamas forces in Gaza. The study focused on the relationships between subjective exposure, personal sense of coherence, community resilience, and the use of different coping strategies, on the one hand, and anxiety, anger, and psychological distress, on the other. During 2024, 762 participants completed the study questionnaire, which addressed the different study variables. The findings revealed significant differences between the boys and the girls. Specifically, the girls reported higher levels of subjective exposure and emotional reactions. Personal sense of coherence was found to be a significant protective factor. In contrast, the use of nonproductive coping strategies increased distress. This study underscores the need for intervention programs tailored for this society and by gender, as well as training for educational professionals, to help them to identify and treat emotional reactions to stress in ways that take into consideration the Bedouin cultural context. This study enhances our understanding of how Bedouin teenagers cope with stressful situations and crises.

Biography

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Orna Braun-Lewensohn is a leading psychologists, principle investigator in Mental health and Psychology. She is greatly interested in Community resilence, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and wishes to proceed with sub-specialty research. She wrote this case report to increase awareness and added strategies for Bedouin Adolescents regarding the Iron Swords War between Israel and Hamas.