Prof. Orit Taubman – Ben-Ari is Head of the Doctoral Program in Bar Ilan University's School of Social Work. Her main research interests are basically two: First, intergenerational relationships and personal growth following life transitions. In the wake of her ground-breaking research, her scholarly publications were among the first to introduce the construct of personal growth into the discourse of life transitions. Her studies examine both deleterious and positive or constructive predispositions and outcomes within families coping with various stress-related events. Second, the psychology of risk taking, especially reckless driving, with an emphasis on risk taking among adolescents and young adults. Over the years, she has studied youngsters during the stages of learning to drive. Within this framework, she has developed and confirmed the validity and reliability of instruments for assessing driving style, as well as developed a new theoretical concept, Family Climate for Road Safety, along with an instrument for its assessment.

Research:

• Positive psychology: Personal growth in the wake of life transitions and crises.
• The psychology of risk taking and reckless driving, with an emphasis on risk taking among adolescents and young adults.
• Terror Management Theory – the effects of awareness of death on various life areas, e.g., risk taking, interpersonal relationships, decision making, meaning in life.
• The intergenerational relationship and transmission of coping abilities, reckless behavior, transition to parenthood.