סיכון וחוסן אצל הורים וילדים בזמן מלחמת חרבות ברזל: [מתוך מדור אקטואליה]

This study examined the effects of the October 7th events and the "Iron Swords" war on Israeli parents and children 7-9 months after the outbreak of the war. 1,689 parents of children aged 0-18 from Jewish and Arab Israeli societies participated in the study. The study shows that although most participating families did not live in combat zones, a significant percentage of the parents felt that their lives and the lives of their families were in danger. Many also reported psychological symptoms regarding themselves and their children at a level above the normal range, as well as parental burnout and difficulties in communicating with the children about the war. Specific groups at particularly high risk included families in which parents were exposed to a large number of war-related events, displaced families, and families in which the parents were exposed in childhood to frequent rocket alarms or terrorist attacks, even if they were not exposed to severe events during the current war. Social and professional support and creative self-efficacy were associated with less distress but failed to reduce the overall negative effects of the war. The study highlights the need for tailored professional support, in particular around parent-child communication about the war, especially for the three groups identified as being at high risk as well as for Arab familie.