Collapse and validation of terror management anxiety buffers –therapists’ reactions to war

This qualitative study aimed to analyze therapists’ reactions to the Israel-Hamas war, using lenses offered by Terror Management Theory (TMT). Israeli therapists (N = 201) were asked to share their experiences, feelings and perceptions in light of the events and their recent professional interventions. Findings reveal four themes: first, showing that the war indeed raised existential anxiety and mortality salience, and then, in view of these, the functioning of the TMT anxiety buffer mechanisms in additional three themes, namely enhancement of self-esteem; reinforcement of collective worldviews; and seeking proximity to others. Interestingly, we observed both the collapse of these mechanisms after exposure to the salience of death, as well as their validation as a further reaction. Moreover, we identified breakdown and validation in both personal and professional elements of the anxiety buffer mechanisms, offering an extended conceptualization of TMT as relevant to therapists’ reactions to a real-world exposure to death.