Psychological distress, interpersonal closeness and discrimination following the Charlie Hebdo attacks

Terrorist attacks in January 2015 in Paris on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, and related incidents on subsequent days, left 17 dead and 22 injured. Reported as ‘the French 9/11’ these were portrayed by some as leading to national trauma across the country (1). Widespread indirect exposure via media coverage can amplify psychological distress and promote emotional responses well away from the ‘bulls-eye’ of any event, with media exposure following terrorist attacks more strongly associated with PTSD than direct exposure (2). Switching between multiple media outlets may be particularly taxing (3), as individuals are exposed to both traditional media and graphic content through social media. Shared social stresses may subsequently impact on personal relationships with close others, as well as members of potential out-groups. Terror management theories (4) suggest we seek intimacy and support from others to cope with personal threats. This then reduces existential distress by validating self-esteem and personal beliefs. In contrast, mortality threats can lead to the rejection of others who threaten or undermine our world views, leading to scapegoating and stigmatisation (5). We report data from a national survey exploring the association between media use, psychological distress, relational intimacy, and willingness to interact with Muslims four weeks after the attacks

Relationship between adjustment disorder symptoms and probable diagnosis before and after second lockdown in Israel: longitudinal symptom network analysis

BACKGROUND There is cumulative evidence of the importance of exploring the change of dynamics between symptoms over time as reflective of consolidation of psychopathology. AIMS To explore the interactions between symptoms of ICD-11 adjustment disorder before and after the second lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel and identify the most central symptoms and their concurrent and prospective associations with probable adjustment disorder. METHOD This is a population-based study drawn from a probability-based internet panel. A representative sample of the adult Israeli population was assessed at two time points (T1, pre-second lockdown, n = 1029, response rate 76.17%; T2, post-second lockdown, n = 764, response rate 74.24%). Symptoms of adjustment disorder were assessed by the International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire (IADQ). RESULTS Although the overall strength of associations at the two measurement points was similar and two same communities were found, there was a significant change in their structure, with a more consolidated network at T2. The most central item was 'difficult to relax' in both networks. Cross-sectionally, all symptoms of failure to adapt significantly predicted adjustment disorder. 'Worry a lot more' (preoccupation) and 'difficult to adapt to life' (failure to adapt) at T1 significantly predicted this diagnosis at T2. CONCLUSIONS Adjustment disorder symptoms consolidated during the second lockdown of the pandemic. In line with the ICD-11 conceptualisation of adjustment disorder, both preoccupation and failure-to-adapt symptoms have prognostic validity. This highlights the importance of identifying and targeting adjustment disorder symptoms during a period of stress such as the COVID-19 pandemic

Can patriotism be a protective factor for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder? The case of the Russia – Ukraine 2022 War

The 2022 Russian invasion of the Ukraine created a large-scale humanitarian crisis that has intensified as the conflict persists. The impact of armed conflict, such as forced migration, exposure to violence, supply shortages, destruction of infrastructure, and interruption of essential services, can have serious negative consequences for the mental health and wellbeing of Ukrainians living through the invasion and its aftermath. At the same time threat to a nation can trigger a wave of patriotism. Such feelings of patriotic belonging, love, pride and caring for a country can help maintain national group cohesion and respect for civic authorities. We studied demographic and war related factors associated with patriotic attitudes and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a national Ukraine sample of 2000 respondents six weeks into this crisis. Respondents completed an online inventory assessing patriotic attitudes, PTSD symptoms, having relatives wounded or killed, having relatives who left Ukraine due to the war, alongside key demographics. Hierarchical regressions found that having relatives that were wounded or that left Ukraine because of the war and those coming from a Ukrainian speaking region were associated with patriotic attitudes. Patriotic attitudes were positively associated with elevated risk for PTSD symptoms. Mental health professionals should consider the potential mental health burden of existential national conflicts amongst civilian populations with strongly patriotic attitudes

La presse en langue russe et la communauté immigrante en Israël

Russian-language Press and Immigrant Community in Israel Narspy ZILBERG and Elazar LESHEM As the community of new immigrants to Israel from the former Soviet Union rapidly grew to more than half a million people in the 1990s, more than 50 Russian-language periodicals appeared on the market. No other non-Hebrew-speaking language group has yielded such a large variety of periodicals. The independent immigrant press is a factor of consolidation of different immigrant groups into the wider community of ex-Soviet Jews in Israel, based on common identity, language and culture. The press maintains a complex balance between local ethnic and national activities and identification.La presse en langue russe et la communauté immigrante en Israël Narspy ZILBERG and Elazar LESHEM A mesure que la communauté de nouveaux immigrants de l'ex-Union soviétique vers Israël s'accroît à plus d'un demi-million d'individus dans les années 1990, plus de 50 périodiques en langue russe sont apparus sur le marché. Aucun groupe linguistique non-locuteur d'hébreu n'a produit une si grande variété de périodiques. La presse indépendante immigrante est un facteur de consolidation de différents groupes d'immigrants dans une communauté plus large de Juifs de l'ex-Union Soviétique en Israël, fondée sur une identité, une langue et une culture commune. La presse maintient un équilibre complexe entre activités ethniques locales et nationales et identification.La prensa in idioma ruso y la comunidad immigrante en Israel Narspy ZILBERG and Elazar LESHEM A medida que la comunidad de nuevos inmigrantes de la ex-Unión Soviética a Israel crecía a más de medio millón de individuos en los años noventa, más de cincuenta periódicos en idioma ruso aparecieron en el mercado. Ningún grupo lingüístico hablando el hebreo produjo una tan grande variedad de periódicos. La prensa independiente inmigrante es un factor de consolidación de distintos grupos de inmigrantes en una comunidad mas ancha de Judíos de la ex-Unión Soviética en Israel, basada en una identidad, un idioma y una cultura en común. La prensa mantiene un equilibrio complejo entre actividades étnicas locales y nacionales así como una identificación.Zilberg Narspy, Leshem Elazar, Anteby Lisa, Berthomière William, Simon Gildas. La presse en langue russe et la communauté immigrante en Israël. In: Revue européenne des migrations internationales, vol. 12, n°3,1996. Nouveaux visages de l'immigration en Israël, sous la direction de Lisa Anteby, William Berthomière et Gildas Simon. pp. 173-189