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The study examined risk factors for sensitivity to terror threats among descendants of Holocaust survivors (Holocaust G1) during a significant rise in terrorist attacks in Israel. We examined the association of the number of familial Holocaust G1, trauma exposure, probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety symptoms, and Holocaust centrality with terror threat salience (TTS) in children and grandchildren of Holocaust G1 (Holocaust G2; G3). A web-based national sample included 297 Holocaust G2 (M age =62.95, SD=10.25), 224 comparison G2 (M age =61.79, SD=10.13), 379 Holocaust G3 (M age =34.02, SD=8.65) and 171 comparison G3 (M age =33.55, SD=8.26). Participants completed questionnaires on background characteristics, Holocaust background, trauma exposure, probable PTSD, anxiety symptoms, Holocaust centrality, and TTS. Findings showed that Holocaust G2 and G3 reported higher Holocaust centrality and TTS relative to comparisons, and Holocaust G3 reported higher levels of anxiety than comparison G3. The number of Holocaust G1, background characteristics, Holocaust centrality, and anxiety symptoms were associated with TTS in G2 and G3. Probable PTSD and trauma exposure were also associated with TTS in G2 and G3, respectively. Results highlight Holocaust centrality and anxiety among the factors associated with an increased preoccupation with terror threats in Holocaust descendants. Practitioners should implement interventions focusing on these factors, particularly at times of increased terrorism., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study examined the interplay between engagement in social unrest, mental indicators, state-hope and demographic variables. In addition, mental indicators and state-hope were compared in line with levels of engagement in social unrest., Methods: In a cross-sectional study, conducted from March 23 to April 10, 2023, 2031 Israelis were recruited via a survey company. Participants completed self-report questionnaires to assess engagement in social unrest, anxiety, social unrest related distress, state-hope and demographic variables., Results: Participants with higher engagement in social unrest, who opposed the law reform, were prone to higher levels of social unrest related distress, anxiety, and lower levels of state-hope compared to those not engaged in social unrest activities or those who supported the law reform., Conclusions: Concerns regarding unmet mental health needs, during and following social unrest, regardless of the engagement level, should be actively addressed by mental health professionals and health policy makers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hamama-Raz, Leshem and Ben-Ezra.)

This study sought to explore the association between changes in daily life and war-related anxiety. In this study, we analyzed self-reported data from 2,004 Ukrainian adults, obtained through an opportunistic survey in the Ukraine. Our assessment focused on changes in everyday routines and generalized anxiety symptoms since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the 24 February 2022. The data were collected between July-September 2022. Results show a significant dose-response connection between everyday routine changes and increased war-related anxiety. Not surprisingly, the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict is impacting the lives of Ukrainians. These changes are linked to heightened anxiety levels. Effective population-based crisis management should consider both war-related stressors and changes in daily life routines., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors declare: we have no financial/personal interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The Adjustment Disorder New Module (ADNM) is a self-report instrument for assessing Adjustment disorder (AjD), but uncertainties remain in evaluating factor structure and psychometric properties of ADNM in previous studies. Three studies were conducted to examine the factor structure, psychometrics properties, and clinical utility of the 20-item version of ADNM (ADNM-20) and 4-item version (ADNM-4) among samples of Hong Kong Chinese (N = 1,415). Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated good model fitness with a bifactor model. Statistical indices indicated unidimensionality of AjD. The model-based reliability showed that the total score of ADNM-20 should be used in scoring and interpretation for capturing the construct of AjD. ADNM-4 model demonstrated full invariance between women and men and partial invariance between age groups. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed a cutoff score of 10 for probable AjD. The prevalence of probable AjD was 20.5 % excluding cases with probable depression among a population-representative sample of Hong Kong Chinese amid civil unrest in Hong Kong in July 2019. Cutoff scores of ADNM-20 (49) and ADNM-4 (9) were established for clinically significant common psychiatric conditions, namely PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Both ADNM-20 and ADNM-4 were reliable and valid to assess probable AjD. Implications for clinical research and practice are discussed., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study examined prevalences of anxiety and depression and their correlations with daily routines among Hong Kong Chinese during the COVID-19 pandemic. Random digit dialing recruited two population-representative samples of 6029 residents during a period of low infection and limited intervention (survey 1: n = 4021) and high incidence and intensive measures (survey 2: n = 2008). Prevalence of anxiety for survey 1 and survey 2 were 14.9% and 14% and depression were 19.6% and 15.3%, respectively. Increased odds of anxiety and depression were associated with disrupted routines and lower socioeconomic status in both surveys, whereas depression was inversely related to the novel preventive routine of avoiding going to crowded places in survey 1. The prevalences of anxiety and depression were higher than preceding public health/social crises. A heavier burden of psychiatric conditions was evidenced amongst people experiencing disrupted daily routines across different phases of the pandemic and without novel preventive routines in the early phase.

Anxiety, perceived control and trust in information sources have all been shown to significantly influence health and social behaviours during pandemics. We measured these factors in a nationally representative on-street survey collected across five regions of Thailand (N = 1000, May 2020, response rate 82.6%). Anxiety was positively associated with stocking up on food (OR 2.62 (95% CI 1.88-3.66)) and taking vitamins (OR 2.37 (1.59-3.54)); perceived control with (recommended) coughing into an elbow (OR 2.42 (1.80-3.26)), checking on others (OR 1.52 (1.00-2.31)), and negatively with stockpiling (OR 0.72 (0.55-0.96)). Those relying on family/friends, doctors online or foreign sources were more likely to take vitamins (ORs 4.11, 2.88. 2.82), respondents using TV news less likely to stock up on food (OR 0.57 (0.37-0.86)) and to wear a mask for self-protection (OR 0.27 (0.10-0.73)). Comparing findings with analogous cross-sectional data on anxiety collected at the start of the pandemic (Feb 2020, Goodwin et al., 2020) there was no significant difference between personal anxiety in the two surveys (F (1, 1197) = 0.72, p = .40)) but perceived control was lower in the later survey (F (1, 1197) = 6.72 p = .01)). Findings suggest reduced perceived control as the pandemic developed and illuminate possible negative impacts of anxiety and low sense of control on pandemic behaviours., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The current study sought to assess death anxiety and psychological distress among kidney donors, in comparison to a control population. Seventy-eight non-directed living kidney donors were recruited through the Israeli voluntary kidney donation association. This sample was compared to 396 participants from a control population. The results revealed that non-directed living kidney donors had higher levels of death anxiety in comparison to the control population while their psychological distress was lower in comparison to the control population. The results of this study highlight the importance of relating to non-directed living kidney donors' death anxiety.

The current study aimed to explore Israelis' state anxiety due to a Syrian-Israeli incident that occurred on February 10, 2018, when an Israeli F-16 fighter jet was shot down by Syrian air defense forces. In line with the "looming vulnerability" model which emphasizes the importance of the dynamic nature of psychologically threatening situations, the following psychological factors were suggested: associative memory of prior events, worries of future war, sense of safety, and death anxiety. We employed two cross-sectional points of time in our assessment: 36 hours and three months after the incident. Using an online survey, 162 adult participants were recruited in Study 1 and 172 in Study 2. The participants completed set of questionnaires measuring state anxiety along with other psychological measures. The results of the two studies suggested that higher levels of worry of future war and lower levels of sense of safety associated with higher state anxiety. The looming vulnerability model and variables associated with state anxiety were found to have a salient role in explaining state anxiety as a response to a negative unexpected event., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The current study examined whether emotional concern over one's security situation is connected with death anxiety during an ongoing terror wave, and whether type of exposure (media exposure vs. contact with witnesses) moderates this connection. A total of 345 individuals, aged 18-70, were sampled during an ongoing wave of terror in Israel and filled out scales measuring death anxiety, concern over security situation, and type of exposure. Results indicated that increased concern was connected with enhanced death anxiety. Moreover, this connection was more pronounced among individuals exposed to the events through the media, in comparison with individuals who had first-hand contact with witnesses.

This study examined whether participants with low somatization (no bodily manifestations of anxiety) who are assumed to identify with- and be inspired- by the Olympic-Games-spirit will present a stronger association between their Olympic-game viewing hours and their will-to-live, than persons with high somatization. One hundred and thirty seven participants reported their daily Olympic-game viewing hours, somatization and will-to-live levels. Results show that while among those with low somatization symptoms level, the relationships between Olympic game viewing hours and will-to-live was positive, the opposite was found among those with high somatization symptoms level. Viewing the Olympic Games may be beneficial for individuals with low somatization level but less so to individuals with higher somatization., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The current wave of terrorism which is taking place in Israel is characterized by increased arbitrary attacks by individual terrorists, acting independently, with reduced ability to anticipate when and where the next attack will take place. This situation creates an atmosphere of fear and insecurity in the lives of many citizens. Accordingly, the current study aims to establish a connection between death anxiety and PTSD symptom severity, as well as to examine whether major personality characteristics may moderate this connection. Using an online survey, 429 adult participants were recruited, and filled out death anxiety and PTSD symptomatology scales, as well as a short version of the Big Five personality scale. Findings revealed that death anxiety was a significant predictor of posttraumatic symptom severity, as were personality characteristics. Moreover, two personality traits, emotional stability and conscientiousness, moderated the association between death anxiety and PTSD symptomatology. The importance of death anxiety as a factor which is associated with PTSD symptomatology is discussed., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.)