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The quality of parent–child relationships plays a significant role in the development of child anxiety, especially regarding aspects of parental control, intrusive behavior, and a lack of warmth. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms of these parenting behaviors that are associated with the risk of child anxiety have yet to be revealed. The present study aims to examine the contribution of a cognitive aspect of parenting, i.e., openness to different ways of thinking, to the development of child anxiety through its impact on parenting style. A sample of 300 Israeli parents (72% women) over the age of 18 (M = 38.8, SD = 6.2), with at least one child over the age of 6 (M = 13.3, SD = 5.5 of oldest child), was recruited through social media platforms. Participants provided demographic information and filled out self-reported questionnaires dealing with child anxiety (using the Child Behavior Checklist), openness to different ways of thinking (using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index), and parenting style (using the Parental Behavior Inventory). The analysis confirmed the mediation role of hostile/coercive parenting style in the association between parental openness to different ways of thinking and child anxiety. However, the association between supportive/engaged parenting and child anxiety was non-significant. Apparently, openness to different ways of thinking allows for parents to consolidate parenting that does not resort to coercive and hostile behaviors, control, obedience, and severe strictness. As a result, the child develops self-regulation and coping mechanisms that reduce the risk for developing anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study examines the correlation between emotional stability and symptoms related to adjustment to the stresses related to the pandemic for parents and nonparents at the initial stage of the COVID‐19 outbreak in Israel. Background: At the early stage of the COVID‐19 outbreak, governments prohibited public gatherings and demanded social distancing. These challenges may be especially difficult for individuals with low levels of emotional stability as adaptation difficulties may lead to stress‐related outcomes, such as adjustment disorder symptoms. Additionally, in the face of a significant external threat and the demand for intensive joint familial time at home, the parental role becomes especially salient. Methods: Two hundred forty‐four Israeli adults filled in self‐reported e‐version questionnaires regarding emotional stability, adjustment disorder symptoms, and background variables. A cross‐sectional design was used to examine the association between emotional stability and adjustment disorder symptoms, as well as the potential moderation by parenting status. Results: The findings revealed that the levels of emotional stability were negatively correlated with adjustment disorder symptoms, while being a parent mitigated this correlation. This correlation was nonsignificant among parents. Conclusion and Implications: It appears that the identity salience of parental role in the current stressful situation and its associated strain may have overcome the advantage of emotional stability. The identity of being a parent has the potential to dismiss it. Here, the social role emerges as more forcible than the personality trait. Recommendations for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high prevalence of peripartum depression (PPD) among mothers of preterm infants concerns health professionals due to its implications for mothers' and infants' health. A model for explaining PPD, consisting of four personal resources was examined: locus of control, intolerance to uncertainty, maternal self-efficacy, and quality of the couple relationship. In one of the largest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Israel, 129 mothers of 215 preterm infants completed self-report questionnaires regarding their background variables, locus of control, intolerance to uncertainty, maternal self-efficacy and quality of couple relationship. PPD symptoms and high risk for diagnosing clinical PPD. The examined personal resources explained 43.9% of the variance in PPD symptoms. Intolerance to uncertainty was positively associated with PPD symptoms, while internal locus of control, high levels of maternal self-efficacy, and high quality of couple relationships were found to be negatively associated with PPD symptoms. Additionally, these variables predicted the likelihood for clinical PPD. The findings indicate a potential likelihood of reducing PPD through healthcare professional interventions, by strengthening personal resources. Associations between personal resources and PPD are discussed in light of the transactional theory of coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjustment disorder is a maladaptive reaction to common life events. Levels of adjustment disorder can serve as one of the indicators of the effectiveness of social services interventions. Yet, the role of service receipt period and of social worker alternation in explaining levels of adjustment disorder remains unclear. In order to explore this issue, structured questionnaires were distributed to a random sample of 190 clients of a social services department in Israel. Whilst no significant differences were found between service receipt periods with regard to clients' adjustment disorder, clients treated by a single social worker reported lower levels of adjustment disorder than those treated by alternating social workers. Furthermore, new and long-standing clients, treated by alternating social workers displayed higher levels of adjustment disorder than those treated by a single social worker. The importance of therapeutic alliance is discussed in light of the present findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The birth of a preterm infant and the hospitalization in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) add extra functional and emotional demands to the typical transition to motherhood. Therefore, the prevalence of peripartum depression (PPD) among preterm mothers is especially high. As optimism was found to be a mediator of the association between social support and depression, the current study aimed to test this mediation in the population of NICU mothers. A sample of 128 Israeli mothers of 214 NICU hospitalized infants filled out self‐report questionnaires regarding background variables, social support, optimism, and PPD symptoms. As hypothesized, optimism was found to partially mediate the association between social support and PPD symptoms among mother of preterm infants. The higher the perceived social support reported, the higher maternal optimism reported, and in turn, the lower PPD symptoms reported. In accordance with the Transactional Stress Theory, social support and optimism reflect maternal secondary appraisals that impact the way mothers of preterm infants cope with the challenging situation of a preterm birth and NICU hospitalization. Healthcare professionals should encourage preterm mothers' use of social support to increase optimism and reduce the risk of developing PPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Civilians who survive wartime attacks commonly experience substantial psychological distress, including acute stress reactions (ASRs) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The authors sought to determine the level of Israeli civilian exposure to wartime attacks, prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and physical injuries, and associated medical costs over a 7-year period.Methods: Data from the National Insurance Institute of Israel on civilian survivors of wartime attacks in the 2009-2015 period were retrospectively examined.Results: Overall, 11,476 civilians were affected by 243 wartime attacks during the study period. Of these individuals, 7,561 (65.9%) received early intervention (EI) psychological treatment for ASRs, 1,332 (11.6%) were subsequently adjudicated as having a disability (all causes), and 519 (4.5%) were adjudicated as disabled by PTSD through the end of 2016. Individuals who received immediate ASR treatment were less likely to be disabled by PTSD (p=0.001). Among those without physical injuries, the EI was associated with decreased PTSD disability (2.6% of those receiving the EI developed PTSD, whereas 7.2% of those who did not receive the EI developed PTSD); however, for those with physical injuries, the PTSD rate was higher among those who received the EI (30.4%) than among those who did not receive the EI (5.2%). Individuals having a disability other than PTSD incurred higher medical costs ($7,153 in 2016 U.S. dollars) than individuals with PTSD ($1,960).Conclusions: An approach of providing case management, medical care, behavioral health screening, and EI for ASRs in the wake of wartime attacks on civilians minimized long-term PTSD-related disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between psychological distress among social workers and their intention to leave the profession through the economic and social exchange perspective. The research sample was comprised of 380 Israeli social workers who manually filled in structured questionnaires regarding psychological distress, economic and social exchange between employees and employers in their workplace, self-defined burnout and demographic information. The data analysis showed that higher levels of psychological distress were associated with higher economic exchange and with lower social exchange, which resulted in increased intention to leave. These findings are important for understanding the process that social workers experience regarding the emergence of psychological distress and for clarifying that this process consists of two concurrent components: increasing preoccupation with economic aspects and increasing emotional distancing from the profession. On the basis of the transactional model of stress and coping and the social and economic exchange perspectives, it would be desirable to develop an organisational culture that promotes social exchange (trust, manager support, teamwork), which would allow social workers to cope with active emotional regulation and to strengthen their sense of belonging to the profession and thus reduce their intention to leave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary families experience the paradox of traditionalism/postmodernism especially in the postnatal period which presents many challenges to couples subsystem. One of them is the change in roles, which often leads to decreased relationships' equality. This article tests the impact of change in perceived spousal equality after giving birth on relationships' quality and the implications of the latter for mothers' psychological adjustment. Participants included 349 Israeli pregnant women who completed self-reported questionnaires at the third trimester of pregnancy (T1) and 5 months postnatal (T2). The questionnaires dealt with perceived spousal equality, relationship's quality and psychological adjustment (i.e., postpartum depression, negative and positive affect and life satisfaction). Results demonstrated that decrease in perceived equality from T1 to T2 reduced the levels of relationship's quality, which in turn resulted in a decrease in mothers' psychological adjustment, 5 months after giving birth. The centrality of spousal relationship for mothers' psychological adjustment is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal child-centrism is widely regarded in Western societies as the ideal of being a good mother. However, it has recently been criticized for the toll it takes on mothers. This study examines the widespread maternal practice of child-centrism. It is the first, to our knowledge, to examine predictors of the tendency towards child-centrism. Nowadays, with the social unwritten imperative to prioritize children's needs regardless of maternal standpoint, this study aims to focus and shed light on mothers and to explore which maternal characteristics predict maternal child-centrism. Self-reported questionnaires were completed by 320 Jewish-Israeli mothers, dealing with maternal child-centrism, maternal characteristics (i.e. attachment style, anxiety, defensiveness, and negative and positive affect), and socio-demographic context. The results of the Hierarchical Regression analysis revealed that stress-related maternal characteristics of anxiety and defensiveness predicted maternal child-centrism. These findings may imply that child-centrism serves as a mechanism for overcoming distress faced by mothers struggling with current Western societal norms. Its relationship to the feminist conceptualization of the Myth of Motherhood is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the psychological mechanisms of mothering involved in the association of maternal sociability and the sociability of their preschool children. In particular, it is posited that this association is mediated by two maternal psychological conceptualizations: (a) perception of ability to take on the role of motherhood (i.e., maternal competence) and (b) perception of distribution of resources between child and self (i.e., maternal child-centrism). Participants included 320 Jewish–Israeli mothers of preschool children (age 4-6 years) who completed self-reported questionnaires dealing with social relationships, child sociability, maternal competence, and maternal child-centrism. Multiple regression analyses confirmed the mediating effect of maternal competence and child-centrism as well as the association between the mother’s sociability and child sociability. These findings are discussed in light of social capital theory and contemporary parenting styles. Professionals working with families should be aware of the impact of social networks on maternal perception and their influence on children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Parental involvement in children''s schooling has been repeatedly shown to be positively and significantly correlated with a number of positive child outcomes. Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (1995) proposed a multivariate model of parental involvement. There are indications that the model should be adjusted to include mediating effects of parental role constructions. Further, this model has not been tested in educational systems and cultural contexts outside the US. The goals of the present study were to model factors associated with parental involvement in schools in Israel, and compare model fit among two populations representing different cultures. A survey was conducted with 5999 parents of junior- and senior-high school students in Israel. Data were collected on the extent of parental involvement, parental role construction, invitation for involvement from school, homeroom teacher and the child, availability of resources such as time, energy, skills, and knowledge, parents'' ethnic affiliation, and the socio-economic status of the school''s local authority. Data were analyzed using SEM, Sobel test for mediation, and multivariate hierarchical regression. The findings support the original theoretical model. Findings also revealed significant but very weak mediating effect of parental role construction. The model had a similar fit for both Jewish and Arab samples. Little of the variance in parental involvement was explained by ethnic/cultural affiliation and socio-economic status. Implications for parental involvement interventions with diverse populations are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Parental self-efficacy (PSE) is a central aspect of parenting research. Although parenting continues in older ages, few studies have focused on PSE among older adults. In line with the parenting determinant model, the study examined the associations between psychological distress, social support, loneliness, and PSE in older age.The study used a quantitative cross-sectional survey, including 362 Israeli parents age 65 years and above. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires of psychological distress, social support, loneliness, PSE, and background information.Results revealed that higher PSE was associated with lower psychological distress, higher social support, and a lower sense of loneliness in older adults. The research model explained 36.9 per cent of the variance in PSE among older adults.Mental state and social conditions are important for PSE of older adults; therefore, professionals should ensure the availability of diverse solutions to enable, maintain, and promote well-being through social and familial engagement in this population.

The mediating effect of maternal self-efficacy on the association between spousal support and stress, among mothers of hospitalized babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is examined. Findings confirmed partial mediation effect implying that professionals may contribute to the reduction of stress levels among preterm mothers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None declared., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In line with the new conceptualization of adjustment disorder (AjD) in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), a new 20-item self-report questionnaire was developed and validated - the Adjustment Disorder-New Module (ADNM). However, such a long research tool has the potential to become problematic for use in epidemiological and clinical settings. Therefore, an ultra-brief measure for AjD (ADNM-4) was established and validated in a recent study conducted with a representative national sample. The aim of the present study was to revalidate the ultra-brief ADNM-4 Scale, as well as to reestablish cutoff scores for clinical use. An online survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 484 Israelis aged 18-65 years, who were recruited via social media. Participants filled out self-report questionnaires dealing with diagnostic criteria of stress-related disorders, that is, AjD (the original and ultra-brief modules), prolonged grief disorder, depression, anxiety, and hypochondriasis. Construct, discriminant, and convergent validity were assessed via confirmatory factor analysis and correlation coefficients, while cutoff scores were established through receiver-operating characteristic analysis. The findings confirmed the ultra-brief module's validity. The high fit indices indicated construct validity, and the correlations with the various stress-related disorders indicated good convergent and discriminant validity. Cutoff scores resembled earlier cutoff scores calculated with a representative national sample, indicating a consistent and accurate diagnostic ability. These findings provide additional evidence for the psychometric characteristics of the ADNM-4, which seems to be a suitable brief screening tool for assessing AjD symptoms according to the ICD-11 definition. Therefore, the ADNM-4 is recommended in cases where prompt screening is required, as well as for research purposes., (© 2019 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

In line with ICD-11 new conceptualization of Adjustment disorder (AjD), a self-report Adjustment Disorder-New Module (ADNM) was developed and validated. Nevertheless, the ADNM-20 is a long research tool and potentially problematic in the use in epidemiological and clinical studies. The present study introduces the brief ADNM-8 and the ultra-brief ADNM-4, examines their validity and establishes cut-off scores for their clinical use. The study used a representative national sample of 1003 Israelis who reported on the ICD-11 stress spectrum ranging from AjD, PTSD, complex PTSD and complicated grief. Construct validity was assessed via confirmatory factor analysis and cut-off scores were established through ROC analysis. The original and brief instruments were highly correlated (r > 0.918 or better). Cronbach's Alpha for the Brief ADNM-8 and the Ultra-Brief ADNM-4 were above 0.800. Correlations with stress related conditions indicated a good convergent and construct validity for both instruments as well. The ultra-brief ADNM-4 was found to have a very good fit with the data. These findings indicate that the brief ADNM-8 and the ultra-brief ADNM-4 can serve as a brief screening tools for assessing AjD symptoms according to the ICD-11 definition., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

ICD-11 has provided a revised definition for adjustment disorder (AjD). The current study examined whether mortality salience effect, a possible consequence of a terror attack, may serve as a significant predictor associated with each of the AjD subscales. Using an online survey, 379 adult participants were recruited and filled out self-reported questionnaires dealing with adjustment disorder symptoms as well as mortality salience effect. Findings revealed that mortality salience effect was a significant predictor of all AjD subscales. The importance of mortality salience effect for AjD is discussed in light of terror management theory.