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Two studies explored the interplay between death awareness, attachment style, and maternal separation anxiety among first-time mothers of infants aged 3-12 months. In Study 1 (N = 60), a higher accessibility of death-related thoughts was found following induction of thoughts about separation from the infant. In Study 2 (N = 100), a mortality salience induction led to higher maternal separation anxiety. Contrary to expectations, these findings were not moderated by mother's attachment style. The results are explained in terms of Terror Management Theory, and demonstrate its applicability to maternal emotions and cognitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current studies examine proximal and distal mortality salience effects on the willingness to engage in health-promoting activities and explore the roles of age and self-esteem. In Study 1, 164 participants completed a self-esteem scale, were assigned to a mortality salience or a neutral condition, and then completed a scale, tapping their willingness to engage in health promoting activities. Findings revealed that in the proximal mode, mortality salience led the young and middle-aged adults to report higher willingness to promote health behaviors, whereas older adults tended to show a lower willingness to promote their health compared to the control condition. In Study 2, a total of 251 participants completed the same series of questionnaires, including a distracting task immediately after the mortality salience manipulation. Findings revealed that, in the distal mode, whereas death reminders did not affect young adults, mortality salience led middle-aged participants to express higher willingness to conduct health-promoting behaviors than in a control condition. The mortality salience induction did not affect older adults with high self-esteem, but led low self-esteem individuals to report higher willingness to promote their health. The differences between the reactions of the different age groups in both the defense modes are discussed in view of the terror management theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined the role of self-esteem in the willingness to help people with disabilities among young ultra-Orthodox women. On the one hand, these women are culturally encouraged to help people in need, but on the other, being associated with anyone with a disability may endanger their marriage prospects. One hundred and two young ultra-Orthodox Jewish women aged 16 to 23 completed Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (1965) and a self-report scale which assessed their willingness to help people with and without disabilities in hypothetical scenarios. Findings showed that high self-esteem women were more willing than low self-esteem women to provide help to people with disabilities. The discussion focuses on the limits of the willingness to help under certain cultural and personal circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This series of studies examined mortality salience effects on relationship strivings, while exploring the moderating role of attachment style. In the three studies, Israeli university students completed an attachment style scale, were assigned to a mortality salience or neutral condition, and then completed scales tapping specific relationship strivings and beliefs. Study 1 (N = 104) examined participants' willingness to initiate social interactions with a hypothetical same-sex person; Study 2 (N = 100) examined appraisals of interpersonal competence; and Study 3 (N = 108) examined reports of rejection sensitivity. Findings revealed that mortality salience led to more willingness to initiate social interactions, lower rejection sensitivity and more positive appraisals of interpersonal competence than a control condition. These mortality salience effects were found mainly among persons who scored low on attachment anxiety or attachment avoidance. Findings were discussed in light of the terror management function of close relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnancy and anticipation of the birth of the first child is considered a happy and exciting time. However, the stress involved in pregnancy has been found to put women at greater risk of impaired psychological well-being, or higher distress. Confusion in the theoretical literature between the terms 'stress' and 'distress' makes it difficult to understand the underlying mechanism that may enhance or reduce psychological well-being. We suggest that maintaining this theoretical distinction and examining stress from different sources, may allow us to gain new knowledge regarding the psychological well-being of pregnant women., Objective: Drawing on the Calming Cycle Theory, to examine a moderated mediation model for the explanation of the dynamic between two stress factors (COVID-19-related anxiety and pregnancy stress) that may pose a risk to psychological well-being, as well as the protective role of maternal-fetal bonding., Methods: The sample consisted of 1,378 pregnant women who were expecting their first child, recruited through social media and completed self-report questionnaires., Results: The higher the COVID-19-related anxiety, the higher the pregnancy stress, which, in turn, was associated with lower psychological well-being. However, this effect was weaker among women who reported greater maternal-fetal bonding., Conclusion: The study expands knowledge of the dynamic between stress factors and psychological well-being during pregnancy, and sheds light on the unexplored role of maternal-fetal bonding as a protective factor against stress.

Background: Exposure to traumatic events can significantly impact individuals' mental health, particularly of more vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women. This study focuses on Israeli pregnant women following the terror attack on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war. It aims to examine the contribution of background and pregnancy-related characteristics, exposure to the traumatic events and personal resources (self-mastery, intolerance of uncertainty) to post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and war-related concerns about oneself, close others, the fetus and raising the baby who is about to be born., Method: Pregnant women ( n  = 175) aged 20-45 ( M  = 31.14, SD  = 5.26) were recruited through social media and completed online self-report questionnaires., Results: Direct traumatic exposure, lower self-mastery and higher intolerance of uncertainty contributed to women's PTSS; lower self-mastery and higher intolerance of uncertainty contributed to most concerns; direct exposure to the traumatic events contributed to concerns about the fetus and raising the baby., Conclusions: The findings expand existing knowledge concerning resources related to PTSS and various war-related concerns. Mental health professionals should be informed of these variables when planning interventions with this population.

Background: Pregnancy can be a complex and stressful period, especially for women conceiving through fertility treatment, but this can foster the experience of personal growth (PG). Most of the knowledge on women's PG during pregnancy is based on a single measurement and relates to conceiving achieved through fertility treatments in general. Relying on Schaefer and Moos's PG model, the current prospective study sought to (1) investigate the differences in PG according to women's mode of conception (spontaneous; first-line fertility treatment; IVF) and (2) examine the contribution of the mode of conception, perceived stress, self-mastery, and cognitive appraisal (threat, challenge, and self-efficacy) to PG in two phases during pregnancy., Methods: Israeli pregnant women (Mean age = 32) recruited through a convenience sample, completed self-report questionnaires twice: the first or second trimester of pregnancy (Phase 1; n  = 400) and the third trimester (Phase 2; n  = 268). A total of 268 participants completed both assessments., Results: Women who conceived through IVF experienced higher PG and lower self-mastery than women who conceived spontaneously. Regression analyses indicated that IVF, being primiparous, lower self-mastery, lower threat appraisal, and higher challenge appraisal were related to greater PG in Phase 1. Only expecting the first child and challenge appraisal predicted women's PG in Phase 2., Conclusions: The study highlights that women who conceive through IVF experience greater PG than other women and the significant role of cognitive appraisal in PG over time during pregnancy. These findings may inform focused-based interventions to enhance women's mental health during this period.

Background: Previous studies have examined contributors to personal growth (PG) following the birth of the first child. This study examines for the first time the role of PG as a potential mediator in the relationship between individual characteristics (bond with parents and experiences of parental loss) and parental perception of their infant (warmth, invasiveness). By focusing on PG, this study offers a novel perspective on how parental experiences and relationships influence early parent-child dynamics over time., Methods: We used data from a longitudinal study among new Israeli parents. Participants completed self-report questionnaires in three phases: Up to one year following the birth of their first child ( n  = 2,182); Six months later ( n  = 1,045); and after another six months ( n  = 811)., Results: The study revealed associations between background variables and perceived infant's warmth and invasiveness over time. A cross-lag panel model revealed that parental care as reported in Phase 1 was linked to perceived warmth in Phase 1, whereas parental overprotection and parental loss, both reported in Phase 1 were linked to perceived invasiveness in Phase 1. PG mediated the association between parental care and perceived warmth over time., Conclusions: This study sheds light on the significance of parental bond, experiences of parental loss, and personal growth in shaping parents' perception of their infants. The findings highlight the importance of targeted support programmes to promote positive parent-infant relationships, emphasising the need for further longitudinal research to understand the dynamics of these relationships over time.

Objective: This study explores the experience of Israeli therapists who both worked with clients in emergency interventions during the third week following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and were themselves exposed, to one extent or another, to the terrifying events., Method: Open-ended questionnaires were completed by 201 therapists during the third week following October 7. Using thematic analysis, therapists' reports of the themes their clients raised in therapeutic sessions were compared with their reports of the hardships they themselves experienced as individuals and professionals during the same period. Drawing on the concept of shared traumatic reality, the study considers how close the themes are, and how challenging it is to cope concurrently with a traumatic reality that is experienced both directly and indirectly., Results: Seven main categories emerged from the responses to questions about both their clients and themselves: (1) uncertainty and worries about the near and more distant future; (2) overwhelming emotions; (3) physical sensations; (4) shattered meaning and loss of trust; (5) lack of routine; (6) self-preservation; and (7) shared trauma., Conclusions: The findings shed light on early reactions to a shared traumatic reality in the period closely following the trauma itself, indicating that professionals find it hard to differentiate between the personal, professional, and national levels when exposed to a large-scale traumatic event they share with their clients., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Clinical Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: To delve into the phenomenon of memorial tattoos in Israel following the October 7, 2023, massacre, and the ensuing Iron Swords War utilizing Terror Management Theory., Methodology: A qualitative approach employing digital ethnography and visual content analysis was adopted to scrutinize 250 war tattoo images sourced from Israeli tattoo artists' Instagram pages and Facebook groups. Data collection spanned the initial four months of the war, from October 2023 to January 2024., Findings and Conclusions: The analysis highlights existential anxieties stemming from the massacre and ongoing conflict, which are both reflected and addressed through the tattoos' content and meaning. Memorial tattoos serve as responses to mortality salience, depicting themes that adhere to the three anxiety-buffer mechanisms proposed by the theory: reinforcement of collective worldviews; enhancement of self-esteem; and seeking continued attachment relationships. Through these mechanisms, tattoo recipients invest efforts in giving meaning to the inconceivable events and their ongoing grief.

Relying on personal growth and structuration theories, we aimed to examine the internal (sense of coherence/SOC and help-seeking/HS) and external (perceived social support) resources that contribute to soldiers' personal growth following the transition to military service. We also investigated the role that perceived social support plays in moderating the relationship between SOC and personal growth, and between HS and personal growth. Two-hundred-and-seventy-one compulsory service soldiers (of whom 135 were men and 136 were women) completed self-report questionnaires between 6 and 12 months post-recruitment. The results showed both linear and curvilinear associations between soldiers' perceived stress and personal growth; SOC, HS, and perceived social support were positively correlated with personal growth; and perceived social support moderated both SOC and HS correlations with personal growth. Empirical evidence of personal growth in the transition to military service has been scant. Transitioning from civilian life to military service can be stressful and even traumatic but it can also provide opportunities for personal development. Our findings shed light on contributors to personal growth in the transition to military service, with both internal and external resources found to help one gain personal growth. It is evident that in order for soldiers to thrive, both perceived social support and active help-seeking are key factors., (© 2024 The Authors. Stress and Health published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

On 7 October 2023, 3,000 Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip infiltrated Israel. Over 1,300 people were killed on that day, and over 240 were abducted to Gaza. On October 8, Israel declared war on Hamas. The current study delves into the prevailing phenomenon of spontaneous war weddings held in military settings during the war. Drawing from Terror Management Theory (TMT) and utilizing an ethnographic approach, we analyze published media reports of these weddings. We suggest that this phenomenon is a sign of three terror management anxiety buffer mechanisms activated in view of current national and personal mortality salience: the validation of cultural worldviews; the enhancement of self-esteem; and the pursuit of proximity, in the form of a sense of closeness to attachment figures. All three anxiety-buffer mechanisms contribute to the fortification of psychological defenses, the denial of death, and the maintenance of psychological equanimity in view of this incomprehensible threat.

Objective and Background: The nine months of pregnancy allow mothers to plan for the birth of their child practically and emotionally. A very preterm birth, which is generally unexpected and requires the infant's stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), is perceived as a crisis by most mothers. This study sought to investigate the significance for the mother of the combined experience of a very preterm birth and the infant's stay in the NICU two-three years after the birth., Methods: Using qualitative methodology, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 mothers (age 26-44) whose infants were born at 24-32 weeks. The analysis adopted the approach of multi-level listening to the diverse voices of the interviewees., Results: Four core themes emerged: negative feelings about the preterm birth; the NICU experience as a crisis; long-term effects of the very preterm birth and NICU experience; personal growth following the preterm birth and NICU., Discussion: In view of the findings, we discuss the meaning of the circumstances surrounding preterm birth on motherhood, and offer recommendations for practitioners.

Terror Management Theory (Tmt, solomon et al., 1991) claims that individuals use three anxiety buffer mechanisms to regulate their death awareness - cultural worldviews, self-esteem, and proximity seeking. In this article, we use these three TMT anxiety buffers to explain the phenomenon of posthumous sperm retrieval, requested by spouses or parents, usually of young soldiers who died during their military service. Whereas this phenomenon has been known for some time, it increased dramatically in the initial days following the massacre conducted by the Hamas terrorist organization in Israel on October 7, 2023. We claim that this was an immediate reaction to this terror event, which posed a direct, existential threat to those who were exposed to the massacre and the soldiers who defended the country, but also to the entire Israeli society, as well as for Jews around the globe. We use interpretive phenomenology to qualitatively examine the phenomenon of retrieving sperm from dead young men, analyzing the requests to retrieve sperm posthumously as a sign of the need to provide these young men with symbolic immortality, on both personal and national levels. We integrate this explanation with the military ethos and the tendency of Israeli society to endorse familyist and pronatalist values to expand our understanding of this contemporary phenomenon in Israel., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Dealing with the difficulties and demands of the postpartum period may be distressing for the mother, but it is also an opportunity for her to experience personal growth. One factor that may contribute to this growth is the mother's childhood experiences., Objective: Using a prospective study design, and based on Belsky's parenting model and personal growth theory, we examined the direct and indirect contribution of mothers' adverse and benevolent childhood experiences and their current psychological distress, self-compassion, and social support to their personal growth following childbirth and motherhood., Method: A convenience sample of 392 women was recruited through social media and participated in the study about 16 weeks after childbirth (Phase 1) and again 6-10 months postpartum (Phase 2)., Findings: The direct effects of adverse and benevolent childhood experiences on personal growth were not significant. However, multiple significant paths of indirect associations were found through psychological distress, self-compassion, and social support., Conclusions: To understand the roots of the mother's personal growth, researchers and clinicians alike should not only explore her personal resources, but also the primary processes that contribute to the creation of those resources, that is, childhood experiences. Addressing the mother's childhood experiences may help her to better understand the connections between the past and the present, and to identify the implications of her "ghosts and angels" for her mental state, personal resources, and experience of personal growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: During the transition to motherhood, women may experience personal growth, especially when they are exposed to a traumatic stressor such as a global pandemic. However, few studies have employed a longitudinal design to examine the change in personal growth over time during this period. Based on the Personal Growth following Life Crisis and Transitions model, we explored the trajectory of personal growth and the factors that may predict it: COVID-19-related anxiety, maternal-fetal bonding, and dispositional gratitude. Perceived relationship quality with the partner was used as a predictor of growth in each study wave., Method: The sample consisted of 388 women with diverse sociodemographic backgrounds, who were recruited through social media and completed self-report questionnaires in three phases: the second half of their pregnancy, 3 months after the birth of their first child, and 3 months later., Results: A linear increase in personal growth was found from pregnancy until after childbirth. Higher COVID-19-related anxiety and maternal-fetal bonding predicted higher initial personal growth, but lower change over time. Higher gratitude predicted higher initial levels of personal growth, but not the change over time. Relationship quality with the partner predicted personal growth 3 and 6 months after childbirth, but not during pregnancy., Conclusions: Personal growth measured at a single point in time and the change in personal growth over time are distinct phenomena predicted by different variables. Variables related to higher initial levels of growth appear to predict less change over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The study aimed to identify contributors to the trajectory of personal growth (PG) during the transition to parenthood against the background of a critical life event that occurred previously, namely, losing a parent. The study examined the contributions of the loss of one's own parent, the bond with one's parents in childhood, current parental distress (PD), and demographic variables to changes in the PG of adults when they themselves become parents. New Israeli parents completed self-report questionnaires in three phases: (a) up to 1 year following the birth of their first child ( n = 2,182), (b) 6 months later ( n = 1,045), (c) after another 6 months ( n = 811). Our key findings showed that parental loss was not directly associated with changes in PG, but changes in PD mediated the associations between both loss and parental bonding on the one hand and the changes in PG on the other. Increase in PG levels over time was associated with being a woman, lower level of education and economic status, higher perceived paternal care, and higher maternal overprotection in childhood and decrease in PD. The present study extends knowledge of PG during the transition to parenthood, indicating that it may be shaped by changes in PD levels and the relationships with one's own parents. On the practical level, understanding the consequences for the trajectory of PG of having lost a parent and the nature of their bonding with their parents in childhood can help professionals design appropriate interventions for new parents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: Studies in the perinatal literature tend to focus on potential negative outcomes, but little attention has been paid to the protective factors that may be associated with better psychological well-being or positive mental changes, such as personal growth., Objective: Drawing on the Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions, the study employed a prospective design and a sequential mediation model to examine the mechanism by which protective factors during pregnancy (dispositional gratitude, perceived relationship quality with the partner, perceived maternal-foetal bonding) may be associated, in sequence, with higher psychological well-being and personal growth after childbirth among first-time mothers., Methods: The sample consisted of 515 women who were recruited through social media and completed questionnaires in two phases: Time 1, during the second half of their pregnancy; and Time 2, around 12 weeks after the birth of their first baby., Results: Results show that gratitude was associated with higher perceived relationship quality during pregnancy, which was associated with higher maternal-foetal bonding, which in turn was associated with higher psychological well-being and personal growth after childbirth. The indirect effects were significant., Conclusion: The study expands knowledge of positive outcomes in the transition to motherhood, and demonstrates that positive emotions, such as gratitude, may be the first link in the chain of factors predicting better outcomes from pregnancy to childbirth.

The Family Climate for Road Safety Scale (FCRSS; Taubman - Ben-Ari & Katz - Ben-Ami, 2013) is a comprehensive measure originally developed in Israel to assess parent-children relations in the specific context of driving. The scale consists of seven dimensions: Modelling, Feedback, Communication, Monitoring, Messages, Limits, and Non-commitment to Safety. While the original FCRSS examines the young drivers' perception across the seven domains, a version applicable to parents has also been developed by the same authors. The current study investigates the validity and reliability of the FCRSS-Spain for both parents and young drivers. A total of 377 parents (199 fathers and 178 mothers) and 243 of their children (143 daughters and 100 sons) responded to the FCRSS-Spain versions and provided sociodemographic data. In addition, the young drivers completed the Spanish version of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI-Spain). Results from exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM) indicate that six out of the seven FCRSS domains were replicable among Spanish drivers. The Messages dimension did not emerge as a consistent factor in the FCRSS for either parents or young drivers. All six factors demonstrated good internal consistency reliability (ordinal alpha coefficients exceeding 0.70), except for Non-commitment to safety. Significant differences were found between mothers and fathers in various FCRSS dimensions in the predicted direction, whereas no significant differences in FCRSS scores were found between young men and young women. As expected, associations were found between parents' scores in various FCRSS dimensions and the reckless, angry, dissociative, anxious, and careful driving styles reported by the young drivers, as well as between young drivers' FCRSS scores and their self-reported reckless, angry, dissociative, anxious, and careful driving styles., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Aims: The transition to parenthood is considered one of the most important milestones in a person's life, bringing with it various changes and challenges. One possible outcome of such a life-altering and stressful event is the experience of personal growth (PG). This study examines the contribution of a mother's personal resources (emotion regulation strategies, resilience) and environmental resources (sense of community) to her PG following the transition to motherhood, taking into account the role played by ethnicity., Methods: Data was collected from 402 Israeli Arab, Israeli Jewish, and Turkish first-time mothers of babies up to twenty-four months old., Results: It was found that Israeli Arab mothers reported significantly higher expressive suppression and PG than the other two groups. In addition, Israeli Arab mothers scored significantly higher on resilience, and Israeli Jewish mothers scored significantly higher on sense of community, than Turkish mothers. After controlling for mother and baby background variables, cognitive reappraisal and sense of community were found to predict PG. Two interactions emerged: higher sense of community was related to greater PG only among Israeli Arab mothers; and a positive association between resilience and growth was found only among Israeli Jewish mothers. The results are discussed in relation to the literature., Conclusion: Personal and environmental resources contribute differently to growth of first-time mothers in different cultures. Thus, rather than implementing the same type of intervention in all cultures, appropriate interventions should be tailored for each culture in accordance with its unique characteristics.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) may negatively impact a mother's parental reflective functioning. However, if coping with this difficulty generates personal growth, it may help her to function in a positive reflective manner with her child., Objective: In a two-phase prospective study, we examined a mediation model and a moderated mediation model depicting the contribution of ACE (Phase 1), maternal disintegrative responses (intrusive thoughts and dissociative experiences; Phase 1), and personal growth (Phase 2) to maternal reflective functioning (Phase 2) as expressed in three dimensions: Pre-mentalizing Modes (PM), Certainty about Mental States (CMS), and Interest and Curiosity (IC)., Method: Three hundred and eighty-five Israeli women participated in the study 16 weeks after childbirth (Phase 1) and again 6-10 months postpartum (Phase 2)., Findings: The mediation model revealed that maternal dissociative experiences fully mediated the relationship between ACE and PM, and maternal intrusive thoughts fully mediated the relationship between ACE and CMS. However, the moderated mediation model showed that these mediation relationships were dependent on the level of personal growth reported by the mother., Conclusions: The findings highlight the vulnerability of mothers with ACE to function in a less reflective manner, as well as the effect of personal growth on their maternal functioning., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pregnancy is a vulnerable period for women, and it is especially so under the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas there is some evidence for distress among pregnant women during the outspread of COVID-19, little is known about the second wave of the pandemic. We therefore sought to examine the contribution of background variables, ethnicity (Jewish, Arab), personal resources (optimism, emotion regulation), and COVID-19-related anxieties to pregnant Israeli women's psychological distress., Method: A convenience sample of 1127 Israeli women was recruited from 5 July to 7 October 2020., Results: Not having an academic degree, lower economic status, being an Arab woman, poorer physical health, lower levels of optimism and cognitive reappraisal, higher levels of emotion suppression and COVID-19-related anxieties all contributed significantly to greater psychological distress. Finally, ethnicity moderated the relationship between optimism and emotion suppression and the woman's level of psychological distress., Conclusions: The findings reveal risk and resilience factors associated with the psychological distress of pregnant women during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the potentially greater vulnerability of women from a minority group, showing that ethnicity plays a central role in the way personal resources are related to psychological distress at such times.

Objective: This study aimed to design and examine the validity of the Maternal Disintegrative Responses Scale (MDRS) to assess intrusive thoughts and dissociative experiences in the postpartum period., Method: A convenience sample of 455 mothers whose babies were up to 12 months old completed the MDRS and a series of questionnaires assessing postnatal depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale [EPDS]), childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and general symptoms of dissociation., Results: The final scale consists of eight items tapping two dimensions, intrusive thoughts and dissociative experiences, and displays good psychometric properties. Both factors were found to be related to EPDS, PTSD OCD, and general symptoms of dissociation. Primiparous women scored higher than multiparous women on both dimensions, and mothers of infants up to 3 months old scored higher on dissociative experiences than those whose infants were aged 4-12 months., Conclusions: The MDRS can contribute to the theoretical and practical conceptualization and assessment of these phenomena., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Coping with difficulty conceiving and the ensuing fertility treatments is a stressful experience that impacts many aspects of women's lives. On the basis of Lazarus and Folkman's model of stress and coping and Schaefer and Moos's model of personal growth, and in view of the sparse literature on cultural aspects of infertility and personal growth, this study examined the relationship between stress on the one hand and personal growth and life satisfaction on the other among Arab and Jewish Israeli women. Furthermore, it investigated the moderating role played by perceived stigma, coping flexibility, cultural orientation (individualism and collectivism), and ethnicity. Two hundred five Arab and Jewish Israeli women undergoing fertility treatment completed self-report questionnaires. The results show that Arab women reported higher levels of personal growth and individualism than Jewish women. In the whole sample, a linear negative relationship was found between stress and life satisfaction, and a curvilinear relationship was found between stress and personal growth. In addition, perceived stigma, collectivism, individualism, and coping flexibility were found to moderate the association between perceived stress and personal growth. The findings provide further understanding of personal growth in the context of infertility, showing that personal resources and perceptions are more important than cultural differences in this regard.

COVID-19 has impacted all levels of daily life for people everywhere, with particularly serious implications for pregnant women. This paper examines the COVID-19-related childbirth anxiety (CCA) of Israeli women in the first two waves of the pandemic. We first present two psychotherapeutic case studies with pregnant women in the two waves. This is followed by an empirical study that compared the contribution of background variables, psychological distress, economic concerns, and personal resources to CCA in two samples, Wave 1, March-April 2020 ( n = 403) and Wave 2, September-October 2020 ( n = 1401), and two subpopulations, Jewish and Arab women. Findings reveal that CCA was significantly lower in Wave 2 than in Wave 1. Furthermore, poorer health, higher education, being an Arab, later gestational week, at-risk pregnancy, wave, higher psychological distress, greater economic concerns, and lower self-compassion contributed to higher childbirth anxiety. Wave moderated the association between optimism and anxiety. The findings of the empirical study, together with insights from the case studies, provide evidence of a decrease in CCA later in the crisis, and indicate the significance of resources for coping with the psychological implications of the pandemic. Moreover, they suggest the importance of empowering self-reliance techniques, such as self-compassion, which was significantly associated with lower anxiety, above and beyond the background and psychological variables. Clinical Impact Statement: Using both psychotherapeutic cases and empirical findings, this study points to the risk and resilience factors that contributed to pregnant women's COVID-19-related childbirth anxiety (CCA) in the first two waves of the pandemic. The study suggests that CCA was higher in the first wave, as well as among women from a minority group. At the same time, the research shows that resilience resources of optimism and self-compassion contributed to the reduction of anxiety. These findings may guide interventions for the vulnerable group of pregnant women in times of crisis.

Fertility treatments are a stressful experience. However, the support provided by meaningful support figures, such as a mother, may contribute positively to the mental health of women with fertility issues. The present study therefore explored the experience of Israeli mothers whose daughters encountered fertility problems and underwent treatment to bring their first child into the world. In a retrospective qualitative study, face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 women aged 49-73. Women in the study had a daughter in a spousal heterosexual relationship who conceived her first child via fertility treatment, and this child was up to 4 years old at the time of the interview. Three main themes emerged: (a) The stressfulness of a daughter's fertility problems and treatments for the mother; (b) The mother's supportive role; and (c) The mother's own need for support. The results suggest that due to the unique nature of the mother-daughter relationship, a daughter's fertility problems and treatments are also stressful for her mother. Nevertheless, mothers can be, and wish to be, an important source of support for their daughters. Empirically, further research to extend this understanding is recommended. Practically, professionals should be aware of the mother's distress and the fact that she is likely to deny her own need for support, and make an effort to relate to the stress of these women and help them to be a more effective resource for their daughters. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: Coping with the stress aroused by early pregnancy can not only result in distress, but may constitute an opportunity to experience personal growth. Relying on the model of posttraumatic growth, this study examined the contribution of perceived stress and emotion regulation to women's personal growth during the first trimester of pregnancy., Method: A convenience sample of Israeli women (n=170), who were during their first trimester of pregnancy (up to 13 weeks), over 18 years old, and capable to completing the instruments in Hebrew, were recruited through a women's health clinic and through social media during the years 2017-2019., Results: The findings indicate that primiparous mothers report higher personal growth than multiparous. In addition, younger age, being primiparous, and higher cognitive-reappraisal contributed to greater personal growth. Moreover, a curvilinear association was found between perceived stress and personal growth, so that a medium level of stress was associated with the highest level of growth. Finally, cognitive-reappraisal fully mediated the relationship between perceived stress and personal growth., Conclusions: The findings add to the growing body of knowledge concerning the implications of early pregnancy in general, and personal growth as a result of dealing with the stress typical of this period in particular and highlight the role of the perceived stress as well as the woman's personal characteristics and resources that contribute to this result.

Objective: On the assumption that coping with a crisis from a position of vulnerability may elicit not only negative but also positive outcomes, this study examined posttraumatic growth (PTG) among Jewish and Arab pregnant women 6-7 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring the contribution of ethnicity, personal resources (intolerance of uncertainty, optimism, and self-compassion), and COVID-19-related anxieties. In addition, the moderating roles of ethnicity, optimism, and self-compassion were examined., Method: A convenience sample of 916 Israeli women (517 Jewish, 399 Arab) was recruited from July 5 to October 7, 2020. through women's forums on social media. The participants completed an electronic questionnaire through Qualtrics software., Results: Arab women reported significantly higher PTG, COVID-19-related anxieties, optimism, and self-compassion than Jewish women. A 6-step hierarchical regression that was performed to determine the contribution of the independent variables to PTG revealed that younger age, being primiparous, being an Arab, optimism, self-compassion, and COVID-19-related anxieties were associated with greater PTG. Furthermore, a positive association between intolerance of uncertainty and PTG was found among Jewish, but not Arab women. Finally, the positive association between intolerance of uncertainty and PTG was stronger among women reporting higher self-compassion., Conclusions: The study sheds light on the potential for the positive outcome of PTG in the wake of the prolonged COVID-19 crisis and highlights the contribution of vulnerability and personal resources. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Background: The Maternal Disintegrative Responses Scale (MDRS), which examines intrusive thoughts and dissociative experiences among mothers in the postpartum period, has recently been developed and initially validated., Objective: In this series of two studies, we sought to further examine the validity and psychometric properties of the MDRS by confirming its factor structure and investigating its associations with insecure attachment and childhood trauma., Participants and Setting: Two convenience samples were recruited through social media. Participants in Study 1 consisted of 249 women aged 19 to 43 (M = 30.10, SD = 4.90) whose infants were up to 12 months old. Participants in Study 2 consisted of 637 women aged 20 to 46 (M = 31.43, SD = 4.81) whose infants were up to 16 weeks old., Method: The participants completed a set of self-report questionnaires. In Study 1 we assessed trait anxiety, attachment orientation, the MDRS, and a background inventory. In Study 2 we assessed psychological distress, childhood trauma, the MDRS, and a background inventory., Results: In both studies, the factor structure of the MDRS was confirmed. In addition, insecure attachment and childhood trauma were both related to the MDRS factors, above and beyond the woman's background characteristics and current level of anxiety or distress., Conclusions: The studies indicate the value of the MDRS as a promising, valid, and theory-based questionnaire for mothers following childbirth., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The transition to parenthood is both a joyful and a stress-evoking event and thus may lead to the experience of personal growth. Parental separation anxiety is a potential source for stress, not yet examined in this context. The study aimed to examine new parents' personal growth, exploring the contribution of parental separation anxiety, and to investigate the contribution of the personal resources of self-mastery and emotional intelligence. In a cross-sectional study, Israeli parents (n = 315) whose first child was up to 24 months old completed self-report questionnaires. Results show that higher personal growth was associated with greater separation anxiety among both parents, but more strongly among fathers. Higher personal growth was also associated with higher self-mastery for mothers, and lower emotional intelligence for both parents. The results indicate that parental separation anxiety is related to the personal growth of new parents, and highlight the importance of understanding the transition to parenthood as a differential experience for mothers and fathers. It is recommended that research among fathers be expanded, and that professionals discuss potential separation issues with new parents, and encourage their recognition of inner strengths to enhance their potential to experience personal growth in this demanding period in their lives., (© 2022 The Authors. Health and Social Care in the Community published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In the course of their work, medical teams are routinely exposed to difficult and stressful situations. The few studies in the literature that have examined physicians' perceptions and responses to such situations have focused primarily on the fields of emergency medicine and chronic and terminal illness. However, the field of fertility medicine can also evoke complex feelings among physicians. The present qualitative study examined the perceptions of fertility physicians treating women undergoing egg donation. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 fertility physicians, and a categorical analysis was performed. The main category to emerge was the physicians' perception of egg donation and its implications. Two prominent themes were identified within this category: doctor-patient communication surrounding egg donation and how the idea was presented to the patient; and doctors' perception of the implications of egg donation, including maternal identity, the relationship between mother and infant, and the mother's sense of the child's identity. This is the first study to consider the response to fertility treatments, a contemporary and sensitive topic, from the perspective of the physicians. The findings can contribute to physicians' understanding of themselves and can help to devise ways to assist them in managing their emotional responses to their work for the benefit of both themselves and their patients.

The public debate surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine is especially intense regarding pregnant women, who are concerned with its effects on themselves and their fetus, and a vulnerable at-risk population for psychological distress. We aimed at describing differences in vaccination status between pregnant Jewish and Arab women and understanding factors contributing to psychological distress among Arab women. Pregnant women (n = 860) aged 19-46 completed self-report questionnaires during the national vaccination program (March-April 2021). The questionnaires related to background, COVID-19-related vaccination status and intentions in this regard, COVID-19-related anxiety, and the Mental Health Inventory-Short Form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t- and chi-square tests, Pearson correlations, and a hierarchical regression. Considerably fewer Jewish women had been infected and more were vaccinated than Arab women. Poorer health, lower economic status, being a mother, not being vaccinated, higher anxiety over economic damage, a family member being infected, delivery, and raising the baby contributed to higher distress. Findings offer novel insights for nurses in their efforts to encourage vaccination, highlighting the need to understand women's concerns during the vulnerable period of pregnancy., (© 2022 The Authors. Nursing & Health Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: The changes accompanying the transition to motherhood, joined by the stress aroused by the COVID-19 pandemic, may lead to high levels of parental anxieties. This study, conducted in two phases-in the midst of the first wave of the pandemic and after six months-explores differences in the level of COVID-19-related anxieties of Israeli mothers in their first year of parenthood., Design and Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out with 198 first-time mothers aged 22-48 who completed self-report questionnaires on April 2020 and again on October 2020. The questionnaire was distributed through social networks and included a demographic scale and the COVID-19-related anxieties questionnaire., Findings: In the first phase, mothers reported higher anxieties concerning economic damage (M = 3.42; 3.11), being in public places (M = 4.34; M = 3.51), using public transportation (M = 4.80; M = 4.31), and going for infant checkups (M = 4.13; M = 3.06). In the second phase, mothers reported higher anxiety about being infected (M = 3.19; M = 3.48)., Discussion: The results suggest the need to be attentive to the double stress of new mothers in a dynamic time of crisis, especially at the beginning of the crisis when anxiety levels may be highest., Application to Practice: The findings may aid in developing interventions for new mothers in times of crisis. The finding that the COVID-19-related anxieties of new mothers may decrease over time points to the urgency of making interventions by health and medical professionals available to women in the first months after the birth of their first child., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This paper reviews research on gay and lesbian parent families in Israel through cultural lenses while recognizing the diversity of these families. The major aims of the review are: (1) to provide an overview of the situation of LGBTQ parent families in Israel, as well as of the sociocultural background of the Israeli context and its effects on sexual minorities and LGBTQ parent families; and (2) to identify the limitations and lacunas in the existing research and shed light on what remains to be explored. We searched numerous databases for relevant studies, adopting a narrative approach to summarize the main findings while taking into account the literature on the socio-cultural context in Israel and its impact on sexual minorities and LGBTQ parent families. The search yielded empirical results only for gay and lesbian parent families, with studies emphasizing the challenges they face and the factors related to their well-being and that of LGB individuals aspiring to become parents. In addition, it revealed that research on children's psychosocial adjustment as a function of parental sexual orientation is quite scarce in Israel. Moreover, it indicated the absence of investigations of bisexual, transgender, or queer parents. We conclude that the sociocultural context of Israel, including its pronatalist and familistic orientation, may play an important role in shaping the experiences of LGBTQ parent families, and should be taken into consideration when studying LGBTQ parents.

We sought to examine new parents' perceptions of their infant during the worldwide spread of COVID-19, exploring the contribution of gender, personal resources (attachment orientation, presence of meaning in life and intolerance of uncertainty) and COVID-19-related anxieties. A convenience sample of 606 Israeli first-time parents (137 fathers and 469 mothers), whose child was 3-12 months old, was recruited through social media during April 2020. Findings indicate that being a woman, younger age, lower education, better physical health, older infant's age, lower attachment anxiety, higher presence of meaning in life and greater COVID-19-related anxiety over the infant's health contributed significantly to a greater perception of infant's warmth; being a father, higher education and economic status, poorer physical health, higher attachment anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty and less presence of meaning in life contributed significantly to a greater perception of infant's invasiveness. Gender moderated the associations between the personal resources and infant's perception, and both the presence of meaning in life and intolerance of uncertainty mediated the associations between COVID-19-related anxieties and parent's perception of the infant. The findings reveal the crucial contribution of gender, and both risk and resilience factors, to the parent's perception of the infant in the shadow of COVID-19., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The study examined two angles of childbirth anxieties of Jewish and Arab pregnant women in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic (March-April, 2020). Specifically, we examined the contribution of personal resources: self-compassion and perceived social support, as well as a couple of COVID-19-related fears of being infected and concern for the foetus, to both the woman's global fear of childbirth (FOC) and her COVID-19-related childbirth anxiety. Participants were Jewish and Arab pregnant women (n = 403) aged 20-47, who completed a set of structured self-report questionnaires from 18 March to 9 April 2020. Findings indicated that Arab women reported higher level of COVID-19-related childbirth anxiety and COVID-19-related fears of being infected and concern for the foetus. In addition, poorer health, being an Arab woman, being in the third trimester, lower self-compassion, and higher COVID-19-related fears contributed significantly to greater COVID-19-related childbirth anxiety. Furthermore, poorer health, being primiparous, at-risk pregnancy, lower self-compassion and higher fear of being infected contributed significantly to greater FOC. Importantly, social support was found to moderate the association between self-compassion and FOC. The results highlight the need to be attentive to pregnant women in times of crisis, and in particular to especially vulnerable subgroups, such as cultural minorities. They also highlight the importance of personal resources that may be applied in targeted interventions to reduce distress in vulnerable populations., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 has forced parents to deal with a challenging crisis, which may have increased their stress levels, negatively affecting their parenting and putting their infants at risk of abuse., Objective: To examine the contribution of the pandemic to parenting stress, exploring differences in parenting stress among new parents before and during the crisis, the role of background and personal variables, and the possibility that the study phase moderated the associations of gender and personal resources with parenting stress., Method: Israeli parents (n = 1591) whose first child was 3-12 months old were recruited twice through social media: in 2019, before the spread of COVID-19 (n = 985); and in March 2020, during the pandemic (n = 606)., Results: Sociodemographic variables, perception of the childbirth as traumatic, lower meaning in life, higher search for meaning, less marital satisfaction, and study phase all contributed to greater parenting stress. In addition, the association between gender and stress was moderated by study phase, with fathers reporting a greater increase in stress during the pandemic. Moreover, only during the pandemic did fathers report higher parenting stress than mothers., Conclusions: The findings highlight the vulnerability of new parents of young infants to parenting stress during the crisis, and the special attention which should be paid to fathers. They indicate the value of strengthening meaning in life and preserving good marital relationships as resources that help to cope with the heightened parenting stress at this time., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective : In view of the heightened stress that might accompany a woman's decision to have a child on her own, we examined the experience of personal growth following the transition to motherhood of single mothers by choice and a comparison group of mothers in a couple relationship. We also examined the contribution of attachment style, resilience, and perceived social support to mothers' personal growth. Method : The sample consisted of 152 first-time Israeli mothers aged 28-48 whose children were no older than two. Of them, 76 were single mothers by choice and 76 were in a couple relationship. Results : Single mothers reported higher personal growth and less support from a significant other than mothers in a relationship. In addition, higher age, better economic status, and being a single mother contributed significantly to personal growth. Furthermore, among mothers in a relationship, higher growth was associated with more perceived support from the family, whereas among single mothers, it was associated with more perceived support from a significant other. Conclusion : The results highlight the potential of single mothers by choice to experience personal growth in the transition to motherhood, and the prominent role of support from a significant other in facilitating this experience.