Emotional Distress and Posttraumatic Growth During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Society in Israel

Michal Levinsky, Miriam Schiff, Ruth Pat-Horenczyk, Rami Benbenishty

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    4 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a range of negative responses, including emotional distress, as well as with positive changes, such as posttraumatic growth (PTG). Among the vulnerability factors the literature lists SES and being part of aminority group. The aim of this study is to identify patterns of responses among the ultra-Orthodox Jewish society in Israel, in terms of both emotional distress (anxiety and depression) and multiple dimensions of PTG. Method: The data were collected during the second wave of COVID-19 in Israel, between May and November 2020. The sample included 369 participants, all belonging to the ultra-Orthodox society. Latent class analysis was used to establish heterogeneous classes of participants displaying similar response patterns, using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 index (JAD-7), and the 10-item version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-10). Multinomial regression examined which of the predictors best distinguished between the classes. Results: Three classes were identified, termed here Resilience, Growth, and Distress. As differential predictors of class membership, the study identified age; gender; self-rated health; and COVID-19-related potential negative experiences: economic decline, concerns, and microaggression. The Resilience and Growth patternswere themost prominent.Asmall number of participants formed a class characterized by high levels of distress. Conclusions: The findings contribute to understanding the psychological response patterns of a minority group to COVID-19. The characteristics of the three classes highlight the important role of potentially negative experiences related to COVID-19 in the response patterns.

    Original languageEnglish
    JournalPsychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
    DOIs
    Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2022

    Keywords

    • Anxiety
    • Covid-19
    • Depression
    • Posttraumatic growth

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Social Psychology
    • Clinical Psychology

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