P090. Psychological Impact of the October 7th Hamas Attack on Israel: Trauma, Resilience, and Evacuation Outcomes

• In Event: Poster Session & Ice Cream Social

Abstract

The October 7th, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel's southern territory was one of the most devastating events in the nation's history. The ensuing war with Hamas in the south and Hezbollah in the north led to the internal displacement of over a quarter million Israelis. This study examined the impact of these traumatic events on post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and life functioning among 636 Israeli evacuees (n=300) and non-evacuees (n = 336), focusing on the differential effects of personal resilience, community resilience, and trust in formal authorities. The findings revealed that 38.7% of participants met the criteria for PTSD, with a higher prevalence among evacuees (45.7%) compared to non-evacuees (32.4%). Evacuees reported greater trauma exposure, higher PTSS levels, and lower life functioning and trust in authorities than non-evacuees. There were no significant differences between the groups in personal or community resilience. Regression analyses indicated that greater exposure predicted higher PTSS and lower life functioning, while personal resilience was negatively associated with PTSS and positively associated with life functioning. Community resilience and trust were positively associated with life functioning. These findings underscore the role of resilience and trust in mitigating trauma’s negative effects and highlight the need for focused interventions for displaced populations. These results contribute to understanding the psychological consequences of terrorism and offer valuable insights for fostering resilience and recovery following national crises.

Authors

• Liza Zvi, Ariel University

• Mally Shechory Bitton, Ariel University, Israel

• Avital Laufer, Netanya Academic College, Israel