Social Cosmos - URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-112463 The influence of terrorist threats on Israeli children and adolescents Elin Martine Doeland Abstract This article offers a review of some studies on the influence of the constant threat of terrorism on Israeli children and adolescents. Negative outcomes as well as mediating factors are examined in this context. Contributions from psychology and sociology are hereby included. Stress and fear have been the most common reactions found. However, the intensity and prevalence rate of both are in most cases relatively low. Gender, social systems and worldview/political attitude all serve as mediating factors. Even though much is already known, more research will likely lead to further understanding of the topic. Keywords: threat of terrorism, Israeli children and adolescents, stress and fear, gender, social systems, worldview and political attitude. Introduction Israeli children and adolescents? First, a Living under the threat of terrorism is summary of the general situation in Israel perceived by many as a very stressful will be provided. Next, negative impacts situation, one that has an impact on from the threat of terrorism on Israeli individuals’ daily lives, policymaking, children and adolescents will be assessed. and a nation’s perception of its own Then several mediating factors between security. Terrorism has been defined as the threat of terrorism and the influence “politically motivated violence, on children and adolescents will be perpetrated by individuals, groups or summarized. Specifically, the roles of state-sponsored agents, intended to instill gender, support from social systems, and feelings of terror and helplessness in a political attitude and worldview will be population in order to influence decision- evaluated. The conclusion of the article making and to change behavior” argues that the threat of terrorism indeed (Kashima, 2003; Moghaddam, 2005, in has a negative influence on Israeli Tatar, Amram & Kelman, 2010). In Israel, children and adolescents, even though the the threat of terrorism is constantly majority seem to cope relatively well with present. Due to several conflicts in the the situation. Middle East in which Israel has been involved, especially with neighboring The presence of terrorism in the Israeli Palestine and Lebanon, terrorist attacks society have become part of the Israeli life and It has been stated that: “In Israel, children society. and adolescents live in conditions of This article focuses on the prolonged terror [for most of] their lives” influence of the constant threat of (Sharlin, Moin & Yahav, 2006, p. 97). terrorism on Israeli children and The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has led to adolescents by examining several recent continuous terrorism in which citizens on studies on the topic. Negative outcomes as both sides need to cope with an “ongoing, well as mediating factors will in this threatening situation on a daily basis” context be presented. To give an overview (Tatar et al., 2010 p. 133). The first on the topic, both psychological as well as Intifada in 1987, in which Palestinians sociological perspectives are considered. rose in revolt in the West Bank and the The main question of this article is: How Gaza Strip, was followed by the second does the threat of terrorism influence Intifada in October 2000 (Sharlin et al., 61 Social Cosmos - URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-112463 2006). Since that time, terrorist attacks Negative outcomes as a result of against the Israeli civilian population have terrorist threats taken place in which, according to the The mental health literature indicates that Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2005, populations living under the threat of in Cohen & Eid, 2007), 930 people have terrorism have a “high risk [of] been killed and more than 4000 have been developing symptoms of distress” injured. A characteristic of these terrorist (Summerfield, 1997, in Kimhi & Shamai, attacks is that the majority of them have 2006, p. 2). Generalized fear and anxiety, been carried out in public places. problems in daily functioning, recurrent Consequently, as Cohen and Eid (2007) thoughts of a terrorist attack, avoidance argue, “Israeli citizens almost everywhere behavior, psychological symptoms, live in a constant high-risk situation, ever depression, and difficulties in relating to conscious that they or their family and trusting others are the major members could be involved in a terror symptoms that have been identified. In attack” (Cohen & Eid, 2007, p. 47). severe cases, post-traumatic stress Sharlin et al. (2006) describes one such disorder1 (PTSD) can result from episode: exposure to terrorist attacks (Gidron et al., 1999; Solomon et al., 1991; Summerfield, In Jerusalem, 22 November 2002. Jerusalem’s 1997, in Kimhi & Shamai, 2006). Within bus #20 exploded after a suicide bomber got the context of Israel, researchers have on. The bus, which serves the residential studied the influence of the constant threat areas, was full of children on their way to of terrorism on Israeli children and school. Eleven people were killed and 50 adolescents by surveying both this age wounded (Sharlin et al., 2006, p. 100). group and their parents. A selection of What can be seen as a paradox in the recent studies will now be discussed. Israeli situation is that daily life and its Tatar et al. (2011) studied the routines expose children and adolescents perceptions of Israeli parents concerning to a higher risk, whereas routines the help-seeking behaviors of their 11 to generally are seen as favorable because 19 year-old children in relation to terrorist they provide a sense of stability in an attacks. A total of 684 parents were unstable situation (Cohen & Eid, 2007). surveyed (342 mothers and 342 fathers). Making use of public transportation or Additionally, parents were asked to enjoying entertainment brings people into address the most common reactions in a situation where the risk of being their children following a terrorist attack. exposed to a terrorist attack is higher. The results show that parents perceive the However, research shows that the following as typical reactions: stress, fear, majority of the population has not been emotional avoidance, sadness, attempts to directly exposed. In a study in which 512 receive more information or details about participants forming a representative the event, and anger or a wish for revenge. sample of the Israeli population were The most common reaction, as perceived surveyed, 16.4 % of Israelis had been by the parents, was stress. directly exposed to a terrorist attack In Cohen and Eid’s (2007) study (Bleich et al., 2003, in Sharlin et al., of the effect of living under conditions of 2006). However, due to the circumstances an ever-present threat of terrorism, the described above, most Israeli citizens level of stress symptoms in Israeli Jewish perceive that they are in close proximity and Arab adolescents was examined. A to the terrorist attacks (Cohen & Eid, total of 346 adolescents aged 13 to 15 2007). years, of whom 170 were Israeli Jews and 176 were Israeli Arabs, participated in the 62 Social Cosmos - URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-112463 study. The results show that Israeli Jewish in general, and thus experience higher and Arab adolescents’ levels of stress levels of stress and fear. were very similar. Most adolescents of the As described above, generalized Jewish and Arab group showed zero-to- fear has been found to be a typical result low (17.6% and 22.9%) or mild stress of living under conditions of constant reactions (75.3% and 69.7%). Moderate threat of terrorism. Sharlin et al. (2006) stress reactions were less frequent (7.1% studied prevalence and intensity of fear in and 7.4%) and no severe stress reaction 747 Israeli junior high school students. was reported in either group. It was found Even though none of the students had that neither watching television nor been directly exposed to a terrorist attack, proximity to a terrorist attack was they all lived under a continuous threat of associated with stress symptoms. terrorism. The study sought to determine Likewise, Sharlin et al. (2006) found that whether an occurring terrorist attack, in children living in a community where a conditions of prolonged terror, has an terrorist attack had occurred did not have influence on children’s reactions. Results much stronger reactions to the occurrence show that prevalence and intensity of fear of a subsequent attack, independent of was relatively low among the majority of where in the country the attack occurred, the students. Additionally it was found than children living elsewhere. This last that children’s fear was not significantly finding can be understood in terms of the higher after a new terrorist attack. fact that most Israeli citizens feel that they Nevertheless, the results indicate that 10% are in close proximity to attacks that take to 19% of the children reported to be place, whether or not they are directly “very” or “very much” afraid and 64% exposed (as described above). The very were “afraid” of suicide bombers. Most small geographical area of Israel may also children were aware of the danger of new account for such a perception. attacks. Even so, the threat of terrorism However, somewhat contrary to did not seem to hamper their everyday the findings of Cohen and Eid (2007) and activities and, in most cases, did not Sharlin et al. (2006), Shamai & Kimhi weaken their learning ability and (2006) found that teenagers living in an concentration at school. No more than 5% area with a high risk of terrorist attacks of the children reported that they thought did indeed have a higher level of stress, as a lot about terrorism. Considering the well as a lower level of satisfaction with situation these children are in, the results their lives, than teenagers living in areas seem somewhat surprising. However, the with a lower risk of attacks.
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