Psychological distress among Israelis during crisis: A comparison between COVID-19 and the Iron Swords War

This study aimed to compare stress reactions and coping resources among the Jewish population in Israel during two different crises: the COVID-19 pandemic and the current Iron Swords War. The study included 421 respondents during the COVID-19 period and 604 respondents during the Iron Swords War. Participants completed self-report questionnaires designed to evaluate sense of coherence, hope, and Community resilience as indicators of coping resources and the Brief Symptom Inventory as a measure of psychological distress. Overall, the mental state of the entire population was more severe during the Iron Swords War than it was during the COVID-19 period (p0.001> (. Sense of coherence and hope were both strongly negatively correlated with psychological distress (p<.001). Moreover, hope, sense of coherence, gender, and age were significant predictors of psychological distress (p< .01). These findings indicate the importance of personal coping resources, such as sense of coherence, during times of crisis. This is particularly important for vulnerable groups. Policymakers should prioritize mental-health services and targeted interventions in emergency response plans.