RESUMEN

INTRODUCTION: Studies that focus on coping strategies, especially among civilian hostages, are scant. Research findings may help predict the chances of readjustment upon return from captivity. The present study aimed to examine the challenges that the civilian hostages faced during captivity and how they dealt with the conditions of captivity. The study was based on seventeen interviews conducted with citizens who returned from Hamas captivity in the first release of hostages. All interviews were conducted by experienced journalists and were broadcast on the main television networks between 11.12.2024 and 4.1.2024. Two main themes were identified using inductive thematic analysis-difficulties in captivity (e.g., dealing with uncertainty, dependent relationships, conditions of isolation, and boredom). The second theme included coping strategies (e.g., hope, regaining control, building certainty, etc.). In each of these themes, several sub-themes that detail the difficulties in captivity and the ways of dealing with them were identified. In addition, the citizens who returned from captivity described using two coping strategies: problem-focused, which aims to manage the problem by "removing" or changing the stressful factor (e.g., planning, building certainty), and emotion-focused coping, which aims to reduce or eliminate the emotional stress and emotions that arise following the trauma (such as distraction, appeal to beliefs, humor, etc.). The themes revealed attempts to regain resources while trying to understand the situation, interpret it, reduce the emotional stress, and act in threatening situations effectively in order to make it possible to survive.

Asunto(s)

Adaptación Psicológica , Humanos , Masculino , Femenino , Adulto , Estrés Psicológico/psicología , Entrevistas como Asunto , Israel , Emociones , Persona de Mediana Edad , Incertidumbre

RESUMEN

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to examine the relationships between dissociative and somatic symptoms and how they might contribute to PTSD severity among ex-soldiers who sought help from the IDF Combat Stress Reaction Unit (CSRU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 1,305 former compulsory, career, and reserve soldiers, who filled out self-report questionnaires on admission for evaluation at the CSRU. The study's dependent variables included two posttraumatic stress disorder measures (CAPS and PCL-5). The independent variables were the Dissociative Experience Scale and Brief Symptom Inventory. Background and service-related variables were also examined. RESULTS: Spearman correlation revealed that the higher the level of somatization is, the higher the level of PTSD via PCL and CAPS. A significant positive association was found between somatization and dissociation (r = 0.544; P < 0.001). The higher the somatization level, the more severe the dissociation. A multivariate logistic regression analysis to predict severe PTSD revealed that the longer the time elapsed from the traumatic event (OR = 1.019, P = 0.015), the higher the risk for severe PTSD. The most prominent variables were dissociation (OR = 6.420, P < 0.001) and somatization (OR = 4.792, P < 0.001). The entire model reached 40.8% of the shared variance in the regression. CONCLUSIONS: While there is direct reference to dissociation in the clinical assessment by PCL or CAPS, there is no such reference to somatization. Highly functioning combatants sometimes express their distress somatically. Our findings suggest regarding severe somatic symptoms as diagnostic criteria for PTSD.