Dopelt Keren, Houminer-Klepar Nourit
Department of Public Health, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon 78211, Israel.
Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ. 2024 Jul 30;14(8):2175-2186. doi: 10.3390/ejihpe14080145.
Warfare represents a significant source of stress in contemporary times, with enduring implications beyond the immediate casualties, fostering a pervasive atmosphere of danger and anxiety within affected populations. The Israel-Hamas war, marked by ongoing armed incursions and missile attacks, stands as a recent example of such turmoil, inflicting widespread trauma and disruption.
This study, conducted among students at the Ashkelon Academic College in southern Israel, aimed to investigate the stress levels and associated factors amidst the ongoing conflict. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 625 participants between January and February 2024, approximately four months after the commencement of the initial attack. The survey encompassed demographic information, perceived stress levels, sleep quality, and social media usage.
The findings revealed moderate to high stress levels among participants, with significant differences observed based on gender, parental status, and residency in conflict zones. Moreover, poorer sleep quality was reported among students residing in conflict-affected areas. Regression analysis identified several predictors of elevated stress, including gender, parental status, sleep quality, residency in conflict zones, and social media usage.
These findings underscore the profound impact of ongoing conflict on college students' mental well-being, highlighting the need for tailored interventions and support services within higher education institutions. The limitations include the study's focus on a specific college population and the timing of the data collection relative to the onset of the war. Nonetheless, this research contributes valuable insights concerning the stress dynamics within the unique context faced by Israeli students amidst ongoing warfare.
在当代，战争是压力的一个重要来源，其影响远不止于直接的人员伤亡，在受影响人群中营造了一种普遍的危险和焦虑氛围。以持续的武装入侵和导弹袭击为特征的以色列 - 哈马斯战争，就是这种动荡的一个近期例子，造成了广泛的创伤和破坏。
本研究在以色列南部阿什凯隆学术学院的学生中进行，旨在调查持续冲突期间的压力水平及相关因素。采用横断面调查设计，于2024年1月至2月从625名参与者中收集数据，此时距离首次袭击开始约四个月。该调查涵盖了人口统计学信息、感知压力水平、睡眠质量和社交媒体使用情况。
研究结果显示参与者的压力水平为中度到高度，在性别、父母状况以及是否居住在冲突地区方面存在显著差异。此外，居住在受冲突影响地区的学生报告睡眠质量较差。回归分析确定了压力升高的几个预测因素，包括性别、父母状况、睡眠质量、是否居住在冲突地区以及社交媒体使用情况。
这些发现强调了持续冲突对大学生心理健康的深远影响，凸显了高等教育机构需要提供量身定制的干预措施和支持服务。局限性包括该研究仅关注特定的大学人群以及数据收集时间与战争爆发的关系。尽管如此，这项研究为以色列学生在持续战争中所面临的独特背景下的压力动态提供了有价值的见解。
