The role of social support in moderating anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms during the ‘swords of iron’ war in Israel
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21621994 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Noa Eliyahu, Orr Ashkenazi, Tair Tarkay, Yelena Stukalin (0000-0002-2616-5650, Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yafo), Odelia Elkana (0000-0003-1862-4930, Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yafo, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Current Psychology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1046-1310 • E-ISSN: 1936-4733 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12144-026-09030-8 |
| OpenAlex | W7130371229 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 42 |
Emotion-focused coping strategies, which aim to manage emotions rather than address stressors directly, are consistently linked to heightened psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic symptoms. In contrast, perceived social support acts as a protective factor, buffering individuals from these adverse effects by enhancing coping efficacy and psychological resilience. This study investigated whether perceived social support serves as a moderator in the link between emotion-focused coping styles psychological distress during the 2023 Israel-Gaza war. Using a cross-sectional design, 589 participants completed digital questionnaires measuring depression (PHQ), anxiety (GAD), PTSD symptoms (PCL-5), perceived social support (MSPSS), and coping styles (COPE). Multiple regression analyses assessed the association between emotion-focused coping and psychological distress, as well as the moderating effect of social support. A significant interaction emerged between emotion-focused coping strategies and perceived social support in predicting psychological distress ( p p p p
Anxiety · Distress · Moderation · Multilevel model · Psychological intervention · Rumination · Social support · Stressor · Migration, Health and Trauma · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Resilience and Mental Health
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| Highly cited | No |
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