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Getting a Life: Gender Differences in Postwar Recovery

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Abstract

This study examined gender differences in stress symptoms and recovery one year after the end of war, among two Israeli samples (adults n = 870 and adolescents n = 810). MANOVA analysis indicated that females reported higher levels of stress symptoms and lower levels of postwar recovery compared to males. Adolescents reported lower levels of stress and higher levels of recovery compared to adults. Path analysis supported the following: Gender associated negatively with family support and sense of danger. Sense of danger associated positively with symptoms and negatively with recovery, while family support associated with these variables in the opposite direction. Mediation test indicated that family support and sense of danger served as mediators between gender and recovery and between gender and stress symptoms.

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Acknowledgement

This study was supported by grant from the UJA Federation of New York.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Tel Hai Academic College, Upper Galilee, 12210, Israel

    Shaul Kimhi & Leehu Zysberg

  2. Departments of Psychology, Tel Hai Academic College and Haifa University, Haifa, Israel

    Yohanan Eshel

  3. Department of Social Work, Tel Hai Academic College, Upper Galilee, Israel

    Shira Hantman

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  1. Shaul Kimhi
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Correspondence to Shaul Kimhi.

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Kimhi, S., Eshel, Y., Zysberg, L. et al. Getting a Life: Gender Differences in Postwar Recovery. Sex Roles 61, 554–565 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-009-9660-2

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