Exposure to traumatic events can result in acute stress symptoms that can last for several years and lead to chronic and debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. After the outbreak of war from Gaza, researchers at Bar-Ilan University (BIU) in Ramat Gan led by clinical psychologist Prof. Amit Shrira measured acute stress and PTSD symptoms among Israelis last November and December, shedding light on the impact of the conflict on mental health across generations.
The study used the Qualtrics online platform (web-based software that enables the user to create surveys and general reports without having any previous programming expertise), social media, and additional approaches to reach diverse groups of participants. A total of 428 responses were received. The results, just published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research under the title “Age differences in acute stress and PTSD symptoms during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war: Preliminary findings,” revealed striking differences between young adults aged 20 and 59 and older adults aged 60 to 87.
Experts describe stress as a non-pathological transient reaction that usually declines within days or weeks as the person adapts or as a disorder when acute symptoms last up to one month. PTSD incorporates several clusters of symptoms, including flashbacks, staying away from certain places, and heightened arousal, as well as additional symptoms like negative beliefs about oneself. In any case, PTSD symptoms result in substantial functional impairment.
During the first week of the conflict, young adults reported significantly higher levels of acute stress symptoms, with 24.8% suffering from distress. In the subsequent weeks, the prevalence of probable PTSD among this group soared to 42.8%. In contrast, older adults exhibited lower rates of acute stress (3.7%) during the first week, with 13.7% reporting probable PTSD in the following weeks.
“This study provides valuable insights into how different age groups respond to traumatic events,” remarked Shrira from the gerontology program at BIU’s social and health sciences department. “Despite the challenges posed by the war, older adults showed remarkable resilience compared to their younger counterparts.”
Explanation of the findings
The research delved into two hypotheses to explain these variations – the vulnerability hypothesis, suggesting older adults’ susceptibility to trauma-induced psychopathology due to physical frailty and reduced social support, and the inoculation hypothesis, proposing older adults’ resilience owing to life experience and effective coping mechanisms.The findings largely support the inoculation hypothesis, noted Shrira.
“Older adults have exhibited impressive resilience during the tumultuous period of the Israel-Hamas conflict. This means that despite experiencing declining physical, cognitive, and social resources, older adults may still have other resources that help them cope with traumatic events.
Some of these resources include life experience, wisdom, emotional regulation capabilities, and the use of strategies to compensate for lost abilities while optimizing preserved ones. Additionally, older adults may have adapted to the current war by drawing on their past experiences with warfare, including significant events like the Yom Kippur War,” Shrira suggested.
The study, conducted in collaboration with Prof. Yuval Palgi of the University of Haifa’s gerontology department, stresses the importance of recognizing and harnessing the strengths of older adults in times of crisis. “It’s important to recognize the strength and resilience of older adults, especially those who have experienced trauma. We should encourage and empower them to cope with present challenges by focusing on their capabilities and resources,” Shrira continued.
“Adopting a strength-based perspective can help care providers impart belief in older adults’ ability to overcome crisis, but it’s also important to bear in mind that older adults may have different reactions to stress, so an individual approach is crucial.”
Moving forward, the BIU researcher is analyzing data from additional surveys focusing on specific groups of older adults, including Holocaust survivors, veterans of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and internally displaced individuals.