A FEW OF OUR CURRENT PROJECTS
A BSF Funded Project: Sharing memories and emotions: A binational discourse analysis of Israeli and American military couples
With Prof. Danny Horesh, Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel and Dr. Adam Brown, Department of Psychology, The New School for Social Research, U.S.A.
The study examines couples’ communication, specifically, the ways couples share and discuss general and traumatic memories. The study focuses on the association between how Israeli and American couples talk and share memories about their military experiences, as well as their psychological well-being and marital adjustment. We predict that couples who share more memories and emotions related to deployment/combat will exhibit lower levels of psychological distress, and better relationship functioning.
Methods: Sixty military couples from each country are being recruited. Studies in both countries are following the same methodology, which includes self-report questionnaires as well as an in-depth linguistic analysis of memory overlap, coherence in conversation, and language style matching. We will also qualitatively analyze couples' narratives for themes such as self-efficacy and optimism.
Potential contribution: This study has the potential to shed light on the specific discourse elements associated with psychological resilience and vulnerability among military couples. Since Israel and the U.S. have unique military cultures, our binational design will increase the generalizability of our findings, as well as help in identifying culture-specific processes in both countries. Our findings will have significant clinical relevance, and help in identifying new treatment targets for couples facing war and military deployment. We are currently collecting data.
With Prof. Danny Horesh, Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel and Dr. Adam Brown, Department of Psychology, The New School for Social Research, U.S.A.
The study examines couples’ communication, specifically, the ways couples share and discuss general and traumatic memories. The study focuses on the association between how Israeli and American couples talk and share memories about their military experiences, as well as their psychological well-being and marital adjustment. We predict that couples who share more memories and emotions related to deployment/combat will exhibit lower levels of psychological distress, and better relationship functioning.
Methods: Sixty military couples from each country are being recruited. Studies in both countries are following the same methodology, which includes self-report questionnaires as well as an in-depth linguistic analysis of memory overlap, coherence in conversation, and language style matching. We will also qualitatively analyze couples' narratives for themes such as self-efficacy and optimism.
Potential contribution: This study has the potential to shed light on the specific discourse elements associated with psychological resilience and vulnerability among military couples. Since Israel and the U.S. have unique military cultures, our binational design will increase the generalizability of our findings, as well as help in identifying culture-specific processes in both countries. Our findings will have significant clinical relevance, and help in identifying new treatment targets for couples facing war and military deployment. We are currently collecting data.
A Ministry of Science Funded Project: Cyber dating violence among students: Assessment and prediction
With Prof. Orit Nuttman-Shwartz and Dr. Ohad Gilbar
Scientific background: Cyber dating violence (CDV) includes monitoring another person's online activities, exerting control over his/her communications, making hostile threats, and/or sharing embarrassing photos of him/her in the media. The first aim of the study, is to assess the rates of CDV among young adults in Israel. We focus on gender differences, and cultural diversity in terms of risks for both CDV perpetuation and victimization. The study's second aim is to use the trauma-informed social information processing model, in an effort to predict CDV, and to better understand its development. This model suggests that exposure to traumatic events during the life cycle, as well as the psychological distress that develops as a result of such exposure, increases the risk of perpetrating violence. In addition, we examine the specific role of exposure to violence in social media as a moderator between posttraumatic stress symptoms and perpetration of CDV.
Method: To achieve the first aim, a representative sample of 744 Israeli young adults, was collected. Regarding the second aim, Ecological Momentary Assessments that entail multiple real-time assessments for six weeks’ period was also finalized.
Innovation and implementation: As CDV can have serious implications for young people's academic achievements and the quality of their future relationships, the extensive use of this violence must be further explored. We are currently in data analysis.
With Prof. Orit Nuttman-Shwartz and Dr. Ohad Gilbar
Scientific background: Cyber dating violence (CDV) includes monitoring another person's online activities, exerting control over his/her communications, making hostile threats, and/or sharing embarrassing photos of him/her in the media. The first aim of the study, is to assess the rates of CDV among young adults in Israel. We focus on gender differences, and cultural diversity in terms of risks for both CDV perpetuation and victimization. The study's second aim is to use the trauma-informed social information processing model, in an effort to predict CDV, and to better understand its development. This model suggests that exposure to traumatic events during the life cycle, as well as the psychological distress that develops as a result of such exposure, increases the risk of perpetrating violence. In addition, we examine the specific role of exposure to violence in social media as a moderator between posttraumatic stress symptoms and perpetration of CDV.
Method: To achieve the first aim, a representative sample of 744 Israeli young adults, was collected. Regarding the second aim, Ecological Momentary Assessments that entail multiple real-time assessments for six weeks’ period was also finalized.
Innovation and implementation: As CDV can have serious implications for young people's academic achievements and the quality of their future relationships, the extensive use of this violence must be further explored. We are currently in data analysis.