The study investigated relations between psychological capital (PsyCap), personal well-being, and feelings of stress and anxiety among evacuees from northern Israel during the Iron Swords war, examining differences between employed and non-employed evacuees. A sample of 126 participants was divided into two subsamples: employed and unemployed. The research instruments included a PsyCap questionnaire, a personal well-being questionnaire, and a diagnostic questionnaire to assess levels of stress and anxiety. The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between PsyCap and personal well-being, a significant negative correlation between PsyCap and levels of stress and anxiety, and a significant negative correlation between personal well-being and levels of stress and anxiety. Employed evacuees showed higher levels of PsyCap and personal well-being and lower levels of stress and anxiety than unemployed evacuees. The results suggest employment serves as a significant protective factor for evacuees. The study suggests the need to develop intervention programs that provide comprehensive support to evacuees, particularly those who are unemployed, and the findings may serve as a foundation for policy changes in the area of evacuee support, underscoring the importance of promoting employment as a central tool for mental and social rehabilitation.

This study examined the cultural differences in Jewish and Arab teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion in Israeli schools. It addressed the role of teacher training and professional development in shaping attitudes while considering the socio-cultural context. The research involved 1214 teachers. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing their views on aspects of inclusion. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA tests to examine the interaction between cultural background, training type (in special education or standard education), and professional development. The findings revealed that Jewish teachers generally reported more positive attitudes toward inclusion. Special education training and recent professional development in special education enhanced positive teacher attitudes uniformly for both groups. However, Arab teachers showed less positive perceptions, possibly due to resource limitations and cultural factors. The study suggests professional development plays a crucial role in shaping teachers’ attitudes. Tailored professional development programs addressing the unique needs of teachers in different cultural and resource contexts are essential for fostering effective inclusive education.

This study examined cultural differences in teachers’ attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in Jewish and Arab Israeli schools. We explored whether cultural differences influence attitudes and perceptions, considering the distinct educational contexts and cultural values. The research involved 1191 teachers who completed an inclusion questionnaire. Jewish teachers rated inclusion more positively across all domains, with no significant differences between school levels. Arab teachers showed more positive attitudes in elementary schools, but these declined in high schools, reflecting cultural tendencies toward community-oriented practices at the primary level. The study highlights the role of cultural values, such as collectivism in Arab communities, in shaping educational practices and underscores the impact of sociocultural dynamics on the success of inclusive education.

The 2018 reform in Israel's Special Education Law marked a shift towards greater inclusion of children with disabilities. This study examined teachers' attitudes and commitment to inclusion in the Arab and state-religious educational systems, focusing on aspects such as technical aids, professional support, curriculum adaptations, parental involvement, and effects on regular students. A total of 1,214 Israeli teachers completed a questionnaire, and statistical analyses, including Pearson correlations, MANOVA, and chi-squared tests, were conducted. Results showed significant positive correlations across all indices in both Jewish and Arab teachers. Jewish teachers had more positive attitudes, better professional training, and more structured classroom transitions. Differences in attitudes were linked to cultural, systemic, and resource disparities. Jewish state-religious schools benefit from better infrastructure and more professional development, while Arab schools face underfunding, cultural stigma, and limited training, which hinder inclusion efforts. The findings highlight the need for targeted policy interventions, improved training, and resource allocation to address these disparities, contributing to the broader understanding of cultural and structural influences on inclusive education.

BACKGROUND:This study examines the extent of exposure to verbal violence experienced by people with intellectual disabilities and whether it differs based on their housing situation: living in the community, with family, or in a residential facility.METHOD:One hundred and eighty-nine people with intellectual disabilities were interviewed about their experience with verbal violence.RESULTS:Eighty-six percent reported experiencing verbal violence in their lifetime and approximately 77% experienced it the past week. Participants were most likely to be yelled at, and friends were the most common perpetrators. While there were few differences by setting, people living with their families were more likely to be laughed at and marginally more likely to experience rude comments.CONCLUSIONS:Verbal violence is prevalent in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities in Israel. Interventions are necessary to assist people with intellectual disabilities to deal with such incidents, with possible additional supports needed for those living with family.

Teaching is a stressful profession, and rates of departure are high. We examined whether teachers' levels of psychological capital (PsyCap), a concept integrating four positive psychological resources (hope, self-efficacy, resilience, optimism), affects their job satisfaction and burnout. Israeli schools are now required to be inclusive; consequently, teachers in standard educational settings teach children with special needs, despite a lack of training. Our sample comprised 123 Israeli teachers: 56 from special education schools and 67 from standard education system. As hypothesised, higher levels of PsyCap were correlated with higher job satisfaction and lower burnout among all teachers. Also as hypothesised, there were differences in job satisfaction and burnout: special education teachers reported more job satisfaction and less burnout. Both groups had similar levels of PsyCap, thus not supporting our hypothesis. The findings suggest the need to rethink working conditions for teachers in standard education when classes are required to be inclusive. As it is possible to improve PsyCap through intervention programmes, researchers and policymakers may consider designing and testing interventions for teachers.

BACKGROUND:This study examined how siblings and siblings-in-law of persons with intellectual disabilities experience the establishment of and processes within the couple relationship.METHOD:In-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 siblings and 12 siblings-in-law of persons with intellectual disabilities were analysed using thematic analysis.RESULTS:The participants did not perceive their special siblinghood as detrimental to their couple relationships. Siblings-in-law's prior acquaintance with persons with disabilities and professional support provided to the family of origin emerged as contributing factors. The effect of the siblinghood on the couple relationship was both positive and negative.CONCLUSIONS:The findings support the importance of the acceptance of others who are different, including in couple relationships when a sibling or sibling-in-law has intellectual disabilities, and underscore the role of professional therapists.

The study investigated the influence of the humanistic orientation on the perspectives of service providers working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and the self‐evaluation of service users. The humanistic orientation, which emerged in the 1990s, emphasizes the rights of people with IDD to lead a meaningful life based on their personal needs and desires. However, challenges persist as some service providers prioritize the acquisition of normative life skills over fostering autonomy. The study was based on quantitative methodology and included 61 service providers and 95 of their service users. The study's findings indicate that the humanistic orientation was endorsed by nearly one half of the service providers compared with one third who endorsed a medical orientation. Those endorsing a humanistic orientation also reported that their service users had higher levels of efficacy than those with a medical perception of IDD. Positive correlations were found regarding the assessments made by service providers and their service users on self‐efficacy. Findings suggest that a humanistic orientation encourages optimism among service providers and a positive dyadic interaction between providers and users. It is suggested that the humanistic orientation be applied as a guiding principle underlying the daily support provided to adults with IDD.

Violence against people is a widespread phenomenon and violence against people with disabilities even more common. Studies have examined different types of violence toward people with disabilities, but there has been almost no research to date on verbal violence involving people with intellectual or development disabilities (IDD). The present research focused on this subject. A qualitative study was conducted using an intervention program. The research questions were (a) what can help people with IDD expand their understanding of verbal violence and differentiate different situations of verbal violence and (b) what can help people with IDD expand their means for handling verbal violence of their own and that directed toward them? The sample included 64 people (45 males, 19 females; ages 22–75) with mild IDD, who were divided into four groups of 16 participants each in the intervention program. The findings indicate that the participants’ conceptualization of verbal violence improved after the intervention program. Three main themes were identified: (a) differentiation between good and bad; (b) choosing how to handle verbal violence; and (c) helping others cope with verbal violence. Consistent with the humanistic perspective, the findings show that people with IDD can learn to handle verbal violence toward them in a way that promotes their understanding, enables them to choose their reactions, and affects those around them, as well as strengthening their self-efficacy. The research contributes to the sparse knowledge regarding verbal violence, especially against people with IDD, and offers ways of intervening to help them handle verbal violence.

This article examines state religious school teachers' attitudes regarding the inclusion of students with special needs and factors affecting their perceptions. A representative sample of 579 teachers from primary, junior high and high schools filled in a questionnaire regarding attitudes toward inclusion and related factors such as professional support, commitment to inclusion, adaptability of the curriculum, extent of inclusion, existence of technical aids, parental involvement and the influence of the inclusion on students without special needs. The majority of teachers reported a positive (87%) attitude towards inclusion. All the components of the inclusion were positively associated with teachers' perceptions. The findings shed light on the factors influencing teachers' perceptions on inclusion of students with special needs into regular education.

This study explores the relationship between exposure to verbal violence, body investment, and contingencies of self-worth among college students. The study hypotheses are that (a) gender differences will be found in exposure to types of verbal violence, (b) body investment and contingencies of self-worth will be positively interrelated, and (c) exposure to verbal violence will be related to students' body investment and contingencies of self-worth. A total of 300 Israeli students participated in the current study, 206 females (69%) and 94 males (31%), ages 19-47 years. The participants self-reported demographic information and completed an exposure to verbal violence questionnaire, the Body Investment scale, and the Contingencies of Self-Worth scale. The study found that students' evaluation of their own physical appearance is the strongest predictor of global self-esteem that is affected by being exposed to verbal violence. The findings show the importance of understanding the effects of exposure to verbal violence on contingencies of self-worth and of body investment as a predictor of contingencies of self-worth. We recommend creating intervention programs that address the consequences of verbal violence on body investment and self-worth to improve quality of life.

Objective People with serious mental illnesses are exposed to high rates of verbal abuse. This study examines the impact of such experiences on loneliness and social support, which is hypothesized to ultimately diminish recovery. Method Fifty participants with serious mental illnesses reported on their experiences with verbal abuse, loneliness, social support, and recovery. Results Verbal abuse was found to be related to loneliness and social support, and both mediated the relationship between verbal abuse and recovery. Conclusions and Implications for Practice Verbal abuse is an all too common experience of people with serious mental illnesses that ultimately affects their recovery. Specifically, exposure to verbal abuse may impact recovery by increasing sense of loneliness and perceived social support. The implications are that a heightened awareness of verbal abuse and its impact on recovery should draw attention to interventions that decrease exposure and increase self-advocacy to combat negative outcomes.

OBJECTIVE Trauma experienced by individuals with serious mental illnesses extends beyond physical and sexual abuse. This is among the first studies to examine verbal violence, both spoken and written words, experienced by individuals with serious mental illnesses. METHOD Fifty individuals diagnosed with a schizophrenia-spectrum, bipolar, or major depressive disorder were recruited from community-based mental health agencies and reported on their experiences with 8 types of verbal violence identified in the literature, or related written comments, including: belittling, insulting, name-calling, teasing/embarrassing, threatening, cursing, or yelling. They also reported on the frequency of such events and the perpetrators. RESULTS 82% of participants reported at least 1 type of verbal violence in their lifetime and 66% reported an incident in the past year. The most common experiences were being called names, belittled, and insulted, teased, or embarrassed in front of others. Top perpetrators were friends and parents. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Verbal violence is a common experience with potentially devastating effects on mental health and well-being, sense of safety, and recovery and community participation among adults with serious mental illnesses. It is plausible that such comments deserve being recognized as "violence" on par with physical and sexual assaults, although further research would be useful to expand our knowledge about their effects on health, wellness, and community inclusion. New interventions that prevent, lessen, and eliminate such violence, may also be advisable. (PsycINFO Database Record

This study explores teachers' perceptions of inclusion. A nationwide survey of 754 Arab school teachers' perceptions of inclusion was conducted in Israel. Findings revealed a gap between positive overt attitudes towards inclusion and inclusion in practice. Attitudes are composed of three interrelated dimensions of personality: emotions, cognition and behavior. Each dimension is a complex interplay of several factors. Incongruence between cognition, emotion and behavior can be the outcome of cultural expectations. Our findings revealed that Arab school teachers expressed positive attitudes, in general, towards educational inclusion since this is the official statement of the Ministry of Education, but at the same time they did not see the benefits of inclusion towards the overall schools' reputation. Three-quarters of the respondents said that the school had no formal written statement concerning the inclusion of students with special needs. Most teachers expressed the view that their school was only partially accessible. Relations between school teachers and families were found to be very limited. At the same time, we found a significant correlation between positive attitudes towards inclusion and (1) pre-service and in-service training in special education and (2) the feeling that the administration supports the teacher.

The rise in the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorder has increased world-wide (Flood, Bul‐ grin and Morgan, 2012). This phenomena calls for the expansion and development of teachers preparation courses to work with this population as well as providing specific courses to pro‐ fessionals in the medical and health professions such as speech therapists, occupational thera‐ pists, art therapists etc. that focus on the needs of children and adults with autism. It also calls for the development of community services to children and families, such as early diagnosis, counseling parents, education of school aged children and as they graduate from school, cre‐ ating community living arrangements for adults along with opportunities for employment, social and leisure time activities. The development and use of appropriate services must be based on awareness of the autistic spectrum disorder as a subgroup of persons with develop‐ mental disabilities that is distinguished from other disabilities such as intellectual disabilities or mental illness. It is also based on openness and positive attitudes towards these persons as equal members of society who have the right to live in the community in a respectful manner.