This is how the constitutional revolution affects our national resilience index
A new study by researchers from Tel Aviv University and Tel Hai Academic College that examined issues related to resilience, stress and well-being: national resilience, personal resilience, indicators of hope, morale, symptoms of stress and perception of threats, scientifically presents what we all felt in the media, on the networks Socialism and the public sphere: While over the past year the national resilience of coalition supporters has increased significantly (from 3.5 to 3.9), among opposition supporters the trend is the opposite and indicates a steep decline in the national resilience index (from 3.7 in October 22 to 3.2 in August 23). According to the research team, the gap between the two groups is getting deeper and deeper, which leads to the worsening of the severe political-social crisis in which the State of Israel is facing these days.
Is there hope for a better future? Depends on who you ask
The study was conducted under the leadership of the researchers: Prof. Shaul Kimchi, Prof. Baruria Edini, Dr. Maya Siman Tov and Ariel Kaim From the Department of Disaster and Emergency Management and Prof. Yochanan Eshel, Dr. Hadas Marciano from Tel Hai Academic College and Haifa University. The current study is based on three repeated measurements among the same sample (N=785). The first measurement was conducted shortly before the last election (in October 2022). The second measurement was conducted in February 2023, about three and a half months after the elections, and in the midst of the constitutional revolution. The third measurement was conducted at the beginning of August 23.
Comparing the national resilience averages among coalition supporters indicates a significant increase from 3.53 in the first measurement to 3.85 in the third measurement, while among opposition supporters there was a significant decrease from 3.66 in the first measurement to 3.20 in the third measurement. It is worth noting that in the first measurement, the opposition supporters reported a significantly higher national resilience, compared to the coalition supporters.
As for the level of hope for a better future, the study shows that there was no significant change in the average level of hope of the entire sample between the first measurement (3.51) and the second measurement (3.52). On the other hand, in the third measurement there was a sharp decrease among the general public to 3.17. The differences are also very noticeable in the distinction between the opposition and coalition supporters: while the coalition supporters maintained a relatively high level of hope (3.6) in the three measurements, among the opposition supporters the level of hope dropped significantly from 3.4 to 2.8. (measured on a 5-1 scale).
Our personal resilience is declining
Another statistic that illustrates the impact of the constitutional revolution on the public in Israel is reflected in the personal resilience index. According to the findings, there was a sharp and clear decrease among the general public throughout the three measurements from 3.9 to 3.5. (Scale 5-1). This significant decrease in the level of personal resilience was observed among both groups (coalition and opposition supporters alike), with no significant difference between the two groups throughout the three measurements. In other words, the study participants all reported a decrease in their personal resilience.
As for the index of feelings of danger, here too, as expected, the opposition supporters report that they feel a real danger to their existence and the existence of the state and their concern is expressed in a large increase in the feeling of danger (increased from 2.3 to 2.9). In contrast, coalition supporters feel much safer and this is reflected in the decrease in feelings of danger (decrease 2.6 to 2.1) on a scale of 5-1.
In conclusion, the researchers emphasize that from the results of the study it can be concluded that since the November 2022 elections, the gap between the two groups in the study that represent the adult Jewish population in Israel - the supporters of the coalition and the opposition - has been increasing. In all the indices examined in the study, it is evident that following the elections and the events that occurred after them, the opposition supporters testify to a large and significant drop in the resilience indices and an increase in the stress indices: national resilience, personal resilience, hope for a better future and morale decreased significantly, while symptoms of stress and feelings of danger increased significantly among a group this. It is also possible to notice that following the elections, the gap between the two groups deepens and deepens, which leads to the worsening of the severe political/social crisis in which the State of Israel is facing these days.
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