Trauma amid ‘culture of avoidance’: Symptom profile of PTSD in Bedouin members of the Israel Defense Forces

Abstract

The appropriateness and cultural relevance of the construct of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been questioned by previous studies of non-Western populations. The current study examined the symptom profile of PTSD in an ethnic minority group of Bedouin members of the Israel Defense Forces (N=317). Comparing individuals with PTSD to traumatized individuals without PTSD, we identified a pattern of symptoms that differed between the groups: while symptoms from the re-experiencing cluster were those most frequently reported by the PTSD group, avoidance symptoms were the most frequently reported by the traumatized group without PTSD. Our findings highlight the role of sociocultural considerations in the development of trauma-related problems and the special meaning of avoidant strategies for traumatized individuals from non-Western backgrounds.

Keywords:

• Bedouin
• trauma
• PTSD
• IDF
• avoidance

Notes on contributors

Yael Caspi is a senior clinical psychologist and researcher; the director of the Veterans' outpatient services in the Department of Psychiatry at the Rambam Medical Health Center.

Ehud Klein is the Professor of the Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Research Devision at the Rambam Medical Health Care Center and Professor of Psychiatry, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-IIT.

Ortal Slobodin received her Ph.D in psychology from Haifa University, Israel. She integrates academic work and clinical practice. Her research interests include post traumatic stress, cross-cultural psychology, and attention disorders.